Cortnee Jondreau was born October 13, 2005. She was healthy, full term, and 8 lbs, 5 oz.
Shortly before her 1st birthday, she began to have seizures, and was soon after diagnosed with
epilepsy. She was put on Anti seizure medications, and they worked very well. She would have seizures every few
months, the medications would be increased, and everything would smooth over again.
One year after being diagnosed, Cortnee started having more seizures. Each time her dose of medication was increased,
it would have little to no effect on the seizures. By Christmas time in 2007 she was having at least one seizure each day.
In January of 2008, Cortnee's seizures changed. They become more aggressive, coming closer to looking like what is known
to many as Grand Mal. Her condition steadily declined over the next few months. By the time she was admitted to
the Alberta Childrens Hospital on May 21st, 2008, she had lost weight, was having upwards
of 15 grand mal seizures each day, and was unable to walk, talk or feed herself, it was as if she had
gotten into a liquor cabinet. Her general health had also steadily declined. The day after being admitted, she was
placed on an EEG, and found to be in a state of Status Epilepticus. She was having so many subclinical seizures,
ones we could not see, that they all seemed to run into one big long one.
The next several weeks saw Cortnee on several medications, attempting to slow the seizures, including a gas,
that fully sedated her, and
required that she be intubated. She underwent two MRI's, a PET scan, a skin and muscle Biopsy, and a large
amount of bloodwork as the doctors tried to determine the reason behind her condition. As each medication
they tried ended in failure, her chances of responding to any medication drastically declined. The doctors
decided that surgery would be Cortnees best chance. She underwent her first surgery only two weeks after being admitted.
The first surgery opened up her right side, exposing the frontal lobe, they placed a series of grids on her brain, so they
could pinpoint the areas where the seizures were originating. Most often an individual wears these grids for a week, as they
collect enough data to proceed with the final step. Cortnee went back under the knife only 48 hours later, having given
the doctors more than enough information. The doctors did what they call a resection of her right frontal lobe. She lost
almost 25% of her brain. Everyone prepared for possible weakness of her left side, but her brain
should reroute, and rewire itself, and she would gain back most of her movement, possibly all.
After Surgery, Cortnee was in a bit of pain, but was kept on Morphine for three days to help keep her comfortable. After weaning
her from the Morphine, she was hooked up again to the EEG, Cortnee was seizure free. The doctors started
weaning the sedative she had been on since the start, Midazolam. She handled it all very well. Cortnee did show weakness on her left side, especially in her face. Each
day showed an improvement though, as the drugs came off, and she became more awake. Four weeks after entering the hospital,
Cortnee was moved out of PICU, and on only three anti seizure medications. She started talking only days later,
started to sit up on her own, and was attempting to stand as well. Each day she improved in leaps and bounds, suprising
everyone, including her Neurologists, who later admitted that they had been very worried about her, at one point they
had not been sure what they would be able to offer her.
Cortnee was released from the Alberta Childrens Hospital on June 26th. She continues to improve each day, taking
the fullest enjoyment from each day, and the new independance she has been granted. She is now on only two anti seizure
medications, and remains seizure free. She has many more follow up appointments for Neurology, and is waiting for an appointment
to have a test run on her bladder, as she had several bladder infections while in the hospital. Cortnee also has
appointments with Occupational, Speech, and Physio Therapy.
Nothing can fully describe the feeling of seeing your child hooked up to all those tubes and wires. The fear of the unknown,
not wanting to know what the doctors are thinking, in fear of the worst. Each round of good news immediately followed by
bad news. Each day was like a bad dream, but when it was finally over, it all became more than worth it, to see our baby
girl as she should be, wild and rambunctious, carefree, seizure free.
Unknown "Sexy Lover" Naughty
- 16 years, 2 months, 8 days ago
