I’ve had the sticky note about the date of my WADA test (Feb 13, 2007) stuck to the wall near the door of my apartment for as long as I can remember.
THAT was a bizarre experience.
I was forewarned much of what to expect on the (then ecommunities) forum board of Epilepsy Foundation.
- Watch out! That table is COLD!
- Don’t expect much in the way of privacy.
- Be sure to shave well!
I watched videos on YouTube and read online about the procedure.
- It’s to determine which areas of the brain handle what, so nothing critical is damaged during surgery.
- By “areas handle what” I mean language and motion.
- My seizures were determined to originate on the right side. In 2007, they still did the WADA for the right side.
- They run a catheter from your femoral artery: groin; up THROUGH the heart; into the carotid artery in one side; let loose a
This was unpublished since February, now I see why. It isn’t finished… Ah well… I’m not deleting. I’ll find a link about WADA and post it.
HALF the brain is put to sleep, then the other half, as they test for function and language! For as much as I could comprehend in that state, it was something to experience.
SurvivalDay416 
Several years ago I did the same damn thing. Ugh. That was not fun. I was getting the brain damage on the left-frontal lobe removed. Went through ALL brain tests, but was assured I would never have to do the damn Wada. Wasn’t till I had all my other BRAIN tests that could ever be done completely finished.
“Oh, lets just do a Wada too….” is what they told me.
This is my site: https://catalpachronicles.us/2013/08/03/wada-ugh/
LikeLike
My testing took place on February 13, 2007… I read your entry. Thank you!
I remember thinking, “Doctors, doctors, EVERYWHERE!”
I didn’t have the hand raise part of the test. I remember most vividly seeing my brain on all the monitors around the room, and that the guy who did the anesthesia release mentioned to me it was his first time. Not something you want to hear. He should just go for it with confidence. I’m nervous enough. I think I told him so. At least I told his colleague later to let him know it doesn’t help a patient’s fear level to know when it is his first or second time doing something.
What was your surgery, may I ask? I didn’t look through your blog, yet. This year has been a hassle. I celebrated SurvivalDay20, but since has been so difficult I haven’t had the energy to write in here, because I want this blog to be about CELEBRATING THE LIFE I HAVE. The pinky injury I had back in April, sought tx in June, became a nightmare of unspeakable proportions. I now have spine deep chronic pain and had to detox from the narcotic pain medication given to me by the rehab office. Because my health insurance didn’t take my injury seriously. It’s very possible I could lose SSDI because I took my trip to celebrate my SurvivalDay20. It was SO HARD TO DO! They are doing a full medical review in February. That bit I can’t work out. I can barely walk up a flight of stairs even with my cane. Maybe the review will be fine. I was only at my 5 year review. WTF? Thanks for letting me dump here to you rather than write a new entry.
LikeLiked by 1 person