Friends, I found the recent discussion of epilepsy and ketogenic diets rather timely.  My cousin Bridget has a daughter named Emily who has had seizure for years.  Please read below.  Suggestions, thoughts, prayers appreciated for this sweet little girl.

Jim Swayze
www.fireholecanyon.com


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> Wanted to update you about Emily.  We have had a major set back and have received some devastating news regarding her prognosis.
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> Emily had a massive seizure on Wednesday just after lunch.  I had decided that morning to keep her at home from school. Stephany (our nanny who is such a blessing to our family) and I were home with the kids.  Emily began to have a seizure that started out small and continued to build into the biggest seizure she has ever had that would not stop.  Emily was rushed to Children's Medical Center by ambulance.  The doctors in ER had a very hard time stopping her seizure.  It was a life threatening tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizure that lasted over 1 hour.  It was horrible. 
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> Emily was admitted to Children's for many tests to find out what had changed in her brain to cause such a violent seizure. The final report from Emily's neurologist was not good.
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> The MRI showed that Emily's brain is actually shrinking (cerebral atrophy) thus destroying brain cells (the loss of neurons and the connections between them).  As it decreases in size the empty space is being filled by fluid.  This will directly affect her cognitively.  There is no treatment for this. 
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> In addition, Emily's EEG test revealed that this seizure was on the left side of her brain.  The last EEG test in September showed a large seizure in the right side of her brain.  Emily is having seizures from both sides of her brain (called multifocal epilepsy).  This is the most severe form of epilepsy.  The hard part of this is that these seizures continue and we are running out of options regarding medicines.   Emily has undergone 4 major brain surgeries including removal of part of her left brain to control seizures.  Because her seizures are coming from different sides of her brain another surgery is not an option for seizure control. 
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> We are heartbroken but are thankful that we are home and have our Emily.  Al and I have to make some important decisions regarding what we do next.  We meet back with the neurologist in two weeks. 
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> Thank you for your love, prayers and support.  We want to make sure we keep things positive for Emily.  Please understand it is best that we communicate via email or text so that Emily does not overhear the specifics.  We have told her that she had a seizure but nothing more.  It will take Emily several weeks to recover from this seizure.  We will continue to update you as we receive new information.
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> Bridget