Just to confuse us, Ella has started using both left leg and arm much more than before. In fact it seems like she is using them even more than their right counterparts. Where is this coming from? We have no clue. There are two scenarios here as far as I can tell: 1. Since her right hemisphere, which is supposed to control the left of the body, is abnormal, and possibly not contributing anything, the left hemisphere has already started compensating for that and has started taking over the functionality of controlling the left arm and leg. 2. The right hemisphere is not as useless as we are assuming and it has found ways to muster up some functionality. If this is the case it is quite depressing because the operation is going remove that hemisphere with any functionality that it has.
The case for surgery is still overwhelmingly strong. I am incredibly scared of it and of the whole idea of removing a part of the brain. But, it seems like their really is no choice. Ella has hardly shown any signs of development in the recent months, definitely no motor skill development. The other point making it a no brainer (the ultimate no brainer really), is that we have yet to hear of, to read about or to encounter a child who had hemimegalencephally, didn’t go through an hemispherecomy and did well. Those scenarios always end up in uncontrollable seizures, regression in development and dire consequences. I hate the idea of surgery, yet see no other choice.