It’s going to be an interesting month coming up, as Kevin goes through what will hopefully be a life-changing brain surgery to reduce or possibly even eliminate his epilepsy. At his request, today’s ride was a “breakfast ride” where we stop at Alices (Sky L’onda) before heading back down the hill.

Good turnout today; Eric, Karl, Karen, JR, Scotty, Kevin (pilot) all there to send Kevin off. Everyone took it pretty easy up Kings; I could even have brief conversations without being winded! Still a bit on the cool side (mid 40s) but today we were smart enough to bring our long-fingered gloves. Much less wind, fewer clouds, dryer roads.

The plan (remember, there’s always a plan) is an early-morning surgery in which a “grid” is placed over part of Kevin’s brain, which will map where he seizures come from. He’ll have his medication gradually reduced so his seizures become more frequent, and after a number of days, they’ll make the decision to either surgically repair (actually, remove) the part of his brain that’s causing the seizures, or implant this gadget called a “Neuropace” that “listens” for signs of an upcoming seizure and sends an electrical impulse that blocks it. It’s part of a long process that can take up to two years to determine how well it’s working.

But for the next month, don’t look for Kevin on the roads. You may find him on Strava though, as he has a Tacx Elite trainer that he’ll try to stay in shape on, once he’s home.