Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Seizure

Gessner had a seizure tonight. Luckily he was in bed and I was right
there, but it was probably the scariest thing that I have ever
experienced. I was getting ready to leave for a CFF event and
wouldn't have been there if it had happened 10 minutes later. It
probably lasted about a minute, though it is hard to tell. The worst
part was when it was over his lips were blue and he was
nonresponsive. He just laid there with his eyes open but he would
respond to anything. I called 911 and then my friend Tasha. The fire
truck got there rather quickly and Gess finally started to be somewhat
responsive. He was really confused and kept asking me what happened.

They made sure he was stable, gave him o2 and called for an
ambulance. It seemed to take forever for them to get there and get us
to the ER.

The ER doctors think that it was caused by demoral. They also said
that meropenem (one of the abx he is currently on) can cause
seizures. They took blood and urine to measure the demoral
metabolites in his system, but we won't have those results for awhile.
The ER sent him home, though I would have prefered for them to admit
him. I did have the ER doctor consult with the pulmonary doctor on
call (who happens to be the director of the CF clinic) and she agreed
that it was fine for him to come home. We are staying at our friends'
house tonight so that I have back up in case something else happens.

I'm freaked out and scared that it is going to happen again, and worse
that I won't be there when it does. I called Gess's dad who
immediately booked a plane ticket and will be here at 3:00 pm
tomorrow. There really isn't anything that he can do, but I will be
glad to have him. Gess was mad that I told him to come, but I didn't
know what else to do.

I keep playing the last few days in my mind to see if there was
something that I missed or something that I should have done that
might have prevented this. I did not want him to get discharged from
the hospital yesterday. We actually got in an argument about it. I
just felt like he still needed to be there, but he wanted to come home.

I feel so much responsibility for watching over him and feel like
lately I have been failing.

4 comments:

Just me said...

Oh honey, you are not failing Gess. I understand how you might feel that way, but I know you do everything in your power to take care of Gess.

I am so sorry that you guys had to go through this. I can't even imagine how helpless you must have felt! I'm glad you have back up in your friends, and Gess' father. Even if Gess doesn't think he needs him, YOU need him, and you did the right thing by calling.

I'm sending you every positive thought I can find. Keep us posted.

Stacey

Elizabeth said...

So sorry -- those are really scary. Will used to have them, although I always thought they were more a very low blood pressure event complicated by lots of pain meds. Sounds like you got the whole deal, post dictal state and everything. I hope it was a one-time thing and that it is helpful to have some family come to town. Thinking of you,
Elizabeth

CowTown said...

How very scary! I can only imagine how help from friends and family would calm you down a little, a sense of comfort to not be the only one watching over him at this time.

I hope he doesn't get another seizure. You sound like you were totally on top of it! Don't beat yourself up about it. You WERE there and you DID help him tremendously. We can't plan for all these medical problems, unfortunately. All we can do is do our best with what we have. You're doing an *amazing* job as being yourself, a wife, a caretaker and Beauty's mom.

Amy said...

Honey in no way in hell are you failing at all!!!!!!! You could not have predicted this!

My SIL used to have them every now and then. Very scary. She hasn't had one since she had my nephew 5 years ago.

I am so very sorry you have to deal with this on top of everything. At least if it is the drugs then they can stop them.

Great big hugs for you both!