An 18-year-old Ohioan named Isaac Klapper discovered hope through brain surgery after years of dealing with incorrect diagnosis and unsuccessful therapies.
After receiving an epilepsy diagnosis, he had a revolutionary operation that has prevented seizures and allowed him to look forward to the future.
For years, Isaac Klapper’s life was a daily battle. He started having episodes where his head trembled and his eyes move uncontrollably when he was ten years old. Medication first helped after a movement disorder diagnosis.
However, the episodes resumed by high school, upsetting his life and preventing him from driving or experiencing other normal adolescent milestones
“It was devastating,” remembers Isaac. “I was constantly concerned about what would happen next.”
His parents were desperate for answers, so they went to the Cleveland Clinic, where doctors determined that epilepsy was the true culprit.
A tiny, grape-sized anomaly was discovered in Isaac’s brain by neurologists. The answer? a difficult procedure to get rid of it.
Although surgery is an underappreciated treatment for epilepsy, it provides hope to patients who are not responding to medicine, according to renowned neurosurgeon Dr. William Bingaman. Isaac’s family endured five anxious hours of the treatment on March 8, 2024.
Following surgery, pathologists verified that the anomaly was not a tumor but rather cortical dysplasia, a developmental problem. Isaac hasn’t had any seizures since.
Isaac, who is currently applying to colleges, adds, “It’s amazing to know I can focus on my future without this weighing me down.”
Experts believe that Isaac’s narrative will raise awareness of epilepsy surgery possibilities. Only a small percentage of qualified individuals seek this life-altering treatment, even though it affects millions.
For Isaac, the goal of the surgery was to take back his life, not merely to end his seizures.
