Thanks to a brave mom, modern medicine, and the support of DDD
Liam and Megan Marshal are all smiles with the success of Liam’s surgery.
Liam Marshal was diagnosed with epilepsy before he turned 3 years old. At first, his seizures were mild and infrequent, but as he grew older, they worsened and occurred daily. In February 2020, he had “full, dead-tree falling” seizures, according to his mother, Megan. He often fell backwards, hitting his head on hard surfaces. After a fall right outside his front door, he sliced open his ear. This occurred during the pandemic when all elective surgeries were canceled. However, due to the severity of his injury, the emergency room called in a plastic surgeon.
Following that event, the Marshals and Liam’s doctor tried changing his medications, and conducted a three-day, at-home electroencephalogram (EEG) study, but nothing worked. Liam was also diagnosed with Lennox Gastaut (LGS) Syndrome, which affects only 2 to 5 percent of children with epilepsy. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, LGS is “a type of epilepsy with multiple different types of seizures, particularly tonic (stiffening) and atonic (drop) seizures.”
Last November, Liam had a Vagus Nerve Stimulator (VNS) implantation to treat his seizures. VNS is used when a person does not respond to anti-seizure medication. But the VNS device did not achieve the desired effect. “He maxed out on the settings,” said Megan. Although Liam was taking five different seizure medications, he “maxed out” on those, too, and the seizures only got worse.
So, in July 2022, the 14-year-old underwent a hemispherectomy, which according to the Cleveland Clinic, is a rare surgical procedure where “half of [a] child’s brain is either totally or partly removed or disconnected from the rest of the brain. It is a rare surgical procedure done for epilepsy not responsive to medications.”
“He really wanted the surgery,” said Megan. She explained that Liam has been embarrassed by his seizures, and both emotionally and physically hurt by them.
After weeks of intensive care unit stays, hospital stays and rehabilitation stays, Liam moonwalked his way out of the medical facility. A huge Michael Jackson fan, Liam wore his sequined jacket and Michael Jackson-like fedora in his farewell parade.
Now back home, Liam started the 9th grade at Lauren’s Institute for Education, and resumed his home- and community-based services provided by the DES Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD).
A DDD respite nurse, Tammy Munoz, accompanies him to school. He also receives medical care through the DDD Health Plans, and occupational, physical and speech therapies. Both Tammy, Nina Bowen (DDD nurse consultant who authorizes Liam’s nursing hours) and DDD Support Coordinator, Colette Lofgren, have been top supporters of Liam and Megan during this intense journey.
“They were fantastic!” said Megan. Throughout Liam’s surgery, hospitalization and rehabilitation, the DDD staff members “kept personally emailing me, keeping tabs on us.”
After six weeks, there have been no seizures, thus far. “That’s huge!” said Megan. Plus, Liam’s medications have been reduced from five to three. He started the 9th grade and is learning life and self-help skills.
“If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with,” -Michael Jackson