Please keep us in your prayers!

This post is not going to be as fun as usual, but I thought it would be a good way to keep everyone informed at once about what is going on with my Dad and also to get lots of prayers going.

For those who haven't heard, a couple weeks ago my Dad went in for an MRI because his doctor wanted to rule out MS.  The results showed no signs of MS, but did reveal a brain aneurysm on his right vertebral artery.  A CT angiogram (CTA) was done to get a better picture of his brain and it revealed there was another aneurysm on his left vertebral artery.  He was referred to a neurosurgeon at Harborview in Seattle and had his consult appointment there this afternoon.  Erik and Dad's girlfriend, Ramona, went with him.  I stayed behind with Elliot, but I was packed and ready to go at a moment's notice if they decided to operate right away!

I have some good news to report from the consult!  There was only one aneurysm, the original one on the right side.  The thing on the left is not an aneurysm, but the doctor said it could turn into one so they will monitor it every few years.  The other good news was that this particular aneurysm has only a 2-3% chance of bursting per year.  This means that immediate surgery is not necessary and they can take a more cautious approach.  The possible options we were given prior to the consult were endovascular surgery, which is where they go in through a vein in the leg all the way up to the brain and fix the aneurysm (I'm a lawyer, not a doctor..."fix" is the best way I can describe it :)), or to actually cut open the head and snip the aneurysm.  The endovascular option is less invasive with a shorter recovery time, so that is what we were hoping for.  Well, today the doctor said before he can say for certain whether they can do the endovascular procedure he needs to get an even clearer picture of Dad's brain to ensure there are no healthy blood vessels mixed in there that would be harmed by that type of surgery.  So, Dad has to go back up to Seattle Sunday night for an early Monday morning procedure where they will look closely at his brain, then has a follow-up consultation on Tuesday with the neurosurgeon where they will (hopefully) set a date for surgery.

That is all the information I have for now.  I think the most frustrating part, for me anyway, is not having a clear plan in place yet.  We would appreciate if you keep him in your prayers and especially that his blood pressure stays low.  Erik says he is in good spirits after his consultation today, which is always good for the blood pressure.

Thanks everyone!