Northview Freshman Recovering Well From Brain Surgery, Headed Back To Class This Week

January 11, 2009

Northview High School freshman Nathan Therrell is continuing to improve following brain surgery back in November, and if all goes as planned, he will be back in class Monday morning.

On November 19, Nathan underwent brain surgery at the Miami Children’s Hospital to remove something the size of a grain of rice that has caused years of problems for him. It’s called a hypothalamic hamartoma, also called an “HH”. The HH is not a tumor, nor is it a cancer; it is a tissue growth.

Nathan’s aunt, Kelly Sims, said Nathan has done well since the surgery. Best of all, he has been seizure-free since the surgery. He was back in school for one day when it resumed Tuesday after Christmas break, but he missed the rest of the week to once again travel to Miami. This time, the trip to Miami was for a checkup, and Nathan received an “all clear” from his doctor.

“Nathan has recovered from the surgery far better than expected. He seems like a total different kid,” Sims said of her nephew. “God does answer prayers and Nathan’s family would like to thank everyone that helped during the time of fund raisers and for any donations that were given.”

“The family is very thankful for everything including the prayers that were sent out for Nate,” she added.

If all goes as plans, Nathan will return to Northview as a fulltime student beginning Monday.

A typical HH like the one removed from Nathan’s brain causes seizures, a problem Nathan has had for four years. They were originally controlled by medication, but the medicines failed to work, his mother Tina Therrell said. They’ve tried radiation and laser treatments. None have worked. That led the family to decide to have the surgery to remove the HH from the middle of his brain.

Pictured above: Nathan Therrell watches a Northview football game last season. He served as the team’s waterboy. NorthEscambia.com file photo.

Comments

6 Responses to “Northview Freshman Recovering Well From Brain Surgery, Headed Back To Class This Week”

  1. NeNe on November 28th, 2009 9:33 am

    May God continue to bless you.

  2. Jerreme Wade on March 13th, 2009 1:30 pm

    I have Cerebal Pasly with seizures and I’m also scheduled for the same sergury. Currently a senior at Grassfield High School about to graduate and able to see time on a football and soccer field. I think it’s amazing to know that their is a person who has survived the surgery and that gives me hope.

  3. stephen on January 16th, 2009 1:17 pm

    great to hear. our prayer were with yall the whole time.

  4. Beegee on January 12th, 2009 3:17 pm

    There has,indeed,been a tremendous change in this young man!!!!!!! We are very proud of you,Nathan!! We are very thankful for the GOD that we serve!!!!!! Ya’ll come out and visit Tabernacle Baptist Church…….a church that’s different!!! A wonderful pastor that loves the LORD!!!! He tells it like it is……..Beegee

  5. Chuck on January 11th, 2009 8:54 pm

    Good for you Nathan, glad you’re doing better!

  6. AL on January 11th, 2009 4:59 pm

    Awesome!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FEATURE TOP STORY, Features, News