Hi all,

I hope this finds everyone doing well.  Trey is doing great.  We took him and his older sister and brother (both are 1/2 siblings) to have their pictures taken.  It was sort of his one year old pics.

The reason that I am writing is because I have read so much on this board about "Spells" and "Episodes", Trey is one and I don't know if he has had a spell or episode.  Can you tell me what happens when these things are happening?  Also, with him being so young how would I know if he is or has had a TIA?  What exactly is a TIA?

Trey just this week started more PT/OT at rehab.  We had been just doing it at home with the Early Intervention people, but they were not coming every week and sometimes just once a month.  So we have taken him to a Rehab place in town that our insurance and we will be responsible for where as the Early Intervention is state funded.  They believe maybe after 4 weeks that Trey may be able to use his left side better, almost like a one year old should.  They will reevaluate him at the four week mark to see where he is.  We were so excited about that.  After his second stroke while he was lieing in the hospital bed, before we knew it was a stroke again, I just prayed to hear him say MaMa again and do patty cake.  You never know how much some of those simple things mean until you loose them.  He says MaMa now, so we are waiting on the patty cake.

Hey Michell!! Haven't talked to ya in a while. Hope you all are doing well. Trey is going to just just fine. I just know it. He has so much light and love just pouring out of him. Just go with you motherly instincts and you will know if there were to be something wrong. yall are all going to do great!! Lots of love,                                   Nikki

Hi Michell

"Spells" and "episodes"..."TIA"s...varies from one to another.  when my Cara has it...I never know...until I see the afterward "damage" which may be mild or very noticable would be like her not using certain side...for all of them she came back fully.  Her first surgery (July 14)...she suffered a mild stroke...but now I think was a major TIA cuz...4 weeks later she's come back a long way using all of her right side...only thing that was left...shes still wearing pull-ups (because she couldn't feel it was time to go to the bathroom)but yesterday she started saying "Mom I have to go to the bathroom"...on the plane, at the airport...we are now in Rochester...for her 2nd surgery tomorrow (actually due in the airport in 3 hours)...Im in the hotel lobby on the computer. Afraid to go to bed that I'd miss the wake-up alarm (I am deaf)...Im still on Arizona time so can stay awake until it's time to go.  ...Hang in there.  The doctors have told me prior to her first surgery that as she gets older the TIA's may not be as noticable.  Cara is now 6...and still when it happens she gets quiet..so doesn't tell me either.  always a scare though....Your son will be in my prayers. 

Tight hugs,   CarasMOM

Rena,

Cara's first stroke was in the recovery room after the first surgery was closed up...then according to them they had done a CT scan that night....then when they did another CT after her second surgery they noticed that she had another stroke after we got home a week later...but anyway.   I think the second surgery on the left (where the stroke was) helped bring back the "personality" much faster with the additional blood flow.   I am still wondering why from reading one post to another....those who have had strokes still had to wait further compared to those who haven't had strokes but had the surgery done.   A complicated decision I would imagine.  Especially when Dr. Meyer told us in June after Cara's angiogram that the right side was 100% occuluded and the left side about 30% occuluded...so I thought the left side surgery would be easier....but when they got there it was just as difficult and equally the same on both sides.  I wondered that time between first surgery and second surgery (5 1/2 weeks)...should we move the second surgery up as I know they do it one week apart...but am glad I waited and let Cara get stronger...but never know.   hugs,  carol (carasMOM)