A Surgical Plan is in place

Wow, it has been a while without any update- although our lives have been crazy busy and between lack of time to sit and write a new update and my computer crashing (Ok, so maybe it didn't crash but suffered a dramatic water accident) I am just now getting to this long awaited update.

Taygen has kept us very busy the past few months.  We have made numerous trips to Boston for multiple appointments with Neurologist, Epilepsy doctors, Orthopedic doctors and Ophthalmologist.  We spent almost a week inpatient for long term monitoring with EEG, a PET Scan and 2 SPECT scans. After this round of testing her Epileptologist presented her case to the Epilepsy surgery board where they decided that they wanted additional testing done before deciding if surgery would be the best option. We returned to Boston in mid October for a new MRI and a thorough developmental aassessment.
Just last week, after a few weeks of waiting, Taygen's case was presented again to the Epilepsy surgery Board where they decided that She is an ideal candidate for surgery.  We were referred to the Director of Neurosurgery at Children's Hospital Boston who we met with yesterday to go over all the details and schedule Surgery.
We went into the appointment yesterday understanding that the testing Taygen's underwent the last few months showed the seizures starting on the right side of her brain but I was under the impression that they were initiating from her Schizencelephic cleft.  (One of the conditions she has is called Schizencephaly which means that there is a cleft or slit on one side of her brain- this cleft is lined with Polymicrogyria which means there are many small folds of the brain)  I based my research of the possible surgery on the thought that they would be either removing or separating a smaller area of the brain around this cleft similar to a Lobotomy.  Unfortunately I was wrong- The actual procedure they are planning is considered a Hemispherectomy where they plan on disconnecting the right side of her brain. 
This type of surgery has a success rate of around 80% of being seizure free, but even a reduction in the amount or intensity of her seizures would be a huge benefit.  With medication treatments having success rates of less then 50 % and each carrying the risk of major side effects Her doctors feel confident that surgery is the best option.
The Surgery is scheduled for December 20th and we are expected to be inpatient for at least a week with the possibility of being released to a rehabilitation hospital.  The recovery process with be long and will include intensive therapies.
Unfortunately we will most likely be spending Christmas and possibly New Year inpatient in Boston but hope to come out of this seizure free! Please keep Taygen in your thoughts and prayers.