Avery’s Radiothon Story

At the extremity of November, Stephanie, Kjell and their twins, Kai and Avery, near for what was expected to beryllium a amusive and relaxing abrogation successful Mexico. On the flight, Avery described limb cramps to her parents, which they monitored but chalked up to increasing pains. However, the adjacent time her parents noticed Avery’s near eyelid fluttering, and she had a 20-second seizure. The seizures continued and became much and much violent. After a abbreviated travel to an exigency country successful Mexico, they flew backmost to Calgary and headed consecutive to the Alberta Children’s Hospital. They were admitted to the neurology unit, wherever Avery was diagnosed with a benignant of epilepsy called focal cortical dysplasia.

As seizures alteration truthful overmuch successful cause, presumption and severity, uncovering the close attraction tin beryllium tricky, arsenic medications that enactment for 1 kid don’t needfully enactment for another, adjacent with the aforesaid diagnosis. Doctors archetypal tried a duo of medications to halt Avery’s seizures, which she was having each 20 minutes, however, these peculiar drugs were not helping. The medications were hard connected Avery, and Stephanie says the hospital’s donor-funded Child Life Specialists were a agleam spot during a hard time. They helped Avery with toys and play, which helped her conscionable beryllium a kid.

Because the medicine was not effectual for Avery’s seizures specifically, their neurologist recommended a targeted country connected the affected near broadside of her brain, arsenic doctors had been capable to pinpoint the nonstop country causing the seizures with an MRI.

Pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Walter Hader was acceptable to execute the surgery, and Stephanie says successful the days starring up to the process helium visited Avery, stopping by often to get to cognize her, which made the full acquisition little intimidating. The family’s lives had changed quickly, from being connected abrogation 1 week to successful infirmary the next, but Stephanie said they felt alleviation knowing they were successful the hands of the Alberta Children’s Hospital’s word-class team.

“They helped a four-year-old recognize what is happening to her,” Stephanie says. “They were each amazing, from aesculapian teams to nurses, volunteers, programming and Avery loved the Child Life Specialists.” Avery besides loved the carnal visits from the PALS volunteers.

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Dr. Hader performed country successful December, little than 1 period aft the family’s travel to Mexico, and it was a immense success! Avery went through intensive rehab to assistance her question post-surgery, and Stephanie says present she is starting to run, crystal skate and spell backmost to school. However, the champion portion is that Avery has been seizure-free since her surgery! Stephanie describes their travel arsenic a “whirlwind” but she is truthful thankful to their teams astatine the Alberta Children’s Hospital for helping her small girl.