Epilepsy Awareness Month: Arizona mother lives a seizure-free life after life-altering surgery
PHOENIX, ARIZONA: November marks Epilepsy Awareness Month, drawing attention to the nearly 500,000 Americans grappling with this neurological disorder.
Amid this awareness, one woman from Phoenix has shared her journey of living with epilepsy, a condition that drastically altered her life until a life-changing surgery offered hope and freedom.
The journey of Nicole Phillips battling epilepsy
Nicole Phillips, now a wife and mother of three, was diagnosed with epilepsy during her teenage years in 2009. Initially manageable with medication, her seizures resurfaced, significantly impairing her ability to lead a normal life, according to fox10phoenix.com
"I wasn’t able to drive, I wasn’t able to really do anything," recalled Phillips, reflecting on the toll the seizures took on her. "I was always just lying down."
Seeking relief, Phillips turned to Mayo Clinic Arizona, where she met Dr Jonathon Parker, a neurosurgeon specializing in such cases.
Dr Parker noted that "she had seizures that were no longer responsive to medication, and when that happens, we really have to look at surgical options to try to control the seizures."
Dr Parker elaborated on the procedure undertaken in Phillips' case, clarifying that a resection involved the removal of the abnormal brain tissue responsible for triggering the seizures.
"For Nicole, we had to be very, very careful because this abnormality on her imaging was right next to the motor center of the brain," Dr Parker said.
The triumph of surgery and reclaiming life
However, due to the proximity of the affected area to the brain's motor center, the surgery posed inherent risks, prompting anxiety for Phillips.
"I was just scared because they were actually going in and taking part of my brain out," she confided.
Employing cutting-edge brain mapping technology and a skilled surgical team, including Dr Parker, Mayo Clinic conducted the surgery. Subsequent scans revealed the excised brain tissue, marking a significant milestone in Phillips' recovery.
Today, at 29 years old, Phillips enjoys a seizure-free life. Grateful for the transformation, she said, "I’m back to being a mom. I’m driving, working, I just became a business owner... To think a year ago I wasn’t even able to be with my kids or leave my couch. Now I have my life back again."
While experiencing temporary numbness post-surgery, Phillips regained sensation within months. With Thanksgiving around the corner, she expressed profound gratitude for her restored health, family, and the surgery that transformed her life.
"Oh my goodness, what am I not thankful for? My health, obviously, my kids, my family, my husband, the surgery, the list goes on," Phillips said.
Dr Parker emphasizes the importance of seeking evaluation by a surgical team for individuals with epilepsy when medications fail to control seizures, underscoring the potential of surgical intervention in offering renewed hope and freedom to those affected.