Joey
DECEMBER 12, 2012 - SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

Joey was born 12/12/12 and weighed 10 pounds 4 ounces. The only thing larger than he was the love he exuded. He was a happy and healthy infant and showed his inquisitiveness at a young age.

He loved Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He met Mickey and friends at Disney World and had the chance to meet Elmo a couple months later. He loved the color yellow. He was fascinated with music from the day he was born, and that love only continued to grow day by day. He loved playing on his tablet and wearing his sister's beanie. He looked forward to when his dad came home from work as he knew he was about to be tickled and have fun! He had such a loving, beautiful spirit about him and thought he was a ladies man, always flirting with ladies of all ages.

~Keri, Joey’s Mom

F.I.R.E.S.

Febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES) is a rare epilepsy syndrome of unclear etiology in which children, usually of school age, suddenly develop very frequent seizures (up to hundreds per day) within two weeks after a mild febrile illness. Seizures are very difficult to treat with conventional anti-seizure medications and often require deep sedation with anesthetics. It is possible that the syndrome is caused by an inflammatory or autoimmune mechanism but this remains to be confirmed. Immune treatment and the ketogenic diet may help. Outcome is poor with most children left with significant cognitive disability and refractory epilepsy.

Artist: Shirley deLang