This specialized test will be an out-patient procedure at Arnold-Palmer Hospital for Children, and should only take a couple hours. But we are also looking forward to the great conversations that we normally have in the hospital with Alex’s neurologist and/or neurosurgeon.

Please feel free to pass any part of this message on to others who are praying for Alex. Our family is praying for God’s complete healing … but in the medical world, Friday will be ”step 2″ in about four steps of testing that need to be completed before the neurologist and neurosurgeon schedule brain surgery as a cure for Alex’s daily seizures.

Also, especially for those of you in the medical field, here’s a couple pages from Alex’s EEG monitoring last month.

Alex's EEG at Arnold-Palmer Hospital (2/16/2010) ... click above for more hospital pics.

Everything is going good with Alex’s tests here at Arnold Palmer Hospital. Alex doesn’t like all the probes and electrode gel in her hair, but she’s found plenty of TV shows that she likes.

Alex’s neurologist Dr. Davis has been by twice to check up on us and explain a few things — and his associate Kay, too. And Alex’s neurosurgeon Dr. Pattisapu‘s partner Dr. Johnson has also stopped by to familiarize herself with Alex and the challenges that we’re considering here.

The best news that we’ve heard so far is that the monitoring is showing that all five of Alex’s seizures last night were originating from the exact same area — right where the pingpong-ball-sized mass is located in her brain.

So the plan is to stay a little longer tomorrow (Wednesday) after the 48-hour EEG and do a fresh MRI of Alex’s brain. Then Dr. Davis will schedule an outpatient “neoro-psych” evaluation, where Alex will be asked all kinds of questions to get a good base-line of what cognitive skills she has right now, to compare with what might be “lost” after surgery.

This is of course very sobering, but it’s good to see all the doctors taking a very measured approach to the surgery option … studying to see what strengths and weaknesses Alex has now (weaknesses including seizures every day) … so we can work toward an outcome that will benefit her most. For example, it would be acceptable for Alex to end up with a few speech issues to work through after surgery if the surgery completely stops the seizures!

So that’s the kind of thing that we’re considering right now as we look forward to the day when Alex will be able to run and play — and even one day drive a car! … without seizures. So we thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers on our behalf!