A Very Scary Day
Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 11:14PM As many folks across the country are experiencing winter illness, we too have succumbed. I'm sure it was the flu that hit me early last week...fever, chills, headache, sore throat and overwhelming malaise. I spent one full day in bed while Wade dutifully stepped in and got the kids where they all needed to be. The next day came and as much as I wanted (needed) to stay in bed another day, I hit the medicine cabinet and resumed my alarmingly demanding schedule. I literally willed myself through the week, one day at a time, with much help from a constant influx of Advil Cold and Sinus.
By Sunday morning, I felt well enough to go to church and had been completely free of fever for several days. After church, we came home, fixed lunch and relaxed. By mid afternoon, Buck said he was not feeling well. He had played a full basketball game the day before, full of energy and had worked hard to memorize and recite the 23rd Psalm on Sunday morning. Now, just hours later and Buck was crumpled on the couch, where he would remain for the rest of the day with a low grade fever. Illness typically hits Buck without warning and Monday morning came with Buck still feeling poorly. I watched him all day and it appeared that he had whatever struck me the week before. He drank lots of liquids, stayed quiet, slept a lot and just rested.
The alarm rang at 5:45 Tuesday morning and I went in to wake the kids. Not wanting to wake Buck, I checked on him sleeping peacefully and felt his head. He was barely warm, still running a low grade fever. Wade left for the gym and I was in the kitchen making the kids' lunches when Buck walked in at about 6:30. When he said that he had a really bad headache, I stopped and gave him my full attention. (For some reason, I have a real fear of meningitis. So whenever the kids say bad headache, I immediately check for neck stiffness and sensitivity to light. They always roll their eyes.) I stood just in front of Buck and asked about his headache. I felt his head, but he wasn't feverish. I turned to get the Tylenol and as I went to hand it to Buck, I noticed that the pupils of his eyes were as big as his whole iris. The kitchen was extremely bright with all the lights on, so immediately I recognized that something wasn't right. About two seconds later, Buck said that he couldn't see anything. "I can't see you mom. I can't see anything." He blinked slowly, as if to clear his vision, but nothing.
Just as panic started to silently well up within me, Buck's eyes rolled back and his arms began to shake. I knew immediately that he was starting a seizure and grabbed his shoulders, yelling his name, begging him to wake up. The other three kids heard me yelling and ran into the kitchen as I yelled for them to get the phone. Realizing that the seizure wasn't going to stop and that Buck was about to fully lose consciousness, I wrapped my arms around his back and almost immediately we both dropped like rocks to the kitchen floor. Fortunately, I was able to break the fall for him so he didn't hit his head and the jolt immediately woke him up.
"I can see you now, mom. Why are we laying on the ground? I can't feel my arms, my fingers are tingly and my arms are asleep - they feel weird." I was shaking, absolutely scared to death. I called Wade home from the gym so he could stay with Buck while I got all the kids to school. The kids were all shaken and obviously concerned for their brother.
The doctor came in early to see Buck and put him thru a barrage of tests. Fortunately, Buck passed them all. I asked to have him screened for strep and the doctor wanted to screen for the flu. About 10 minutes later, the doctor came in and said, "This is interesting. He tested positive for strep and positive for influenza B, which is the nastier strain of the flu."
After our doctor spent time speaking with doctors at Phoenix Children's Hospital, the consensus was that Buck most likely had a severe reaction to the flu virus, which along with the strep, was ravaging his body. Buck just doesn't complain and he makes the best out of every situation. As sick as he was, he never ran a high fever and kept saying he was fine.
He started on anti-viral and antibiotic medication right away and is slowly feeling a little better each day. We've been watching him like hawks as the doctors don't want him alone, in case another seizure should occur. We've said lots of prayers and the other kids had their classes at school praying for him as well. We are grateful that he's responding positively and are hopeful that the seizure was a one-time event. Truly, it was a very scary day!
Reader Comments (3)
That would scare the crazy out of me. Glad he is feeling better. The antiviral flu medicine is horrible and makes you feel terrible, so be on the look out of that.
Get well, Buck.
Wow Sheila, that was a very scary situation for all of you!! You had me in a panic as I was reading through your blog. I am so thankful that Buck is going to be okay. Prayers that his seizure was a one-time occurrence and that he will be back to normal very quickly.....and for the flu bug to leave the rest of your family alone! Blessings, Randall
Thanks for your kind words, KC and Randall! Yes, it did scare the crazy out of me...I was grateful that I stayed calm and kept thinking as things happened. It's so hard when it's your own child. Buck appreciates your well wishes and prayers - he is responding well to a week's rest and all the medication, which fortunately he is tolerating without any problems. We, too, are praying that the seizure was a one-time event. I think the flu has now passed and after a long, relaxing weekend I hope we all feel like our old, healthy selves again. Blessings to you both!