All 4 Jake: ON the eve ....

Jake's story

July 21st was a normal day, as were the days of summer before. Everything was in it's place. School days were approaching and the family was enjoying the last days by the pool, ignored bedtimes and high popsicle counts.

Then July 22, 2008 came....

Jake had his first seizure. I did not recognize it as such. It was not until he had several more of these "little jerks" and bloody noses that I thought this could be seizure activity. We were scheduled to see a neurologist on August 4th, after going through our pediatrician, however we didn't make it that far. I was awakened August 1st, by Jake in a full seizure (6 minutes long)...he started to turn blue so I called 911....

Here begins our journey......

...we were taken by ambulance to the hospital. Checked in. Released. 3 more grand mal seizures after being released. Checked back in. Sent home 3 days later. Another grand mal, this one lasting a whopping 11 minutes and taken by ambulance again. Stayed at Childrens Dallas for a week. Upping meds, changing meds and mixing meds.
Diagnosis: Epilepsy
Cause: Unknown
We have now found, through some absolutely amazing family and extended family, whom I will NEVER be able to thank enough, the wonderful doctors and nurses at Cook Childrens Hospital in Fort Worth, who are continuing to help us through this. We have had another grand last thursday, and are averaging anywhere from 5-30 seizures (jerks, drops, stares) a day. I was to begin back teaching at Apollo, but am having to put that on hold until the seizures are controlled. Jake is not able to go back to school until he is 30 days seizure free. We are still waiting for that ONE day. Please pray for our family and for little Jake. Although this is not the end of the world, it is a huge hurdle we WILL overcome. Pray for courage for Jake, understanding as parents, good doctors and for the right medicines.

Jake's mom, Christine

Monday, December 14, 2009

ON the eve ....

of Jake's hospital stay, things got real bad.
At about 3:30 am, I heard a gasp over the baby monitor (apparently I conked out before I could get him and bring him to our bed). I ran to get Jake and , as I suspected, he was seizing.

No biggie, this happens.

about 20 minutes later, he seizes again.
I fumble around in the dark to find his magnet, but it stops before I can actually swipe his chest to stop the seizure.

About 15 minutes later, another seizure.

This pattern goes on for about a hour and half. Jake seizes, I swipe and turn to go back to sleep.

However, there was not much sleep being had last night.

Between 3:30 and 5:00 Jake had 7 or 8 tc's. Each one with growing intensity and length.

At about 5 after 5 when another one started, I made the executive decision to dust of the ole' Diastat box. I had no choice but to give Jake a good dose of the Valium like medicine to stop these damned seizures!

The Diastat did work and Jake drifted off to sleep like baby. He slept several hours past his normal rising time of 5:45 or 6:00.

There was no way I was leaving him today, so we both took a day off, if you can call it that.

The hospital stay tomorrow can NOT come soon enough.

I am so looking forward to getting up and making the drive, however TERRIFIED of what the night before then may bring.

If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to your
mountain, "MOVE!" and it WILL move... and NOTHING will be
impossible for YOU!
- Matthew 17:20

3 comments:

Mrs. Adams said...: So glad you will be there tomorrow! I plan on stopping by with some special things for Jake. Let me know if you need anything!; December 14, 2009 at 9:58 PM
Fawn said...: Thinking of you and praying for you Christine and Jake.; December 15, 2009 at 1:45 AM
reidster said...: Praying for you. -Reid and Lori; December 15, 2009 at 6:54 PM