First I want to say I am sorry for emailing a blank letter. Hit the wrong
button by accident.

I was wondering besides memory problems, speech problems, etc. - if anyone after
surgery has dealt with permanent damage from the surgery?

Since I developed epilepsy when I was 9 (left temple lobe), I have always had
problems with my right leg. My big toe will stick up by itself and I will have
pain in my leg. I have very little balance on my right side. I was never told
much about it. So to me and my family it was not a "big" problem for me.

As I got older I have had more problems with this, but again my neuro. never
said much. He would look at it, but he felt it had nothing to do with me having
epilepsy.

I have always worn a brace on my knee. I also can not run because the pain gets
so bad and then my leg gives out.

Last year after the grand mal seizure I had in April, the next day I could not
feel my right side. I also could not talk and remember anything. The feeling
and use of my leg improved during the day. Finally after around 3 or 4 days I
was able to walk correctly and my memory had improved.
Now even through I was able to use my right leg, it still was very painful and
from my knee to my foot it was numb and cold. It also looked like I had to make
my leg move when walking it by dragging it. My balance was worse. I would be
walking and my leg would just give out. That is when my doctor started to pay
more attention to it. This was in 2003. The feeling of it being numb did stop
after about 3 months. But the pain was/is there.
My neuro (Dr. Fisch) told me I may have dystonia and recommended me to see
another neurologist that worked in the same clinic with him, that specialized
with problems like this.
So I did. This neuro (Dr. Ryall) was not sure what I had. He did know that the
reason why I dragged my foot/leg was because I had developed foot drop. To try
and help my toe relax he would give me botox shots in my right leg every three
months.

When I saw Dr. Ryall last Tuesday he told me that it is not dystonia that I have
and he can not find any other medical condition that could cause it, except for
one - me having epilepsy.

Dr. Ryall feels that when I developed epilepsy some damaged was done to my right
side. After I had surgery in 2002, he feels that the more damaged could have
happened. When I had such a strong grand mal seizure in 2003 that more damaged
happened and that is what cause the drop foot, my leg giving out, and the pain.
He said that there really was nothing more he could do, only my neuro. for
epilepsy Dr. Fisch. Dr. Ryall could give me the botox shot still. So he was
supposed to do so the day I was there. After waiting almost 3 hours, no one
bothered to tell me that my insurance would not cover it. By this time I was
very tired and mad. I had a long drive back home (almost 2 - 3 hours, depends
on traffic), so I left.

Also since I had surgery in 2002, I have noticed that when I do have a seizure
that it effects my right side. So I feel that every time one happens it is
putting more pressure on the use of my right side. Besides problems with my
leg, I now have problems with my arm. It hurts when I hold things and feels
like it wants to give out.

This is all so over whelming to me. I am very happy and proud that I was able
to have surgery. It just seems that since the surgery so many more problems
have developed. It is getting very confusing for me.

So if anyone has any input, let me know.

Thanks for reading.

Y'all Take Care





Ashley

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