When I was younger, I loved playing house. I would go outside and play in our log cabin playhouse (it was huge and made out of real wood by our neighbor) for hours. The playhouse was the place to be on our block, the entire backyard made into a kid’s playground dream. We were extremely fortunate that our parents were able to make us an awesome place to play, which we did during all seasons and types of weather. I always pretended that I had twin babies (I had the Baby Tumble Surprise Twins- super popular Christmas gift in 1997) and that I had the coolest house and cars, etc. I imagined I had the perfect life, perfect babies and perfect house.
Flash forward 23 years and I’m still playing house, except it’s real and it’s a lot harder than I ever anticipated. Also, instead of legit twin baby dolls, I have “Irish twins”, one of which is the equivalent of 2 1/2 kids. Now I don’t think think I could ever have that boring, plain life. I got my first taste of being a normal mom last night. Since Derek and Greyson were in Philadelphia at CHOP, Roslynn and I decided to go out to dinner with my good friend, Julia and her boyfriend. It was so odd leaving work and picking up one child to go to a restaurant to actually sit and eat. I felt like a normal person again. Afterwards, once we got home, the house was too quiet. Ironically, I got 5 hours of sleep (most I have in months) and I was more tired today than normal! Essentially what I have learned in the past 24 hours, is that I need to be a normal person sometimes and make time for normal things. I also really need the excitement of Greyson in my day. It was so lonely without his belly laugh and the sound of him staircase surfing at all random hours of the night.
Waiting for Julia to arrive for dinner
The next bit of information is per Derek, so I am simply relaying this.
Greyson and Derek checked into CHOP around 5:30pm. It took a good bit of time to get all the electrodes on his head, cap put on and wires stuffed into the backpack he carried around. The electrode placement is always extremely difficult for G, especially since the glue to hold the electrodes on, is super stinky and gross. After having the opportunity to eat dinner and relax, Greyson fell asleep. Unfortunately, he did not stay asleep through the night. After tossing and turning and a tough morning, he was finally discharged from CHOP around 1:00pm. Luckily, the staff was able to get the data they needed and even got the glue out of his hair before he was discharged.
After 5 different seizure medications and two years of finding a medicine regiment to control the epilepsy, we have finally received good news.
Greyson had zero instances of focal seizures while he slept and while awake. This essentially means that the Onfi is working! He has had minimal side effects with it and I’m really feeling good that we finally have found the right mix of meds. 835 days after his first diagnosis, we finally have a solution.
Finally
I’m waiting for a final report from the neurologist, but this is the best news we have heard in over two years. We needed this good news. We have been really struggling over the past couple of months, but all of those feelings are currently on mute. We are so excited. We still have a long ways to go, but this was the perfect push we needed to keep our chins up. Excuse me if I am giddy tomorrow, but TGIF and we have a successful medicine managing seizures that were once deemed uncontrollable.
La Vie de Autism 