A MIRACLE!

Henna was 2 years old when she was admitted to the hospital with a traumatic brain injury. She had been thrown against a concrete wall by her biological father for crying too long. She had two depressed skull fractures, old blood on the brain from previous abuse, a lacerated liver, collapsed lung, suspected sexual abuse, and shaken baby syndrome. Henna coded while on the way to the hospital via helicopter and was brought back to life only to go into surgery to relieve pressure on her brain. She was not expected to live through the night. Henna was in a coma for one month hanging on to life. Then the miracle happened! Henna woke up and was able to move all her limbs and speak, shocking all of the medical professionals. We took Henna into our home and shortly after her arrival she started having seizures.

Henna's journey continues as we try to control her seizures. She received the Vagus Nerve Stimulator (VNS) on Feb. 4, 2011 at Children's Hospital in Washington, DC. The VNS will send an electrical impulse to Henna's brain every 3 minutes for 30 seconds to interrupt her seizures. Over two months we have increased the electrical current and we have seen no change in her seizure activity. It looks as though Henna is in the third of children who receive a VNS that sees no relief from the VNS. We are very disappointed! We have started her on a new medication in addition to her current medications. Maybe it will help.

On August 6th, 2012, Henna had a full corpus callosotomy. This surgery is for people who have generalized seizures with no focal point. The corpus callosum is a band of nerve fibers located deep in the brain that connects the two halves (hemispheres) of the brain. It helps the hemispheres share information, but it also contributes to the spread of seizure impulses from one side of the brain to the other. A corpus callosotomy is an operation that severs (cuts) the corpus callosum, interrupting the spread of seizures from hemisphere to hemisphere. Seizures generally do not completely stop after this procedure (they continue on the side of the brain in which they originate). However, the seizures usually become less severe, as they cannot spread to the opposite side of the brain.

Henna received a white Labradoodle, Leo, from 4 Paws for Ability in Oct. 2010. We sent 4 Paws 2 shirts a week to help train her dog. One shirt was when Henna had a seizure and they used it for her dog to smell the chemical change during her seizure. The other shirt was when Henna had NOT had a seizure. This helped her dog differentiate between the two scents. It's a fascinating process. We trained for 10 day in Ohio with Leo and a trainer before bringing Leo home.

Leo had been going to school with Henna but started to bark and growl at different people when they came into her classroom. We worked with Leo's barking and growling when people would knock on the door and for a while he seemed better. He is very protective at home also. He then barked and growled at some boys who came into Henna's classroom and had to be removed from school. The trainer at 4 Paws said that some dogs bond so closely with their child that they become protective. Leo took on Henna's classroom as another home and felt he had to protect her. Sadly, because of his aggressive behavior, Leo can no longer be a service dog. The trainer said Leo would behave lthat way with any child he bonded to. Just his nature. We will keep Leo as a pet. Leo LOVES being just a pet. He still alerts to Henna's seizures and lives to get his hot dog reward!

Henna now has Snoball, a beautiful Golden Retriever. Snoball was born June 3, 2011. She is so sweet and a bundle of energy! Sno is doing an excellent job alerting to Henna's seizures BEFORE she has them! She is alerting up to one hour before Henna has a seizure. Sno goes to school with Henna and proudly wears her school ID badge. Snoball will be a great seizure alert dog and will serve Henna well.

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Monday, May 30, 2011

Off to the pool!

Henna and her Dad are off to the pool on this beautiful Memorial Day.  It's supposed to be HOT!  Chris washed the Cobra and Henna was thrilled to ride in "HER" car.  I'm going to ride my spinner bike and try to drop a few pounds before my Hawaii trip.  I've noticed that my strength isn't an issue but my cardio is.  I need more!  My metabolism has definitely changed post menopause.  OK, TMI, I know...  Anyway, it's going to be a quiet day and hopefully I will get my bedroom closet cleaned out.

Yesterday the pool opened and we went to the opening picnic.  It was warm and breezy, which really helped.  Henna didn't wear her swimsuit because she thought she wasn't going to swim.  Once we got there she was so distraught.  She wore her goggles all around and kept asking me to take her home to get her suit on.  What does a mother of a cute special needs child do?  You got it!  We headed home, changed in a heart beat, and we were back to pool in no time at all.  Henna jumped off the diving board with DJ and showed off for the rest of us.  She's really good at using her body to "dolphin", minus the arms.  She's so buoyant.  I came home early and they came home at dinnertime.  She was one tired puppy.  She had a shower, dinner, and then went to bed.  Not a peep out of her until 11:30 pm and then again around 3:00 am.  Not bad.

 She was up at 6:00 am ready to go to the pool.  When breakfast time came she only wanted Chris's chocolate cake.  So, what does a mother with a cute special needs child do?  You got it!  I compromised with her and made her eat apples first and then I sliced her a sliver of cake.  I am really trying to watch what she eats.  You wouldn't believe it after the last sentence but I am.  Ha!  I have been getting her to eat small snacks throughout the day and less at meal time.  She's a big girl, takes after her bio father, and she'll need to watch her weight.

I  hope everyone enjoys their holiday.  Let us not forget those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom today.
Jan
Posted by Jan at 7:58 AM

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