Update on Ed...

[collwen]

I *HAVE* to talk to an acutal doctor.
Apparently, the diagonosis has changed from meningitis (things around the brain swelling) to encephalitis (the brain itself swelling).

Which would explain why he hasn't bounced back quickly.

Possible outcomes of encephalitis include: memory problems, emotional changes, fatigue, depression (as if he wasn't possibly having a problem with that in the first place, conflabulation (creation of false memories), attention/concentration issues, physical concentration/coordination issues, epilepsy, executive skills (management skills, task planning and execution), impact on motivation.

Basically, he may have a brain injury as the result of the infection. Which means he might come back fully in time, he may partially come back over time, or he might be stuck like this for the rest of our lives (something that I don't want to think about but I cannot discount the possibility of).

I saw him yesterday, and he was doing really well. Almost normal, but he was burning up. He's been moved back up to the 6th flr, so his visiting hours have opened back up to 8-8 without restrictions on who can visit.

addedThe main reason they moved him is because they needed to give him an IV and he can't have an IV in the mental health ward. They also have someone sitting with him around the clock.

Comments

[curlyeric.livejournal.com]

I'm going to see if my mom knows any good neurologists, sounds like you need a second opinion. Have they rules out West Nile? It can cause a very hard to diagnose encephalitits.

http://www.appneurology.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=163100345

I think the doctors really need to go back and start fron scratch making sure they really sit down and rule out the various things that could be causing these symptoms.

[irishwitchyone.livejournal.com]

Because encephalitis and meningitis can manifest in much the same way, it is easy to see why Ed was misdiagnosed. When a patient presents with symptoms that are manifest in multiple diseases/afflictions, it can be incredibly hard to tell. In this case, though, Chad has spoken to several trained medical personnel, who all said that it was potentially encephalitis, which is a semi-rare affliction. I think that this point, it is better to expect the worst and prepare for it, rather than pipe dream it to be less. Sorry, Millie, but you know that we want you to be prepared.

[collwen.livejournal.com]

I'm trying not to be too pesimistic or optimistic

[collwen.livejournal.com]

btw, are we still on for the 15th?

[irishwitchyone.livejournal.com]

Um...refresh my memory (please)? I can't give a definite yeah or nay.....:(

[collwen.livejournal.com]

well, since I couldn't help celebrate your new job when I was by last... we had penciled a tentative for the 15th

(that jog your memory?)