As of this morning, Leo is off all of his medication as we try to entice seizures to capture on the EEG. It's the first breather in 10 months we haven't needed to be aware of the time, making sure to dose his three meds every 12 hours on the dot.

Without these meds suppressing him, he's also the brightest he's been in 10 months: making silly faces, babbling so much, waving to nurses, grinning. He's a happy kid in general, and while we're encouraged that his personality has been in there all along, it's disheartening to know that the drugs attempting to keep his seizures at bay have also been dulling his shine. That being said, no medication could suppress the bond he has with his sisters: We FaceTime every night, and he immediately lights up upon seeing them. They make faces back and forth and carry on little conversations. It's the happiest he is all day. 

We changed from a double to a single room yesterday so we could have quiet space for his sleep, since waking from a deep sleep is when his seizures occur. In fact, the two seizures they've been able to capture occurred when we were between roommates. Landing a single seems to have helped, as the EEG tech detected different brainwaves this morning. We won't know what that means and if it counts as a seizure until Neuro reviews it.

Leo had his second outing in the Child Life playroom yesterday, where he could play with toys and even step out onto the balcony for fresh air. The Child Life specialists here have been amazing, keeping him company during his MRI, bringing toys to our room, and advocating for his stimulation during our stay. The med student he's bonded with came up to visit in the playroom, and he gave her a big snuggle. We've interacted with so many doctors, nurses, care partners, specialists, and students this week, and we know we're in the right place. Everyone is cautious, thoughtful, and empathetic as well as skilled. They're rushing nothing, taking gentle care of Leo to make sure we do this right.