Week of Uncertainty
7/8/2004

This past Saturday Lori experienced two siezures. The first occurred in the afternoon and lasted 45 minutes. She didn't lose consciousness, but sufferred from speech arrest or what an ER doctor later told us was acute expressive aphasia. Struggling to communicate she spoke words and partial sentences, but they made no sense. She experienced a second siezure similar to the first at 10:00PM. I took her to the ER at 12:00AM. This siezure lasted until 4:00AM when Lori fell asleep. She was given high doses of steroids and increased doses of her anti-siezure medication, Keppra. A CT and MRI scan indicated no significant increase in the mass or swelling in her brain, but enough presumabely to cause the siezures. by Sunday afternoon she was able to talk and make some sense. She was kept in the hopsital Sunday night for observation and released Monday afternoon. She is still having difficulty retrieving some words, but is able to communicate normally as before. We hope these difficulties will pass with time. A frightening weekend and a reminder of the gravity of the disease Lori is facing. Lori's Mom, Linda, as always was with us at the hospital to give love and support. My dear friends Scott and Kristine took me out for a quick dinner Sunday night, a much needed relief after being up all night with Lori. Thank you all who gave us love and support through a difficult weekend.
Lori is preparing herself for surgery tomorrow, speaking to the survivor spirit within. Today we find out whether Lori will be randomized to recieve the experimental drug IL13 or the much less preferred Gliadel wafer treatment. Surgery is at 7:30AM tomorrow. I will do my best to post an update Friday night. Thank you all again for your continued love and prayers.

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