Girl Prepares To Have Half Her Brain Removed

[Mergie Master]

Dr. Ben Carson is a jam up doc, he came from a bad side of the street and made it all the way to the top on his own. He's also a strong Christian, I've met the guy personally as he's as humble as any man you ever met. --MM

Video at site

Girl Prepares To Have Half Her Brain Removed

BALTIMORE (WJZ) ― A beautiful six-year-old from Texas has flown halfway across the country to Johns Hopkins Children's Center for a surgery that should allow her to grow into a happy healthy adult. Without the surgery, a rare disease will continue eating away at the child's brain.
Jessie's parents have found the strength to allow world-renowned physician Dr. Ben Carson to cut out half of Jessie's brain.
Denise Koch has the story of a family making the most heart-wrenching decision of their lives.
From Texas to Maryland people are falling in love with a little girl named Jessie. In one month, doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital will remove half of this child's brain.
In almost every way, Jessie Hall is a normal six-year-old. She's perfectly healthy except there's a disease on the right side of her brain that's causing seizures, twitching and loss of mobility. It's called Rasmussen's encephalitis. Without the surgery, Jessie's parents say their daughter would ultimately die.
The Halls have elected to travel from their home in Aledo, Texas to Baltimore to have world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson perform the surgery.
"We tell her she's going to have half her brain removed," said Cris Hall, Jessie's father.
Mother Kristi Hall says Jessie understands that she'll go to sleep and Dr. Carson will perform the operation.
In fact, Jessie's parents have prepared her so well for surgery, Jessie had no hesitations getting straight to the point with Dr. Carson.
"Are you gonna take half my brain out?" Jessie asked.
A little stunned, Dr. Carson responded, "Would you like me to?"
"Yeah," Jessie said.
"Okay," Dr. Carson chuckled.
Twenty years ago Dr. Carson pioneered curing Rasmussen's in children by removing half the brain.
It's a surgery so rare, Hopkins does only about a dozen each year.
Dr. Carson explained when he removes the diseased side of Jessie's brain, cerebral spinal fluid will immediately fill the empty area and provide a cushion for the rest of the brain. In most cases, the healthy side of the brain will take over the tasks of the missing side of the brain. There will be some paralysis and some other lingering effects, but the seizures will stop.
It's been a heart-wrenching decision for the Halls, but they are not alone.

The Halls met 18-year old Jody Miller of Millersville. Jody had this same surgery when she was just three. Today, she's a shining example of what the future may hold for Jessie. Jody will start college in the fall and plans to become a teacher. The Halls say seeing Jody living a happy healthy life offers them immense relief.
"You can't imagine the hope it brings us," said Kristi Hall.
Jody's parents, who've been through this themselves, are supporting the Halls during their frightening journey. So are all of their loved ones, friends and their entire town.
"Everyone within a 10-mile radius of our house will be praying when she's in there," said Cris Hall.
"Believe it or not, it makes a difference," Dr. Carson responded.
Dr. Carson also says assuming everything goes well, Jessie's parents will get their same Jessie back after this surgery.
"She'll be the same little girl, same personality," said Dr. Carson.
"I hope it goes down in history as she's the most rehabilitated of any Rasmussen's patient ever. Her dreams can come true. Everything a parent wants, that's what we want," said Cris Hall.

[Moatsy]

Carson, simply put, is the man.

[Tater]

Hard to say "Cool!" when it's a 6 y/o in question, but I watched a show on DHC about this very surgery at JH and it is indeed incredible that the human brain, if split at a young age, will reassign areas to cover for those that are removed. I'm quite satisfied that she will be fine, but will send her a prayer just for good measure. I'm just happy that there's still people in this world that have the drive and determination to make such as this possible.

<edited to add the word "brain" since I wasn't using mine at the time....>

[ccleroy]

""Everyone within a 10-mile radius of our house will be praying when she's in there," said Cris Hall."............

There will be more than that..............I'm praying myself..........thats an extrodinary story there....................hope everything goes well