It's tough to be a parent. It's tough to be a parent of a child with autism. It's tough to be a parent of a child with autism and a seizure disorder. It's tough to be a parent of a child with autism and a seizure disorder when you have multiple sclerosis.
Now that it is well established that my life is tough, I'll stop whining.
Today Micah had a seizure. I was helping out in Ali's class today when I got a call from Micah's school saying that he isn't feeling well, he doesn't have a fever or anything but he isn't acting right. He was laying down a lot and complained of a headache. I wasn't sure it wasn't just allergies going crazy, but I figured I'd take him home and give him some meds. I picked him up explaining that he could go home, but he would have to go to school the next day. I started to drive home then remembered that I didn't have any children's tylenol at home so I stopped at Target on the way. We picked up a few things and headed back to the car. We got to the car, took him out of the cart he was riding in, and as I got him in the car, the seizure started.
Relax, I've been there before. I hate it, but at least I know what to do...it has been a while, though.
So a little over a minute later the seizure stops, I buckle him in then head over to the hospital. It's been too long to not have documentation and hopefully a reason for the seizure's return.
I got to the ER and the parking lot is crazy. There's construction going on at the hospital and there's never a good place to park. I convince the security guard to let me park somewhere pretty close because Micah doesn't look like he's going to be able to walk. Carrying a 10 year old anywhere is crazy hard.
I get there and check him in and he's still not walking well. They weigh him and I noticed that he had lost 5 lbs since I weighed him last...a lot for a skinny kid like him. Micah is pretty out of it at this point. Still not walking well. At least they have wheel chairs.
I was really surprised in the ER when they put in the IV. Micah never sits still for a shot. It usually takes 4 or 5 people to keep him down. They hadn't successfully given him an IV since he was a baby...not for lack of trying. This time he was as quiet and still as he could be.
Not my normal kid.
The ER doctor came and asked a ton of questions to make sure he understood what was happening (and also to make sure I knew what I was talking about when I told him that Micah had a seizure I'm sure). He had a bunch of blood drawn and paged Micah's regular neurologist. We waited. And waited. And waited. Micah's neurologist didn't get back to the ER doctor at all. A few hours passed and Micah was visibly recovering. You could tell that he wasn't feeling bad any more.
Micah sick in the ER is one thing, but Micah feeling better and wanting to go home is another. He kept randomly calling out to people passing by his bed telling them that he wanted to go home. One time he heard that he can't go home with an IV in his arm...you can imagine what happened after that. Keeping him safe from himself suddenly became my priority. His nurse had a pretty good sense of humor about her irate 10 year old patient. She kept telling him what she was waiting on. The doctor came by and Micah told him to "let me go home! I'm hungry and you have to let me go get a smoothie!" Over and over and over he repeated this so much that the guy who came in on a gurney stopped and asked the doctor if he could "just give the kid a smoothie!"
Micah came home with no answers. I'm just supposed to follow up with his neurologist to see what he wants to do.
I want Micah better on his own. I don't want to give him seizure meds. He's usually a zombie when he's on those.
I am wiped out. Bone tired in the most literal sense. I feel exhaustion all the way to my core. Not good for MS. I hope my brain functions tomorrow. I have an IEP.
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