August 2

PM:
Phrases you rarely ever hear: "The problem is in the brain, so that's good!"

It seems we have on our hands the always entertaining spectator sport of Dueling Neuros! (banjo music here)
Yesterday, Neurosurgeon says: "It's in the peripheral nervous system."
This evening, Neurologist says: "It's in the central nervous system."

So, here's where we're at.  This evening Laura had an EMG, which is a conductivity study to assess damage to nerves.  The neurosurgeon yesterday had concluded Laura's left leg issue and foot drop was related to damage to the perineal nerve in her left leg.  The neurologist conducted the EMG tonight and found that the nerves to the left leg conducts as strong or stronger than the right leg.  Which leads diagnosis back to the central nervous system, which is the brain and spine.  MRI of spine has ruled out anything there.

So, rarely is it good news to find that the root cause of an issue is brain trauma, but in this case it most likely is.  Brain heals itself in a number of ways, whereas regeneration of damaged or severed nerves is in the best case a very long process.

In the short term it does not matter.  The rehab is the same.  An MRI of brain or another CT scan could be taken to look for something in the right lobe that would explain this issue on the left, but it would serve little purpose.  The treatment is going to be identical regardless.  However, we have reason to be more hopeful for a fully successful outcome on a faster timeline!

AM: Doc says we are in the "White Room" (news to us) and that stimulation needs to be controlled.  Just like with Megan, it's all about blacks and whites.  Flowers and balloons and pictures are heading to home base at the lake.  Back to drab hotel room, and visits are off limits as she is interrupted too much as-is by PT, occupational therapy, speech therapy, regular old nurse stuff, .....  Even I am to stay out of the room to remove distractions.  :(