April, 29

Dear Friends, Family, and Prayer Warriors,

Rebecca and I have noticed a trend of Claire having a very alert day coming a day off a dose of Phosphenytoin. We've pointed this out to the doctors and hope they consider that in her plan to go home. Unfortunately it is a an IV drug, but perhaps there is a pharmaceutical solution that has not yet been considered. Today was a good day, and it was really nice to come home to Claire being alert and interactive.

The big news today is that OSHU had a 2nd doctor take a look at Claire's past MRIs. He thinks that the diagnosis of a stroke may have been incorrect and has ordered another MRI to confirm his suspicion. Instead he thinks Claire's symptoms are more consistent with that of AVM, a vessel strain disorder that causes a hemorrhage in the brain. This is actually has a better prognosis than the stroke, because the cells around the part of the brain in question are still alive, meaning Claire decreases her chances of developmental disorders.

If the New MRI confirms AVM and there is still a hemorrhage, they will consult with the Neurosurgeon for treatment options. I don't have any further detail than that at this point, but I will say that for us, these are the best answers we've had to this point.

Once again, we appreciate your prayers. They have brought us strength and patience. Please keep it up. And one day soon will have Claire home and healthy.