Headed Home
The EEG went very well on Tuesday. Ethan wasn't wild about laying still and not moving a muscle (I almost reminded the technician it was an EEG for ADHD!) but he was a champ. They flashed lights in his face, made him hyperventilate, and generally tried to provoke a seizure. Ethan's only complaint was that I forgot the camera and couldn't document him looking like an alien with 23 wires coming out of his head! He insisted on leaving a glob of the sticky-paste on his forehead to show his friends back at the guesthouse!
From the hospital we went to McDonald's and then putt-putt golfing, yes WITH the glob of goo still on the forehead. Only it should be called putt-putt hockey when Ethan plays it...what fun is there in waiting for the ball to stop before hitting it again? And it's much easier to push the ball in the hole than to hit it! 10 holes took all of 5 minutes.
In the belief that all doctors are, deep down, good people (no offense, any of you busy docs out there!) I had written a letter to the neurologists explaining the situation and asking if they could expedite the reading. And in fact, they read the EEG on the same day, sent it over to the doctor Wednesday morning, who called me himself to tell me that everything is totally normal. No absence seizures. I was sure that would be the result, but it was still relieving to hear.
They've started him on Concertta, and we'll just go from here. My prayer is pretty standard...that it will help him succeed without giving him any troublesome side effects. And even though the medication is a controlled substance, the pharmacy works with lots of missionaries and gives us several months worth at a time (it's not available in Malawi). The doctor is willing to let the doctors in Malawi manage the dose but will himself write for refills whenever I need it for the next time people are traveling up from South Africa to Malawi, so that we don't have to travel down. We leave tomorrow am (Friday) and we'll be home by lunch!
I tell you, I praise God for doctors, clinics, and pharmacies that understand the challenges of living in Africa. How many docs in the US would prescribe controlled substances on their license based on the request of a patient who is supposedly seeing another doctor in another country???? Yet it's the cooperation of people like him that allow us to stay on the mission field when there are minor medical issues that arise. Thank you, Dr. Sing!
From the hospital we went to McDonald's and then putt-putt golfing, yes WITH the glob of goo still on the forehead. Only it should be called putt-putt hockey when Ethan plays it...what fun is there in waiting for the ball to stop before hitting it again? And it's much easier to push the ball in the hole than to hit it! 10 holes took all of 5 minutes.
In the belief that all doctors are, deep down, good people (no offense, any of you busy docs out there!) I had written a letter to the neurologists explaining the situation and asking if they could expedite the reading. And in fact, they read the EEG on the same day, sent it over to the doctor Wednesday morning, who called me himself to tell me that everything is totally normal. No absence seizures. I was sure that would be the result, but it was still relieving to hear.
They've started him on Concertta, and we'll just go from here. My prayer is pretty standard...that it will help him succeed without giving him any troublesome side effects. And even though the medication is a controlled substance, the pharmacy works with lots of missionaries and gives us several months worth at a time (it's not available in Malawi). The doctor is willing to let the doctors in Malawi manage the dose but will himself write for refills whenever I need it for the next time people are traveling up from South Africa to Malawi, so that we don't have to travel down. We leave tomorrow am (Friday) and we'll be home by lunch!
I tell you, I praise God for doctors, clinics, and pharmacies that understand the challenges of living in Africa. How many docs in the US would prescribe controlled substances on their license based on the request of a patient who is supposedly seeing another doctor in another country???? Yet it's the cooperation of people like him that allow us to stay on the mission field when there are minor medical issues that arise. Thank you, Dr. Sing!
Praying for him and thankful that you are all sorted.
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