Hi M,

I had a RTL in April '05 and it was the best decision I ever made, with regards to my health. I had my surgery done at the Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania, by Dr Gordon Baltuch. It has been a complete success, so far. Up until the surgery, I had had seizures since the age of 4 and I am 46 now. I was having complex partial seizures, but have had none, not even an aura, since the surgery. I waited a very long time, prior to making a decision to have surgery and I would recommend that you and your father investigate fully the use of multiple AEDs to try and control your seizures. If they turn out to be retractable, then do not wait forever to find out if you are a candidate for surgery. Have a VEEG done, which it sounds like you dad might be doing now. That will allow you neurologist to determine whether there is one focus of you seizures or multiple places that your seizures are generatiing from. If one lobe can be isolated as being whare your seizure foci are, then you will most likely then do further testing to determine the potential affects of removing that lobe. In my case, it was the right temporal lobe, so they did a WADA test. There was actually more risk involved with that test, then the actual surgery, as there is a risk of stroke. The idea of the test is for them to isolate one side of your brain at a time, by putting one side asleep at a time and test the awake side for your speech and memory. Your right side of your brain is basically as mirror image of the left, so by putting one side asleep, it allows them to determine wheather you mostly right brained or left brained. As it turned out, I was 90% left brained for speech and memory, which are the major concerns for anyone potentially having surgery on the temporal lobe. Since my seizure focus was in my RTL, then I was pretty much a perfect candidate for surgery, I was extremely fortunate. After getting the go ahead, that I was a candidate, that was not the end of the story. I did not just go into surgery the next week, but began to try to find answer to my concerns, pretty much like you are now. Porkette, and many other on this Board(was Braintalk then) were extermely helpful and provided me with information about their experiences and encouragement, as well. It was not until about a year after my VEEG and WADA test, that I finally had the surgery done. Was a little scary, but I came out it well and my recovery was fairly uneventful. I can still remember coming out the ICU and testing my memory for my social security number and phone number, etc. No problems at all, that was so cool and such a relief. I then, maybe a little later, tried listing to a CD, as I was afraid going in that I would lose my ability to enjoy music, which I love so much. No problems there either. I did initially have some visual deficits created by the surgery, but they did not affect my ability to see and I have adjusted to them occuring over time. So, on the whole the surgery was a success and I would hope that you continue to ask questions and find out whether you are a candidate, simply so you can then be a better position to make a decision about your treatment and not feel as though you have no choice but to accept how things are currently. I hope that surgery is not necessary and that your seizures are controlled without it, but fully investigate your options and your dad, as well. If you continue down that road and have questiions, then do not hesitate to ask here, we will all try to support you.

God Bless,

Barry

Phil 4:6-7 "Do not be anxioius about anything, but in everthing by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving. Present you request to God and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus."