More on Mini-me

[azdesertrose]

The neurologist said there was a slight abnormality in her EEG and put her on anti-convulsives to try to stop the seizures. She also wants a longer video EEG to look at the abnormality.

Mini-me tried to go back to school but had a seizure at school her first day back so she's back on homebound; hopefully we can salvage the year and she won't have to repeat the ninth grade. She's to see the neurologist again in a few weeks, and they'll probably raise the dosage of her Lamictal. Hopefully soon we can make the seizures stop and Mini-me can get back to school. She's a little stir crazy stuck at home all the time.

Comments

[madrun.livejournal.com]

If she's medically homebound, can't you get her books and stuff from the school and homeschool her??

[azdesertrose.livejournal.com]

That's basically what we're doing, except we're getting her assignments from her teachers so she doesn't fall behind in her classes while she's homebound. Some of her teachers are being slow about giving us the assignments though.

[sandykidd.livejournal.com]

Hey there!

I've been following mini-you's story, but not saying anything until now. Thing is, her teachers should be sending her work home. When it's a matter of illness, they can't hold out. She should be allowed to make up tests, as well. Seriously, if she's got epilepsy, for example, they MUST accommodate her. If the school is being jerks about it, I'd go down there and bust some heads, because that shit ain't right.

Another thing: A friend of mine developed epilepsy, but his seizures went unnoticed for a long time because they were masked by mood swings. He would get a sudden case of the blues, and forget what he was trying to say. Eventually they became noticeable seizures. Later, his neurologist found that treating the cause of the other symptoms that precluded his seizures helped reduce the severity of the seizures themselves, so my friend is on an antidepressant to correct that small chemical imbalance in his brain, and his seizures are back to being few and far between and more inconvenient than seriously disruptive. But it's a delicate balance and his meds seem to be in constant adjustment, just to warn you.

So if there are any other quirks to her behavior lately that seem to show up and vanish without a lot of rhyme or reason, you might want to have her neuro doc look at that. She may have a suddenly hard time finding that word she wants to say, or stutter, or have a limited time zero tolerance for loud noises or bright lights suddenly. You could ask her if there's been anything "setting her off" lately that normally doesn't, or if she's been having any troubles that seem to pop up before a seizure. It could be difficult for her to remember, though...my friend has a few minutes of memory loss from the time right before a seizure, which is why it took having some of his friends noticing his mood swings and saying something for him to bring that up to the neurologist. He just couldn't remember the feelings he had that preceded his seizures.

Anyway, I hope this is in ANY way helpful. If it's not, and these things have already been checked out, then don't mind me.

[azdesertrose.livejournal.com]

We're not sure yet if it's epilepsy; I think the neurologist is waiting on the video EEG to make an actual diagnosis. She's going to have to go into the hospital for a full day (24 hours) for the video EEG.

The school isn't really being jerks about it; just some of the teachers are being slow about giving us her work. And some of the work is stuff she really can't do at home, like biology labs and stuff for her magnet program work. So I think my mom is going to take her up to the school some days so she can make up biology labs and the video work.

One of the things that seems to set the seizures off is if she doesn't eat, so we've been making her eat about every three hours except when she's sleeping.

[cassandra63.livejournal.com]

Have they checked her blood sugar levels? Could be diabetes if she is ill when she hasn't eaten!

[azdesertrose.livejournal.com]

Yes, the paramedics checked her blood sugar when she collapsed at school and was sent to the ER via ambulance, and it was low. We don't think she's diabetic but she might have hypoglycemia. We're just still not sure what's wrong.

[colour-red.livejournal.com]

I think I've said this before and I'll say it again!

Health is worth more than wealth and education

If Steph is bored, there is enough stuff to chill out doing, walking, reading aside school. Worrying about her school work is the wrong way to go, there is stuff she can study and is relevant but doesn't have pressure

I should know, I missed near on two years of school through illness, but still went to University, and still bought a house in Florida....

[azdesertrose.livejournal.com]

Well, she's reading a lot of fanfiction; she's involved in about six fandoms besides Harry Potter.

I just don't want her to have to repeat the ninth grade if we can avoid it. She's already the oldest in her class. I know it won't kill her to repeat the ninth grade if that's what happens but I'd rather she didn't have to; she'll be bored to tears if she has to repeat a year she was doing so well in.

[cassandra63.livejournal.com]

I'm inclined to agree with Ladysmith! Her health is more important than anything, and it's easier to work when you feel 100% rather than struggle while you are unwell. Once the illness is diagnosed and manageable, she will be able to relax, in the knowledge that she can concentrate on school, and not worry about falling ill again.

[azdesertrose.livejournal.com]

Well, she feels okay between the spells, so there's no reason for her to fall behind on her schoolwork just because she's at home.