The EEG itself was painless. E. laid on a bed in a quiet and darkened room while the EEG tech attached a bunch of discs (electrodes) to his head with a sticky paste. Those electrodes are then hooked to wires which run to a computer to record the electrical activity in the brain. E. had to breathe deeply and rapidly for a bit, a strobe light flashed intermittently and E. even fell asleep for awhile. An hour and a half later, it was all said and done. E. said he didn't feel anything throughout the whole procedure.
The EEG tech explained to E. a little more about the importance about taking the Dilantin. When E. underwent brain surgery, there were holes left in the places where the brain tumors once were. Those holes filled with blood. Well, brain cells don't much care for the iron in that blood and will freak out at the iron's presence. Instead of throwing a party, they throw a big tizzy fit in the form of a seizure. The Dilantin increases the seizure threshold so those brain cells are more tolerant of the trespassers. If you don't take your Dilantin like you're supposed to or if you go off your Dilantin too soon, the result might be a big ole seizure which could potentially be fatal. Fatal. *Gulp.*
No results were immediately available from the EEG, of course, but I guess what we're hoping for is no "spikes" in the peaks or valleys. Since E.'s never had a seizure either pre or post surgery, we're hoping the EEG results are all normal and he'll soon be able to wean off the medication.
After the EEG, we visited with E. regular oncologist. We last saw him when he visited E. in the hospital after brain surgery, so it's been awhile. Like everyone else, he was more than pleased with the recent PET/CT and MRI results, but also with the way E. was looking and feeling. Nothing much for him to do right now, which is great. We'll see him again after the March check-up for another follow-up.
S.
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