Thursday, July 19, 2007

Seizure

We are still at the hospital, but I wanted to share our story since I can't call everybody:

Wednesday at about 2:00 Izzy suddenly stopped playing her game with Lorin and she turned her head away. Lorin and I were perturbed that she was being a turkey about the game. So I told Lorin to go do something else and quit trying to coax Izzy to play. When Lorin walked away I expected a protest from Izzy, but she remained unmoved, upright in her chair with her head turned to an extreme angle up and to the right. With a hint of worry, I picked her up and carried her to sit on the couch with me. I turned on cartoons and laughed at something silly, sure it would get her attention and she would turn to watch. When she didn't I looked at her eyeballs and they were fixed, unblinking in the top right corner of her eyes and her head still cranked up and right. "Izzy you're scaring me. Can you look at me and tell me you're ok?" ...no response...just a hollow stare. I turned her head toward me and it moved easily, but not her eyes. I knew I had to get her to the ER. Then I thought again and called 911 telling them that I thought she was having a seizure or something. Within minutes the firetruck showed up, then the ambulance, and all of a sudden there were 6 or 8 ER team members working on Izzy. 5 more minutes and Izzy and I were in an ambulance with the alarm blairing through the streets and the driver yelling back to the 2 working on Izzy warning them of each turn. It seemed like an hour, but soon we were in the ER with 20 more doctors and nurses waiting to restore her. Thankfully she began to fight with them and cry, her eyes now tight shut, wandering where she was and how she got there. 8 hours later Cory arrived (was able to fly in from Arkansas within our time at the ER) and at about that time we moved from the ER to good ole' Mott 7.

Today she is back to normal! Wow! What a miracle! Yesterday, before her seizure she told me she thinks heaven would be a great place to go, and I wonder sometimes how close she must feel to heaven and her Father there. Right now she is our little angel and we're hanging on to her.

So, EEG (pictures will come when I get home), MRI, MRA, MRV, no eating for about 22 hours now (she's still in the MRI room) and she has finally lost a little of her patience, but smiles in between telling me what she wants to eat first and then second and so on.

Lorin and Ryan got to spend some quality time with the firetruck team until friends showed up and took them for the evening. At midnight I was able to pick them up both sound asleep. They're hanging in there like champs (of course plenty of worried questions from Lorin as she witnessed all of the trauma).

Finally, the plan to reduce further seizure risk is for me to give her blood-thinner shots twice a day at home for at least a couple of months (that's right...me give her shots). The Chemo called Asparaginase causes blood-clotting issues (which is the assumed reason for the seizure) and will stop being given at the end of the two months. Doc said he's giving me my nursing degree when this is all over. I told him I don't need it, I call all the shots with or without it :)

Thanks for your prayers and thoughts. We feel very loved!

4 comments:

Katie said...

So scary for all of you. Glad to hear she is doing better and going home, and hopefully the shots will help. We're praying for a peaceful, quiet August for your family!

Southern Spud said...

How frightening! My little brother had a seizure in front of me (twice, actually, but this one was what they used to term "grand mal") when he was three and I was eleven. It's just terrifying, isn't it? The other one, he was talking to me but nothing he said was making any sense--no English there! Know that the Lord loves you and that these things are to give you experience and knowledge, as evil and aweful as they may be to go through right now. :( Loves!!! the Shaws

Bennett Family said...

We always check your blog to see how you are. I about cried when I read this. Your family is amazing and we pray for Izzie everynight.

Valerie Matteson said...

Wow!! I heard about her seizure at Stake Council meeting last night. She was in the prayer given. I was very worried but no one there had any details so I was glad to see your blog posted today.

My thoughts and prayers are with you. Our youngest, William, had a seizure when he was 6 and we never did find out exactly what caused it because he never had another. I was out of town in Cleveland so Craig rode in the ambulance with him and my oldest daughter (aka Haley's mom) took care of notifying me. She was very cool and calm but I sure was worried so I can imagine a very little bit what you must have gone through.

Take care,
Matteson Family