Get Well, Archie

Pamela Hess reports that Archie is home from UPenn, where he was recently hospitalized.  He's a little wobbly but it's to be expected.  We've added a third anti-seizure med and I was also given a much stronger sedative to help break the seizures.  He's very glad to be home and we are so happy to have him back!!  Thank you again everyone for keeping him in your thoughts!  He was missed terrible while he was gone. 

Our sweetheart Archie had another episode of seizures Monday night.  I gave him the valium suppositories but it wasn't strong enough to break the cycle.  He was alert and would pick his head up when I called his name but he was blind and unable to physically get up.  They immediately sedated him to give him a "seizure vacation."  Dr. Reinike at UPenn described it as Archie's brain relaxing on the beach.  We are going to add a third drug to his regime, potassium bromide.  They are going to load it quickly over the next 24 hours which will cause him to be heavily sedated so he will stay at UPenn where they can monitor him.  I called last night around 11:00pm to check on him before bed and the hadn't had anymore seizures so they were going to start weaning him off the valium.  He tried to get up a few times but she said he was still pretty sedated.  He's responding to his name but he is still not able to see.  He is normally temporarily blind after his seizures so I am praying this is the same circumstances and his sight will return.

He is definitely one of the more difficult cases to manage.  His phenobarbital levels are right where they need to be but that along with the Keppra it's still not enough.  He will never be seizure free but the goal is to lessen the severity of them.

I want to thank everyone for all of your thoughts, prayers, and donations.  It's breaking my heart that this beautiful boy has to go through this.  We are staying positive here at the Hess house and my two sons are sending him tons of good vibes and love! 

Archie does have some good news - his foster family the Hesses have decided that he will forever be a part of their family.  Archie has found his forever home!