Z Corley Family in Florida

(posted by Andy Corley)

Just so you know, Kristi and I have been reluctant to make any changes in Alex’s anti-seizure treatment since the increased seizure activity seemed directly related to the day or two that she was without medicine. So we’ve struggled through the seizures while keeping her on the full regiment of anti-seizure medications as well as being very careful to use the VNS implant and activation device as we’ve been instructed.

All that to say that IT MUST BE WORKING!

Yesterday (Monday), Alex did have a number of seizures, but they didn’t start until after 2pm (whereas they had been starting as early as 10am recently). So we had hopes that Alex’s seizure activity was starting to settle down again.

And then today, Alex went all day with NO SEIZURES!
WOW!
Prise the Lord!
… and thank YOU so much for praying!

(posted by Andy Corley)

Your prayers are needed. Due to an extra-complicated renewal process this year, it looks like Alex will be without health insurance coverage for at least the month of May.

Please pray that Alex would continue to do well with her VNS implant so we can decrease the dosage of her anti-seizure medication.  Costs that are usually covered by Alex’s health insurance include $300+ per month for medication, and $500 per doctor visit every two weeks.

Thank you for your prayers for wisdom and direction as we tighten the budget and plan for the most cost-effective treatment for Alex.

(posted by Kristi Corley)

For those of you that have followed Alex’s blog page, I deeply appologize for the extreme delay in updating you on Alex’s improvements.  It truly is exciting news.  Alex has been doing WONDERFUL since her surgery.  There were no complications with implanting the VNS Therapy device, and the healing process went rather quickly… she was back in school by Monday, just 4 days later!  At her 2 week check up we were pleased to report that she had had only 1 known seizure total!  Can  you believe it, going from daily sleeping seizures and unpredictable spells for days on end with 3-4 awake seizures … to ONE seizure in two weeks! And now, it has been 2 months and still only the one seizure.  WOW!

Alex’s VNS device was turned on at a very low “mini-amperage”, and over the next 2 months, the doctors will slightly increase the level to a normal operating level.  We will continue to visit the doctors office every two week over the next 2 months and begin eliminating her seizure medicine.

We are already seeing remarkable improvements in Alex.  Besides the obvious near elimination of her seizures (yeah!!), Alex is already showing huge improvements in her speed of speech, memory, vocabulary, and performance at school.

Thank you for all of your prayers and concern for Alexandria.  We deeply appreciate you.  If it ever takes 6 weeks to update you on Alex again… gently remind us to get on the ball!!!!!

This Monday (Feb. 6th) Alex has an appointment with a neurosurgeon to weigh benefits and risks — and to prepare for the surgical procedure — of her having a VNS (Vagus Nerve Stimulator) device implanted under the skin. Alex’s seizure disorder just hasn’t been under control for a while now. So after exploring a number of different medical and homeopathic avenues, VNS therapy (www.vnstherapy.com) appears to be the next best thing for her.

(posted by Andy Corley)

As of tonight, Alex has gone THREE DAYS without any day-time seizures!

Here’s a great word of truth that I read today from John Piper*:

Jesus told a parable once about an unrighteous judge. The point of the parable was that we “ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). A widow kept coming to the judge and saying, “Give me justice against my adversary.” Finally he does it because of her persistence. Jesus makes this point: “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily” (Luke 18:6-8). God’s sure purpose is to give justice to his elect. And his decision is to do it through their crying to him for vindication day and night.

After I read this paragraph today, I was so humbled by the fact that God is obviously answering your persistent prayers and ours on Alex’s behalf. What a great testimony of His great love and mercy!

Praise be to You, my God and Savior! I praise you for your unfailing love and favor!

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*Indented text taken from DesiringGod.org. Text by John Piper. ©Desiring God. Reproduced by permission.