Post Surgery Advice

[stevie71b]

Currently sat in the hospital in Glasgow, Scotland with my 12 year old son who went through surgery yesterday. He has had bad absence seizures for a number of years and the doctors pinpointed the cause of it to a lesion on his left temporal lobe (they say was most prob a benign tumour) and wanted to operate. Naturally my son is very sore and tired and has spent the best part of the last 36 hours asleep. I was just wondering if anyone has or been around a family member who went through similar surgery had any help or advice to offer as obviously this is a tense time for me and his mum.
Anything at all greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[travel bug]

Hi Stevie, welcome to CWE.

Well, there are so many variables, it's hard to say what to expect exactly. But I've had brain surgery twice and didn't have any problems that weren't foreseen. (My tumor was on my motor strip near the part of the brain that controls my leg so I had problems walking afterwards)

After my first surgery, I had many small seizures (they were simple partial motor), but they were much less intense and much shorter than the ones I had before surgery. As my brain healed the seizures became fewer and shorter until they were gone completely. I stayed on Keppra just in case and was seizure-free almost five years. About two years ago my tumor came back and I had to have a second surgery. This time I went to a surgeon who specializes in brain tumors and so had a better result: more tumor removed with fewer side-effects and *no* seizures since.

It must be very difficult when it's your child going through something like this, but I've "talked to" many brain tumor patients online, and the vast majority have very few serious problems after surgery. It's surprising how many are released from the hospital just a couple of days after surgery.

All the best to your son, and to you and your wife as well. I hope surgery helps your son's seizures!