Dr. Neuro said something during our last visit that shook me a bit.
And left me wondering.
If maybe I misunderstood or was misrepresenting Trevy's brain surgery.
You know they can't remove a whole hemisphere, right?
She said.
I knew they'd left Trevy's motor strip in place. But no. Other than that I've been pretty much convinced the rest of the tissue was removed.
It has randomly haunted my thoughts during moments of idolness. Until finally I started trying to cipher the medical records I have organized in thick color coded binders. My eyes swam. And my brain swirled. Med speak makes me dizzy.
So I cheated.
And emailed Dr. Rockstar for clarification.
He responded this:
The removed areas include: (i) the left frontal lobe, (ii) parietal lobe, (iii) temporal lobe and (iv) occipital lobe.A portion of the left frontal and parietal lobes (i.e.: sensorimotor cortex in the left hemisphere) was preserved.
Which I guess may not be a whole hemisphere. Technically.
But it comes pretty darn close!
Which happens to also create a nice segue for me to leave you with this wonderful resource which helps decode the function of various regions of the brain and how insult to it may be manifested.
And left me wondering.
If maybe I misunderstood or was misrepresenting Trevy's brain surgery.
You know they can't remove a whole hemisphere, right?
She said.
I knew they'd left Trevy's motor strip in place. But no. Other than that I've been pretty much convinced the rest of the tissue was removed.
It has randomly haunted my thoughts during moments of idolness. Until finally I started trying to cipher the medical records I have organized in thick color coded binders. My eyes swam. And my brain swirled. Med speak makes me dizzy.
So I cheated.
And emailed Dr. Rockstar for clarification.
He responded this:
The removed areas include: (i) the left frontal lobe, (ii) parietal lobe, (iii) temporal lobe and (iv) occipital lobe.A portion of the left frontal and parietal lobes (i.e.: sensorimotor cortex in the left hemisphere) was preserved.
Which I guess may not be a whole hemisphere. Technically.
But it comes pretty darn close!
Which happens to also create a nice segue for me to leave you with this wonderful resource which helps decode the function of various regions of the brain and how insult to it may be manifested.
Comments
How bizarre is this life?!
...danielle
Though now I want to see a more black and white description of what exactly was taken out.
Based on your comment, danielle, I hope you do not choose to look at a post-op MRI as Elaine did.
That brain page looks familiar. I think I've been there before.
Despite the gross anatomy (means macro not icky) there is so much more to neurophysiology. I know what I don't know and it is a lot. Which reminds me of some of what you posted here before, danielle - regarding the source of his seizures - something about neurodevelopment, I think. Perhaps you could bring that back up - if you know to what I am referring.
Another Mommy blogger I know was making reference to myelinization being complete by age 3 years. I asked if she was confident that her son had myelinated in typical timing. No, she said.
"all that stuff about brains we just don't understand" Perfectly said, Ken.
Barbara
I thought myelization wasn't complete until around age 5? And even then it's still all a guessing game right?
Had my eyes checked today. Laughed til I cried because the poor doctor couldn't get a glycoma test done on me. I'm just not good with the touching of the eyes. While she numbed them and kept coming at me...I started thinking about all the tests Trevy has had to endure...and how I couldn't keep my eyes from blinking for just a second. And it made me double over in laughter. To the point that I had to explain to the doctor just why I found it so hilarious.
Turns out 7 years ago she had a massive brain tumor removed. Almost didn't make it. Couldn't walk or speak afterwards. But with the help of intensive rehab...the only residual loss is in her left eye. We laughed over the irony too.
The brain is complex and mysterious and amazing. To me a reflection of the One who Designed it.
I keep reminding myself of that.
I can and do read all the data. But the data doesn't dictate who Trevy will be. But then, neither do I. And that is the cruxt of my personal struggle.
Anyway...
It's rainy here. I'm always sappy when it's rainy. :)
...danielle
Hoping you will forgive me for not going to look-up when myelinization is complete - I think her reference was to the myelinization from head to toe (distance on peripheral nerves) is complete about age 3 years. Then, I think, myelin continues to thicken in the brain if not elsewhere.
I also see our complexity and specifically neural complexity as a reflection of the Divine Designer.
Funny that you had that conversation during an eye exam. I don't think weather particularly affects my mood.
Barbara
You are more than forgiven for not running to google. I didn't either.
Rainy weather always seems to bring out my melancholy.
...danielle