Difficulties

I am at serious risk of getting technical things wrong here, just so you know. My track record hasn't been great so far...

Today, the doctors had been hoping to see some signs of improvement in the MRI results, and instead they came back unchanged. There is less certainty that the current diagnosis is correct (encephalitis), since the current course of treatment has not altered Sheldon's condition.

There is a possibility that Sheldon's condition is actually vasculitis, which is an inflammation of the blood vessel walls, in this case the vessels surrounding his brain. The treatment for this is different than for encephalitis and could in fact aggravate a viral infection, so in order to be sure about the treatment, the doctors have proposed a brain biopsy, which carries it's own risks. This procedure could not be performed until Monday, and requires permission from the family.

Additionally, the EEG (electroencephalogram, a test which measures the electrical signals in the brain - you can see where the word comes from) has come back with spaces between activity of up to 6 or 8 seconds. While periods without activity can be caused by drugs, the neurologist was unhappy about the long duration of the inactive periods. They will reduce the medication he is on somewhat to see what effect this has on his EEG scans, but even this is not a conclusive test.

To summarize...

Sheldon's condition is worrying to the doctors. This worry of course transmits directly to his parents and family, and they are very discouraged. They may have some very difficult decisions to make in the days ahead, and they have asked for prayer that they would be wise.

The uncertainty surrounding this situation could be the worst part of it. How long will this last? What will the outcome be? What action to take? How to live from day to day with this trouble?