Day 4 treatment 6

I am starting this a little late. I wanted to start this the very first day of treatment. As this moment Nathan has had 6 treatments. He started 7/23/08. We are going to Sara's Garden HBOT (Hyper-baric Oxygen Treatment) He will go for a total of 40 treatments 2 times a day depending on scheduling. Today we went to Bryan Hospital for a spec scan of Nathans brain. We will do another one after the treatments are done. This will show to what extent the HBOT's are working on his brain.

Nathan's past 2 years have been filled with hospitals poking and prodding and one surgery after another. He to date has had 2-crainio-cervical decompressions with duraplasty, Spinal tight filuim release, 3 temporary drain trials, VP shunt and a revision and repair of the tethered cord CSF leak. The letters that go behind Nathans name are as follows.

ACM1=Arnold Chiari Malformation 1
PTC=Psudo Tumor Cerebri
TCS=Tethered Cord Syndrome
EDS=Ehlers Danlos Syndrome
MCS=Multiple Chemical Sensitivities

He has been a unsocial person most of his life. He has not had many friends. But he has lived his whole life in pain. He struggles getting along with his teachers and other kids his age.

Since last Wednesday these are some of the things that I have found changed or just a smidgen changed. He goes in the chamber with 2 other boys and 2 nurses/Mothers. The other 2 boys are unable to talk and or walk on their own. Nathan makes sure he shakes the hands of the boys good morning and he does it again when he leaves for the day. The old Nathan would not even pay attention to them. His compassion is amazing to me. He helps the adults with the boys also. He still struggles with self positive issues.

I am absolutely amazed at strength Nate has to keep going. Today was the first day ever that he talked about what he wants to do when he grows up. He wants to design video games for other kids like him that can't do much else but play games.

Last night and wellmost of yesterday Nate felt sick. He was throwing up and dizzy and his nasty attitude was back. But... this morning he got up and dressed to go with out any problems.

I just want him to understand that this treatments will and can work. This is the first time in 2 years that I actually have hope that he will recover and be able to live as normal of a life as he can.