January, Oh January..

It's been a bit crazy around here. We were surprised when the kids stayed healthy over the 2 week Christmas break. Jacob, Joshua, and Rachael returned to school on Thursday, January 4th. Over the next day all the kids, including Daniel, came down with what seemed to be a cold. Rachael started throwing up over the weekend, so we were thinking maybe a bug with respiratory and stomach symptoms. I took Rachael and Daniel to the doctor Monday, Jan 8th - Rachael because she still wasn't keeping things down, and Daniel to have his ears and chest checked. The doctor said it was probably viral for both, so nothing much to be done (Daniel's ears were okay). That evening Deren started throwing up, so we knew it was probably a separate cold and stomach bug being passed around. On Wednesday evening, Abby, and later Jacob, started throwing up. On Thursday, I felt bad, but I didn't throw up (Thanks be to God!). Because later that evening Joshua got sick, and Abby was doing pretty bad. She had thrown up more than anyone, and was still having dry heaves. Around 11pm that night I took Abby to an after-hours pediatric urgent care clinic, Acute Kids. They gave Abby an anti-nausea suppository, and sent us home, saying that if she threw up anymore take her into the ER. She woke up around 4am with more heaves, so I left Daniel sleeping and took her into the ER at Presbyterian Hospital of Plano. They gave her IV fluids for a couple hours. My neighbor Monique brought Daniel to the hospital later in the morning for his breakfast. I nursed him and napped with him in my arms. I was coming down with a respiratory bug by this time, and had lost my voice - Deren didn't recognize my voice when he called. After a couple hours of sleeping Abby seemed better, so they sent us home around 11am.

About 1/2 hour after we got home, Abby had her first grand mal seizure. The paramedics came and took her back to Presby Plano. She didn't have any more seizures that afternoon, so they sent her home. About 1/2 hour after she was home - another seizure, another paramedic visit. We talked with the firemen (there were about a dozen in the house, and we were getting friendly by this point). They said they could take her in, but we would probably go through the same scenario. This was exactly what happened with Jacob in January 2003. He wasn't running a fever (ruling out infantile seizures); they would hydrate him, get ready to discharge him, and he would have another seizure in the ER. We decided to wait until the next morning (Sat, Jan 13th) and take her to the pediatrician. She had another seizure early in the morning. Deren bundled up Abby - by that time a nasty cold front was coming through the area - and got a couple blocks before she had another seizure in the car. He pulled over, then started off again. I called the office when it opened, and they said to go to the hospital. The doctor called ahead and asked them to admit her. I stayed at home. By this time, Jacob was come down with the respiratory bug I had, and Joshua was still recovering from the stomach bug. So between the weather and the nasty viruses we were passing around, no one could come and help.

Abby was in the ER until late afternoon, when she had another seizure. She was admitted into the pediatric ward. The cycle became - a seizure, several hours of sleep recovering from the seizure, awake for about another 1/2 hours, then another seizure (with each increasing in intensity). They started her on phenobarbital Sunday morning, and she has been seizure free since the 14th. They kept her until Tuesday, because she started a fever Monday evening (she was coming down with the respiratory bug that Deren, Jacob, Joshua, and I all had at that point).

Deren's father made it into town Monday afternoon. The trip had taken him several hours longer because of the bad conditions on the road with all the freezing rain. He helped Deren out of the hospital with Abby. When she got home she was really weak, and sick with the new bug. They also diagnosed her with a UTI at the hospital, and she started on antibiotics for that. On Wednesday, she looked awful - cried all day long, didn't want to eat or drink, and was totally weak and listless. We took her, Daniel, and Joshua to the pediatrician the next day. Daniel was having diarrhea and bloody stools (from the antibiotics I was taking), Joshua sounded like he was going to keel over from coughing. Joshua's exam went fine - he was doing better, and we should have just kept him at home because he was so excited to be out of the house he was a wild man. Daniel was doing okay. Abby had a breathing treatment at the office and a chest x-ray - she had pneumonia. We took her home, continued on the breathing treatments and antibiotics.

I'm so grateful to say she's doing much better. She's still taking the phenobarbital. She has an MRI this Tuesday (the 30th); an ultrasound and dye test on her urinary tract and kidneys this Wed. But she's just been full of herself at home. She's back to being a total daredevil. I have to tell myself "I'm grateful, I'm grateful!" as she launches herself from the couch or bed or kitchen table. She's so full of life - it was horrible seeing her so sick. She will see the neurologist after the MRI. We're hoping she can be weaned off the seizure medication. Her eeg at the hospital was abnormal. They did it after a strong seizure, and it showed slower than normal activity. The neurologist said that wasn't surprising. She'll have another eeg before they decide about the meds.

Daniel, meanwhile, has the respiratory bug. Good news - he doesn't have pneumonia. Bad news - he has an ear infection and needs breathing treatments because of the inflammation in his lungs. AND I've come down with another cold bug, which means the kids will probably be getting sick in the next week. I'm praying for Daniel and Abby's health. I'm taking Daniel to the chiropractor tomorrow. I really don't want him to be on one round of antibiotics after another. I've been putting breastmilk in his ear, and taking herbs myself, hoping some of it will make it to him.

And if we don't have enough appts scheduled for next week, on Thursday ECI comes to the house to assess Abby for further services, esp. after her seizures. And on Friday (Happy Birthday to You, Deren!) Rachael has an appt with the eye specialist. She's been crossing a lot, so I'm kind of nervous.

So now you know what we've been up to. Today is a special day - Daniel is 3 mos old. He's fussing at me as I type. He really filled his diaper, and now that daddy changed him he's ready to nurse again.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your concerns be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6 - I typed it from memory, so please forgive me if I didn't get it exactly right)