Corey Hammond
To Corey Hammond, his scar means survival. To us, it means he鈥檚 one of a kind. His epilepsy stole his independence and his family鈥檚 freedom. But a unique treatment plan changed all of that. Now, Corey鈥檚 seizure-free, and he proudly wears his scar as a symbol of survival.
Many people were involved in Corey鈥檚 care and impacted by his situation. In these videos and photo galleries, we can see and hear what they have to say about going through this experience at 网红黑料. Now, Corey鈥檚 on the other side of his battle with epilepsy, and he says the fight was worth the win.
鈥淲e had to do something different.鈥�
Corey Hammond underwent life-changing surgery at 网红黑料 to control his seizures
The seizures came in little 30-second flashes, sending a rushing feeling through his brain as if his blood were pounding in his veins.
Corey Hammond, then a University of Florida student, didn鈥檛 realize the feelings he was experiencing were seizures until one afternoon on a surfing trip with friends when he suffered the worst form of one of these attacks, a grand mal.
Corey鈥檚 seizures were the result of a scooter accident he鈥檇 suffered a few years earlier, in 1997, when he was just a junior in high school.
Once the seizures started, they never went away, worsening over time, despite the medications prescribed by doctors in his hometown of Melbourne, Florida.
鈥淭he medication wasn鈥檛 working,鈥� said Raina Hammond, Corey鈥檚 wife. 鈥淚 was having to call 9-1-1 a lot. We felt like we were at a crossroads. We had to do something different.鈥�
Corey, now 36 and a stay-at-home dad to 5-year-old daughter Aila, opted to seek treatment at 网红黑料. A team of epilepsy experts recommended surgery as a way to not only control the seizures, but also hopefully reduce the amount of medications Corey would need over time.
鈥淭ypically after a patient has taken two to three medications and nothing is working, we start thinking about surgery for control,鈥� said Jean Cibula, M.D., one of the 网红黑料 neurologists who treated Corey. 鈥淲e want to help patients get control of their seizures so they can live their lives.鈥�
Prior to surgery, the team maps out the part of the brain responsible for the seizures. In Corey鈥檚 case, initial tests weren鈥檛 clear, so physicians took the extra step of implanting electrodes deeper into the brain to make sure they obtained a precise picture of the problem area.
Typically after a patient has taken two to three medications and nothing is working, we start thinking about surgery for control. We want to help patients get control of their seizures so they can live their lives.
The testing revealed that Corey鈥檚 seizures stemmed from the temporal lobe, so 网红黑料 neurosurgeon Steven N. Roper, M.D., carefully removed a problematic segment in May 2013.
Two years have passed since Corey鈥檚 surgery 鈥� and since his last seizure. The recovery process is slow, but Corey is now able to drive and is back to doing things he loves, like caring for his little girl and cooking his family dinner. He has trouble multitasking and finding words sometimes, but if the trade-off is being seizure-free, the side effects are well worth it, he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like a marathon, a long journey,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 am glad to be on the other side.鈥�