There are lots of things that I never want to happen, to me or anyone else. One of my biggest fears is to have one of my loved ones, especially Derrick, Madi and Easton have a traumatic or chronic medical issue. I never want to see them suffer. I never want to see them in pain. On Valentine's Day my fear came to life.
On Feb. 13th, Easton woke up from his nap with a fever of 100.1. I gave him some Tylenol and didn't think much of it. He didn't act like anything hurt, he was a little tired and whiny. He went to bed normal that night.
Derrick heard him crying around 2:00am and went to lay with him. Easton asked for a drink and went back to bed, no problem. Derrick got up to get ready for work, got out of the shower and heard Easton moaning and making a gurgling sound. He noticed white foam around his mouth and nose and brought him to me to see what I thought. I wiped it off and said it was spit, noticing how hot he was. Then I noticed he was stiff as a board. I couldn't bend any of his limbs. We couldn't wake him up. He was shaking, not violently, but still shaking. I grabbed him and told Derrick to call 911 while I got dressed. I knew something was wrong. He was already seizing when Derrick found him and we held him for at least 10 minutes while his seizure continues. (I say ten based on the phone calls we made. Probably closer to 15 minutes that we held him.) He started to come out of the seizure just as the first responder was coming up the drive. His eyelids fluttered a little and his eyes rolled back and closed again. I laid him on the couch and his body started to relax and we were able to move his limbs. They took his stats. His temp was 102. He remained unresponsive and lethargic as they did this. They got him in the ambulance and started a nebulizer treatment as we drove to the hospital. I rode up front and kept hearing them shout his name to keep him awake. As they took him out of the ambulance he had a look on his face that was terrifying to me. He stared off in the distance, his eyes glassy, and showed no response to anyone or anything going on around us. I took him out of his car seat and laid him on the bed so they could get him hooked up to all the things they needed. Derrick and our friend Chad gave him a blessing. He fell asleep and stayed asleep until they brought the x-ray machine in to check his lungs. He was obviously upset by this and would make eye contact but still showed no emotion or any sign that he knew who I was. I gave him some Tylenol after the x-ray and they flushed his sinuses for some tests. Then I picked him up. This made him mad and he screamed and hit and kicked me, trying to push me away. I laid him back on the bed and he went right to sleep. The doctor came and said the RSV, pneumonia and influenza tests all came back negative. He was ready to let us go. I asked if they had ran a CBC with diff. (My mom had asked if they had done that. She is an ICU nurse. This would tell if the fever was from a virus or bacteria.) The doctor thought that would be a good idea. They came to draw his blood. It had been about two hours since he had had his seizure and he finally seemed to be himself and respond to Derrick and I. He let me hold him and cuddle him which brought relief to me. The test came back as viral and they sent us home.
He and I slept for a while and he seemed to be himself when he woke up other then being weak and having no balance. His legs were like Jell-o when he walked.
Yesterday I followed up with our pediatrician. He agreed with the ER doc that it was most likely a Febrile Seizure (common seizure brought on by a rapid increase in body temperature in children 6 mo to 5 years of age). To give me peace of mind he did give me a referral to see a specialist at Primary Childrens Hospital. I am taking him there on Thursday with hopes that it was just what they think, a febrile seizure. I am mostly concerned because of the length of time, the complexity of it and the fact that his birth grandpa has seizures. (That is just another reason I am so thankful for the openness we have in our adoption.)
We have been so blessed to have so many wonderful friends that are there to love and support us whenever something comes up. My good friend Andrea took Madi for the day and spoiled her like crazy! Madi hasn't stopped talking about it since. She brought us dinner and a movie for Easton too. She's so amazing! We have had countless calls, texts and messages to see how they can help or what they can do and it has been so touching to have the support that we do. I love my ward family so very much and can't think of a better place to live! I am grateful for the priesthood and a worthy husband that can administer blessings when they are needed. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that comforts me in my time of need and for a loving family.
