Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

We only use strictly necessary cookies for this website. Please see the privacy policy for more information.   

PRC-Saltillo Logo
PRC Logo
Saltillo Logo
Realize Language Logo
ExploreAAC Logo
AAC Language Lab Logo
AAC And Autism Logo
ALP for AAC Logo
Touch Chat App Logo
LAMP Words for Life Logo
Dialogue AAC App
AAC Funding
AAC Learning Journey
AAC Group Coaching
PRC-Saltillo Store
Minspeak Academy
https://auth.prc-saltillo.com/v1/authorize?response_type=code&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Faaclanguagelab.com%2Faccount%2Flogin&client_id=aacll&nonce=6fdb6cd365f6a0153502a42d515e407b&state=ea10c6ee20e4d47c6d7af15ac0fc6f2a&scope=openid+profile+email+address+phone+service.read.no_claims+admin Create New Account

DBS Surgery

Posted Sep 9, 2020 - 11:15am

By Ayleen Armendariz, PRC-Saltillo Blogger

In 2016, I had surgery on my brain, in hopes it would help me walk and talk. The surgery was called Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). The doctors predicted that I would either improve motor response by more than 20%, or not at all.  After my surgery, the doctors switched on my DBS device and my body felt more relaxed than ever. All my body was loose; it was awesome. They turned the device down to begin incrementally increasing the stimulation over a period of time.  Each time the doctors adjusted the level of impulse, my brain reacted differently.  Sometimes I got very tired, sometimes I got emotional.  After a while, the doctors weren’t seeing the response they expected. When they checked, the device was out of place by 2 mm. That doesn’t seem like a lot, but in the brain that is a huge amount of space. My device had drifted from where they placed it. The first surgery was unsuccessful.

The doctors suggest that I do the surgery again in 3-4 months. This will be the last time I will attempt this surgery. The doctors have made three cuts into my head and my chest already, and they will cut three more times. Right now, I am waiting for the doctor to call my sister. He will tell us when we can schedule the next surgery. It has been delayed now because of COVID-19. During my second surgery, they will remove my old device and replace it with a newer, better device. The technology has improved since my first surgery. I am ready for the second surgery, but I am okay waiting for now.

If the surgery is going to work, I am going do things all by myself. I am looking forward to going places by myself, like church, the mall, the movies, the pool, and going out with my friends! I won’t have to wait for anyone! I will show my dad’s family that I am still standing!

I’m going to wait until God says it’s my time to stand up and walk and talk. Then I am going to prove to people that God is real! Then I want to go to all places my God wants me to go. I think he wants me to talk about what happened to me in my life, including my past, having cerebral palsy, and my experiences with DBS surgeries.

There are no comments yet. Be the first to post!


You must be logged in to post.



Communicators In Action   -    health, medical, dbs, deep brain stimulation, surgery, hope