Friday Sept. 28th

Today Christopher underwent a trial for the Baclofen pump. An injection of Baclofen directly into the spinal fluid. This method of medication delivery is called intrathecal therapy. The drug is delivered by a pump that is implanted under the skin. When Baclofen is put into the spinal fluid, the effectiveness of the drug is improved and the side effects are reduced. To be considered for the implanted pump, you must first undergo the trial dose of Baclofen to make sure that it will work. The trial involves a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) and an injection of a small dose of Baclofen into the spinal fluid. You are then observed for several hours. During this time of observation, medical staff will keep track of the amount of oxygen in your blood, your blood pressure and changes in spasticity. If significant improvement occurs, surgery to implant the infusion pump may be considered.

It was along day both for Christopher and Debbie. The results were promising, Christopher will be scheduled to have the pump implanted in the coming weeks, as soon as Dr. Frankle returns.