May 16, 2006 Tests are complete...

Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 8:39 pm Post subject: 5/16 Tests are complete . . . Hello Everyone! We have had a few busy weeks. The CT, MRI, and EEGs are complete. Whew!!!! Just getting all of that done is an accomplishment! The doctors are telling us that the MRI and CT films look good. The EEG did reveal continued seizure activity so we are getting ready to start a new medication that will hopefully calm things down for Erik. PLEASE pray that the new medication will work with NO side effects! We are at the point where if this medication does not work, many of the alternatives can have serious side effects. Another reason we want this medication to work for Erik is that this medication is one that some kids can stay on long term without taking multiple medications. Erik has been on 3 seizure medications for a while now. Our ultimate goal is to get him on 1 medication instead of many. He is doing so well that we don't want to add side effects to the equation so please keep this in your prayers! We ran across the following scripture (which seems totally appropriate for us) and thought we would share it through this email. Things do get tough but God always pulls us through! Thanks for your continued support and encouragement through prayer. God bless . . . Erik's Family "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way." James 1:2-4 The Message AGAPE7Joined: 18 May 2006Posts: 1 Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 12:27 pm Post subject: A MOTHERS LOVE WENDY I JUST WANTED TO SAY YOU ARE ONE OF THE MOST COURAGOUS MOTHERS I HAVE EVER HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET. MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU; YOUR FAMILY ALWAYS. I HOPE YOU HAD A WONDERFUL MOTHERS DAY. AFTER READING ERIKS STORY HERE AT COPC I WAS SO MOVED TO KNOW HOW MUCH GOD IS; HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE GREAT PHYSICIAN, IN ALL OUR LIVES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND THE SHARING OF ERIKS STORY ON LINE. HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.

May 6, 2006 Whew …

Hello Everyone! We hope this email finds all of our friends and family well! We have been busy with Erik lately. His most recent EEG revealed "suspicious activity" so we have increased his medications in an attempt to settle down possible seizure activity. We started this process 2 Friday's ago and a week later he seems to be better. He is still experiencing seizure-like activity but not as severe as before. If his "seizure activity" does not settle down early this week, we will go in for a longer EEG and see what the results are. We want to avoid making him sleepy on a high dose of medicine and we want to be sure it is seizure activity! Last Tuesday Erik had a CT scan that revealed that all is well with the hydrocephalus. His ventricles were not enlarged. This was an interesting day - April 25 - since it was the 1 year anniversary of his day-long seizure that began the past year's events. We really did not want to be at Duke on this day but by being there we were able to get a positive CT test result turning it into a good date for us! WOW! It seems like it was a LONG time ago when he had his life changing seizure! What progress he has made! Praise God for his mercy, healing and for the grace he has generously given to Erik and our family over the past year! We have been SO blessed through it all! Erik continues to work VERY hard these days. We have an MRI scheduled this week and when all is well there and we get the seizures under control, we plan to make efforts to take out his central line (broviac). Hopefully we can do this in the next few months. We would love to get this out so we can go swimming this summer and he can be on his belly more for therapy. Being on his belly appears to be one of the best ways to strengthen his head and neck muscles. With the briviac in place, it is hard to have him on his belly because of the uncomfortable clamps and stuff that are on the broviac. Keep us in your prayers. Please pray for: us to learn how to settle down the episodes of possible seizure activity without making Erik sleepier; for Erik to continue to make progress with eating as well as mental and physical strength; and for our family to remain faithful and strong. Thank you for all of your prayers and continued support. We are truly blessed with Christian friends and family who love us and lift us up in ways we cannot possibly do alone. We also feel a great sense of peace knowing that even when we are not praying, we are being lifted up! When you can, take a moment to read Hebrews 11. This scripture has carried us through many times as it reminds us that faith is something that many great Christians have experienced and held onto in difficult times. This scripture also serves as a reminder that God has a plan for us - even if we cannot "see" this plan. This knowledge has helped us through many difficult times. Our God is a faithful God!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you . . . Erik's Family