Jamie- MRI, NFT & school

MRI & meds


Jamie's repeat MRI was mid March. We went to the MD, 3/28/08 and received the results.... Good News!!! The MRI came back as very stable, next MRI in 2 years!! Yeah!! We also got Jamie's drug level (for his seizure med) which were very low...as he had not been taking them. Jamie was supposed to start this med in mid-January, but he didn't like the side effects and was afraid it would make his grades fall (he was very proud of his grades). The MD told us it may make him feel "foggy" and a bit mentally slow at the beginning til he adjusts. So, he stopped shortly after starting (without our knowledge). The MD made it very clear that Jamie needed to be on this med. So, after the MD explained it throughly, Jamie agreed with the need to take it and has been complaint since then.


NFT

Jamie is finally completed his series of NFT. Thank goodness!! We were all exhausted!! To finish up his series before the approved time ran out, he was also attending daily NFT (each session being like an extra full day of school for the brain). He had daily sessions Monday, 3/24/08, through Tuesday, 4/1/08.
We were so happy to be finished! He has one more CPT appt, 4/15. Then, we will follow up with the neurobehavioralist in May. When I asked jamie if he felt the NFT had helped him do better in his classes by having better focus and attention. He said, "not only in class!!! but with my friends too!!" He said it is easier to follow conversations and that he thinks more quickly. He states that he is better able to come back and be witty/funny. He seems very pleased.

School

Jamie did very well 3rd quarter (January-March). He had no referrals for behavior, no detentions, no complaints from teachers. As a matter of fact all of his teachers have mentioned his improvements and several of his teachers state that he is "a pleasure to have in class." He has been keeping all but his science grade at strong (A, B) levels most of the quarter (the first time he ever kept his grades elevated for longer then 1-2 weeks). I was therefore quite surprised when I noticed an abrupt falling of grades in several classes the last week or so of school. This directly coincided with Jamie starting a new med for seizures and daily NFT. I wrote to his teachers and learned he was indeed tired in school, laying his head on his desk. Here is an email I received from his math teacher (also study hall and lunch supervisor):

"From my view his grade and effort has been consistent in math all
quarter. He has days where he is a little more 'bouncy' than normal and
needs more assistance, but nothing that is intolerable. His final test
was done very well and that is consistent with the daily work he did
throughout the quarter.

On another note, I want you to know that I have gained a great amount of
respect for Jamie this quarter. I have discovered that he is a warm
hearted young man who really wants to do the right thing. He sometimes
gets caught up in the moment and will make mistakes or do things that he
knows are wrong, but when he does he does the right thing and apologizes
to people face-to-face and makes a concerted effort changes his
behavior."

Jamie's 3rd quarter grades were:
Learning Lab B
Woods C+ (79%) pleasure to have in class
Pre Algebra B+ (89%)
Kitchen Aid P (pass/fail class would have given an A+++ if possible)
English B+
Science F (missing assignments)
Health/PE A-
Traffic Ed F (pass/fail requires 80% to pass, Jamie has 78%...missing assignments)

missing assignments the last week of school dropped his grades in 4 classes. Such a bummer...leading into the last week of school, Jamie had 4 A's, 3 B's and a D (science).