I'd like to know what is exactly TIA .  I thought I knew after going through two surgeries.  But, still I am so afraid of those TIA which just had last night. Poor Alice!   Every time she was upset something and starts crying, then it caused the TIA.  Loud laughing in a second and suddenly crying hard and straighting her legs with unknown language.  Just observing those moment as mother is ..........helpless.... holding,hugging try to calm down her....so helpless.... and after 10 minutes of hard loud crying Alice falls sleep.  Same kind of episodes when she started crying.  How can we do this everyone with MM child?  How different are they?
Please any thoughts are welcome... thank you....

Hello,
I am so so sorry for your daughter's health problems. Reading your post breaks my heart and I wish you and your family the best. You know, you ask a very good question. Its been 7 years since my surgery and I never really asked that. When I was as young as  4 years old, I would become paralyzed on the left side after heavy crying. I could also make that happen by blowing up a balloon. I also had chronic migraines accompanied by impaired vision, funny taste in the mouth, shakes, vomiting and of course severe pain. I think TIAs run a range of symptoms as you can read from this website. I hope the best for you and your daughter.

Russ

Russ

Hello,
    I could only tell you about my experiences with TIA's.  My TIA's always were visually based.  I have a lot of my MM vessels in my eyes, especially my right eye.  My vision would change dramatically.  It was like looking at a black and white TV and terrible migraines.  I wish you and your daughter the best of luck. :)
              Newt

Thank you so much for your replies!.  It really help me that someone is listening to my fears.  I am with Alice almost every hour.  I stay with recess , PE, and lunch time at her school for just be there for observing that she is OK.  I guess maybe I am too much but, I don't know how to deal with it.  The other day the ball was hit her head lightly and she cried.  Right after, she collaspsed because of limpness.   She is taking Trieptal for prevent the seizure.   I don't know how much is too much to being around with her.  Any experience MM family, care giver?

Dear Russ,

Thank you for sharing your experience.  It meant so much to me.. Where can I find the information for TIA in this web-site?

I wish I had an answer or some advice to give you as to what’s going on with your daughter, but I just don’t know. That has to be so frightening to you as a mother. God love ya!. My heart goes out to you. I know when my niece had a seizure out of nowhere after her surgery, it scared us to death, and we too felt helpless. We were told that, unfortunately MM patients are at higher risk for seizures. Her doctor adjusted her meds a bit and she’s been doing much better. Perhaps that’s all it will take with your daughter. Also, with the indirect surgery, it takes time to get the proper blood flow. You both will stay in my continued thoughts and prayers.

Here is some information I have on TIA’s and seizures. I hope it’s the information you’re looking for.

Mini stroke; TIA; Little stroke
Definition  - A Transient Ischemic Attack is a "mini-stroke" caused by temporary disturbance of blood supply to an area of the brain, which results in a sudden, brief decrease in brain function.
Causes - In a TIA, the blood supply is only temporarily blocked. For example, a blood clot may dissolve and allow blood to flow normally again.
A TIA is different than a small stroke. The symptoms of TIAs go away in less than 24 hours, usually less than one hour. TIAs do not show lasting changes on CT or MRI scans. (Small strokes do show changes on such tests.) TIAs are like warnings that a true stroke may happen in the future if something is not done to prevent one.
Symptoms - Symptoms of TIA are the same as those that occur in stroke and include the sudden development of:
·      Numbness, tingling, changes in sensation
·      Weakness, heavy feeling of extremities
·      Speech difficulty, (garbled speech; slurred speech)
·      Vision changes - Loss of vision in one eye, decreased vision, double vision
·      Headache
·      Sensation that the person or the room is moving (vertigo)
·      Loss of balance
·      Lack of coordination
·      Gait changes, staggering
·      Falling (caused by weakness in the legs)
·      Facial paralysis Eye pain
·      Confusion

A seizure is a sudden surge of electrical activity in the brain that usually affects how a person feels or acts for a short time.
Seizures can take on many different forms and seizures affect different people in different ways. It is not implied that every person with seizures will experience every symptom described below.
During attack – Presenting complaints commonly differ from person to person. Sufferers can have only a few or all the symptoms below:
·      Staring
·      Sudden, intense emotion not related to anything occurring at the time
·      Blinking/twitching of eyelids and other parts
·      Imbalance with dizziness and drowsiness/fainting
·      Loss of consciousness/memory
·      Deviation of mouth angle with movements
·      Stiffening
·      Clenched teeth
·      Tongue or cheek can get bitten between clenched teeth
·      Drooling and frothy saliva due to severe gasping
·      Catch in breath, gasping for air/choking felt due to obstruction in larynx due to accumulated sputum/phlegm and spasms of lung muscles
·      Rigidity and spasms in the parts involved - commonly arms flexed and legs extended or stretched
·      Rhythmic jerky movements in parts with alternate tightness (spasm) and relaxation – eyes, mouth, neck, shoulder, arm, forearm, fingers, legs, etc. – which usually lasts from 30 secs to 3 minutes or more.
·      Bladder and bowel can go out of control with leaking or emptying

After attack – Loss of consciousness continues (or deep sleep follows) for minutes to hours depending upon the intensity of the suffering and exhaution of the sufferer. All muscles become flaccid and weak after the attack.

Thank you so much MAR.  It helped me a lot.  Again thank you.  Alice did with EDAS indirect for left side and direct & indirect for right side.  The first one did it on June 2007.  And doctor told us that it needs to be grow 6 months- 2 years.  Around December,  I hope she will be much better.  Just pray GOD.   Thank you everybody!!!

God bless MM family..
Fighting!!

Mar  that is SOoooooo nice of you to take the time to give smilesunny all that information :D So Smilesunny I hope this lets you know how much of a "FAMILY" we are, and hope you will come to "OUR" next "Family Reunion"  ;) There is quite a few kids that come and it not only Helps the Kids to see others going thru what they go thru BUT it really HELPS the Parents being around other parents  ;) :)God--Bless  you are in our prayers.........Elaine Calvert

Thank you Elaine.  Sure I think the healthy family one with health child, do not know what has been going through .  For myself I didn't recognize how blessing is to be just being healthy until Alice is diagnoised.  I can't express in a word .  I can't wait to see other MM family and shared the experience.  I think MM family would understand what I meant. So until then everybody let's cheer up.  I meant I need that.

[smiley=worried.gif]