seizure number 3 and hospital stay.

Wednesday morning Michael has his day off from labs so his school doesn’t start till 12:30. So he planned on being home till 9 and then goes to school to study. At 8 o clock though Brock had another seizure while he was playing on the floor with me, I was glad Michael was home so he could see it. Being in medical school he could help me describe it and he knew the right things to say, and also help me with it. I am pretty sure he was glad to be home and not driving like a maniac trying to get home. Michael talked him through it and I timed it and also stroked his legs, and got a thermometer so that we could take his temperature. It was 90 seconds, he was 98.7 degrees, and he came out of his lethargy after, in about 10 mins. It acted a lot like the seizure the day before. He didn’t turn blue or purple his mouth was open and he made a low gurgle again. I could defiantly tell he was going to have a seizure he cried out and crawled on me and then went into his seizure.

Michael held him but Brock just cried after, he wanted to sleep so we laid him down. I tried calling his pediatrician but it was an after hour clinic and we couldn’t get ahold of the nurse. At 9, I called back and talked to the nurse. I really like Brocks doctors and nurses. She was very concerned and she called back after talking to Dr. Miller. Michael answered I was making an appointment with a Neurologist. They just told us to go to the ER at Le Bonheur, that way we wouldn’t have to wait for an EEG or MRI and we could get help today.

So after Brock woke up, we went to the ER. It was about 10 am at this point. They got us in a room very fast. However we just waited for an EEG until 3. They woke him up for every nap to get his vitals and he was hooked up to a monitor so they beeped all day long. We asked if they had any baby food for him but they didn’t have any. He didn’t want to nurse because there was way too much going on and we honestly didn’t have any privacy. At the end of February I had food poisoning so we ended up having to give him some formula because I was so sick. I had a hard time getting my milk supply back up so he has been taking 2 bottles a day for a couple of weeks. I am honestly extremely grateful now because that’s all we had for him. We bought him a banana at the cafeteria and he had some bites of our lunch but he really needed more. I wish we were not in the ER so we could have asked someone to bring us something. Michael wanted to run home but every time the doctor came in he said it won’t be long we have his order in, also another reason we didn’t think we could call someone in case we were not in the room. But it was always a long time, a very long time.

I and Michael spent the whole day trying to entertain him. We found anything we had to give him just to look at for a couple minutes.

If we didn’t he would find everything else to pull on!

I was getting really sick of putting back on his leads. I wish he didn’t have to have them.

Finally asleep, he had horrible naps in the ER, poor kid. And when he finally did sleep they would wake him up.

The EEG was a horrible experience for him he HATED IT. First of all they swaddled him. He hates being swaddled. the lady told us that he would respond so well to swaddle and was so sure that if she had soft music playing he would fall asleep, then the glue and other stuff was very stinky and he didn’t like it. It was also cold and strange and he had to hold him down. They glued 26 electrodes to his head then placed gauze around it. He was screaming mamma mama the whole time.

They wanted him to sleep for part of it but he hates being swaddled so he wouldn’t. He was just freaking out. Finally she said if you think he will do better unsaddled you can. Sure enough he settled down and went to sleep. His legs where spread out almost off the bed and his arms were up on his face.

She then she had to take it off. That was just as stinky and not very fun. At least it was faster. She then wiped his head with a wash cloth. And we left… He still stunk and was full of glue.

After his EEG, that is exactly the right face to have!

We went back in the ER and waited for another hour or so. They put in an IV and drew some blood. He screamed bloody murder, not that I blame him at all. His arms and wrists are too baby chubby to find a vein so they had to do it in his foot. We held him down and he just fought and fought and fought. This kid is so strong.

Afterwards they put a silly brace on, that was huge!

He also hated it.

We found out we were waiting for a room to open, and then we could go get him to sleep, but they needed a CT scan first so Michael took him to do that. He fought and cried. We waited again he really wanted to sleep I kept asking if we could let him sleep or if they were just going to be waking him up soon. We didn’t get an answer. I was getting so annoyed at this point. It was 6 by this time and we had been there since 10. We watched people come in and out of all the other rooms. Complaining about how long they were there all of 2 hours. I just felt so bad for Brock. He finally fell asleep and an hour and a half later they came in to do vitals. They at least tried to let him sleep as much as he could. This whole time in the ER we couldn’t use our phones, we had to send texts at least 3 times before they would send and we couldn’t get calls or make them, the call would just drop. We had a room and after they did vitals they moved us up there. He of course woke up as soon as he was moved and they put him in a plastic hospital basinet that he was way too big for and his feet stuck out the side. When we got to the floor they had to do vitals again. And he was really not having it. She tried to wait till he was asleep but he would wake up. Finally they got it around 9.

Michael had to run home 2 times to get stuff for me, and Brock. We needed the pump and it wasn’t all together so we couldn’t use it. So he had to run back for a part. Needless to say we were mentally and physically exhausted. They told us he couldn’t eat after 12 (for his MRI) so I set my alarm for an hour because by the time I pumped and we got settled it was almost 11. She also took his vitals at midnight thinking he would be calm enough to do it again. Michael was now sick and he was running to the bathroom all night. Brock was on monitors that beeped every hour or so and the nurse had to keep coming in to check his vitals and his IV all night. Which we found out was a good thing, he almost kicked his IV out even with the brace on and he got tangled up in the cords all night so she came in and untangled him all night.

Brock woke up at 6:30 starving. Of course he hadn't eaten any solids the day before. We were told we got right in to the MRI and they would come get us at 7:30. Michael was sick. And Brock was hooked up to everything so all I could do was hold him at his crib. The nurse came in and took off his leads and let me just push around his IV stand and that was much better. Thinking that they were going to get us right in the MRI, I didn’t eat. Brock already begs us for food I didn’t want to eat in front of him. That’s when the nurse found out that Brock had kicked out his IV and he was bleeding everywhere. So they had to take it out. I think it was poorly done anyways in the ER because Brock was so mad, so it was really hard to do.

We got done to the MRI at 8 however we were there till 10 before we got into the MRI. So for 2 hours I had to try and entertain him. He kept pulling off his leads so I got in trouble for walking around with him and was told I had to sit on the bed with him. Luckily they had a patient advocate lady who came and tried to help me and Brock get more comfortable, she had them turn off the monitors, and she brought Brock bubbles and toys. She also had an I pad she let him play with. She helped entertain him so they could get an IV in. She asked me what he liked and I gave her a few ideas but YouTube wasn’t working. then she asked "is there a show on TV he likes" and I remembered Super Why, Honestly why didn’t I remember that before, it worked like a charm and they got the IV in a ton faster and without hurting Brock too much because he held still better. I used that for the rest of the hospital visit whenever they needed to do vitals or he was getting upset, I pulled it up on Hulu Plus on my phone. It saved my life.

I was mad it took so long to get into the MRI. He really was having a horrible time, the ladies stuff helped but he was done waiting pretty fast, Super Why helped but he was hungry and just wanted to eat.

They kept telling me what it was going to be like when they put him under. Over and over. They said it would almost act like he was having another seizure. He would cry out and then his eyes would roll back and he would be out. I thought I was pretty prepared but I was most definitely was not. I cried like a baby when I got to our room. I wanted to take a shower and get something to eat while I was waiting for the MRI to be done however I never really got a chance to do either one. Doctor after doctor, a lactation specialist, nurses, and students all came in exactly when I was there. I told Michael I am going to take a shower now if they call to have us get him just let me know. (He couldn’t go down because he was sick) He ordered me something to eat and when I got out Michael was gone and I had food there. I checked my phone had he had just gone down to get Brock. I tried to eat a little but another doctor came in, finally I just ate in front of everyone. I was starving and no one was going to let me eat.

Brock came back happy as can be. They said he woke up really fast and he was just playing with the nurses when Michael came down. He was more than excited to see Michael.

Now this kid was starving, he nursed, had the bottle I pumped in the morning, and a few ounces of formula. He ate a whole thing of baby food and a half of another, he had crackers and some of mom’s peaches. He also had 3 oz. of Pedialyte. And was hungry maybe an hour later so we ordered more baby food. He got a nap in as we were waiting for the doctors to come back with the results of the MRI and we got a stuffed cow from the Teddy bear clinic. With coloring pages that I’ll have to save for when he’s older and a certificate for helping his Teddy (cow)

Everyone who helped him, talked about how cute he was. He even got the cutest patient award!
 

The doctors came in and said everything looked normal, no tumor, or anything serious; and we are blaming it just on genetics. The seizures are called tonic-clonic seizures. They let us decided if we wanted to hook him up to a EEG for 2 days or if we wanted to just go home and put him on some medicine. We decided just the meds at this time, that it would be too rough to do the EEG and that he was too little for it now, maybe when TV was an option or books. So they said ok and that we will get you all ready to go home.

This was the view from our room. I thought it was really cool. It was really pretty at night.

we had to listen to some seizure safety stuff and learned how to do the emergency seizure medication in case he has one while he is on his meds and it last more than 3 minutes or his has multiple in a row. We have to keep it with him at all times and anyone who watches him has to be trained to use it.

We were told we need to be very careful around water or hiking with him. And if it’s Genetics like we all think, then he should grow out of it in a few years. They gave him his first dose of his medication in the hospital through his IV. And they took out his IV,so he was very happy. We gave him a bath and he freaked out he was so excited. He still has glue all over his head but at least he doesn’t stink. They discharged us and they took Brock out in his car seat in a little wagon. I thought it was cute but he was too tired to care

We got home around 6 and Brock was just exhausted, we put him to bed, I stayed up to give him his 2nd dose at 10 and we all slept for 7 hours straight! He woke up at 5 but slept for 2 more hours after he nursed.

The next day we did a follow up with his doctor, the Medication makes him tired but after his morning nap he felt a lot better and he didn’t even fuss when I took a shower. It was just a short follow up but she did some checkups on him anyways. When she checked his ears he hit her hand away and screamed at her. She was shocked and I just started laughing. I guess that was his way of telling all of us that he was done. He has his 9 month check up on the 11th of April and a neurology checkup in may but this poor little kid shouldn’t have to see the inside of a Doctor’s office or hospital for at least a couple weeks.

We were very Grateful for no serious diagnosis as well as such awesome doctors and staff

So grateful for all of our friends and family who were so willing to help and prayed for us, I just wish we would have been able to know what was going on so that we could have asked for more help.

We are so grateful for all the prayers said and the people who love us I could say this a million times. We left such love.

We are so grateful for our ward here they have been so amazing.

I am grateful for our neighbor who works for Le Bonheur, she doesn’t know it but she helped a lot.

I am grateful for medical advances! I am happy to have this medication and that I will no longer have to see a seizure (knock on wood for a very long time), if ever again! Crossing fingers

I just feel so loved and grateful to have such wonderful people around us. Thank you everyone!

 

 

Here are the 2 pictures Michael took, the top one was our "we are so happy we are going home" (even Brocks cow felt better) and the second one Michael took of where he spent most of his time at the hospital, so he could "chronicle his experience."

 

Being normal and another seizure

Yesterday I took Brock to the doctor for a checkup. She looked him over and she talked to me a little and she said well he looks good, no infection or fever. Unless he has another seizure we won’t know too much. If he does we can run more tests and get you into a neurologist.
I left feeling a little let down but ok. She encouraged us to try and get back to normal. But I wasn’t really feeling like I could. I wanted more explanation... I am a planner and a thinker. I like to know what’s going on. But really who doesn’t? Sure I like to be spontaneous but when it comes down to waiting but being normal it just didn’t sit right with me. She is an awesome doctor, normally she is very good at calming me down and making me think oh it’s no big deal. And she did, but I was just still uneasy.
But there is also no point of staying home and never doing anything, which also didn’t seem right. Uneasy is really a good way to describe it.  So we went shopping for some clothes for Brock. He grows out of clothes so fast and as its getting warmer I am feeling like I have less and less things for him to wear. We went home after and had a normal day. It felt good!
 
This morning started out normal breakfast, and playing; Michael went to school. Brock and I ended up in our room and he was in his walker. I was hiding under the blankets playing peek a boo with him when he just seemed tired so I picked him up and was holding him when he went limp and started having another seizure. I rolled him on his side and called Michael. He stopped seizing sooner than Sunday.  His mouth was open, so he didn’t turn purple. The thing that really has bothers me and has haunted my dreams has been the noise he makes. It’s almost like a gurgle a low pitch constant gurgle.
 When his seizure stopped I called his peditretion. It was about 8:20ish so the office was not quite open, some nurses were there but it took a while but I got a hold of them and make an appointment. We got the first one for the day. I got dressed when Michael got home and we left. Brock was just so tired and out of it. He fell asleep in the car and when we picked him up after we got to the doctor he just cried and cried because he wanted to sleep.
The whole doctors’ visit he just cried because he wanted to sleep. We had to see a different doctor because ours is not in on Tuesdays but she was very familiar with what was going on. She told us she wanted to run some tests. They collected urine and blood. During the blood draw Brock feel asleep. That’s how much he wanted to sleep poor kid. They got us an appointment for EEG and MRI for next week. They ran some test there and had to ship some out. The blood count came back normal as well as the urine analysis. We will hear later this week for the other tests.
We left the doctors with all the instructions we would need for next week. They said if he has more to call and let them know. We probably won’t need to go in unless it happens to be weird in anyway.
We will keep you updated on everything as it comes!

his new normal thing to do, hes sniffing at me!

getting blood draw for tests

finally asleep at the office

Brock's seizure

We don't have the internet so I am attempting to do this from my phone. Please bear with me it might be a little hard for me to do and maybe a little hard to understand. I'll try really hard to get it down right.
So this morning Michael was filling in for ward council which was at 8. So I knew I was going to be getting Brock and me ready by myself, which is no big deal but I just wanted to plan accordingly. So usually since church is later I try and get him to hold off a little on eating solids in the morning. This is important today because I really felt strongly about holding off today. I hurried and jumped in the shiwer and took a fast one and  jumped out. I was getting dried off and dressed playing peek a boo and hiding behind the door with Brock while he was in his walker just laughing at me. Michael texted me that no one was there for ward council and he was coming home.
I walked in our room to get a shirt and Brock started fussing a little and while I was walking back to get him, he slumped over and started jerking. For one brief second I thought he was pooping, he hides his face and crouches low when he does. When that brief second was over I went into panic mom mode. I picked him up and ran to our bed and rolled him on his side. I fumbled with my phone which was luckily next to me. And called Michael. It took me longer than normal. Because as I was trying to call him I noticed Brock was not breathing he was turning from pale to purple. I would try to describe the color he was but I really can't think of it right now, it's too much. Michael answered the phone after 2 rings (I was freaking) feeling like it was 10. I just yelled" Michael Brock's having a seizure". What should I do he's not breathing! Oh my gosh oh my gosh. Turning more purple as I was trying to open his airway. I am not sure if that was the right thing to do, He doesn't have teeth yet... Anyways panic mom mode didn't really think twice. Michael hung up and he called 911, I did as well. The last time we called 911 in Memphis we were put on hold forever. So he wanted to make sure we got someone. He flew home like 80 for some and 60 at other times.  Luckily for us he didn't run into any cops of course he probably would of kept going and gotten them to help us. I am not sure if we were lucky with not having any red lights or if he just ran then all. I'm just glad he got home fast so I don't really care.
In the middle of the 911 call (which I wasn't on hold at all) And was surprisingly calm enough to talk to them. Even though I was bawling thinking I was losing my baby.i did have to repeat my address a few times. Anyways in the middle of the 911 call he came out of the seizure. He started breathing really fast but his face was still tight. The 911 lady had me count his breaths. He did 3 fast ones and then paused. She told me the ambulance was in route to our place and to unlock the doors.
 She hung up Michael rushed in. I still wasn't dressed so I threw on clothes and my glasses and we had like 2 short minutes til the paramedics came. Brock was so out of it, he wouldn't respond to me talking to him or my touch. He couldn't hold his body up or his head up. He couldn't or wouldn't make eye contact. I didn't have time to even get the diaper bag. I had my phone and barely had my shoes on when they walked in.  I was shocked but so happy how fast they got here. They took us out the the ambulance and Michael got everything else we could of needed.
It took sometime to get him assessed and all the info they needed but as they worked, Brock started to get more and more responsive. Getting mad at the paramedics. I wad trying to calm him down by singing to him. Everything checked out normal except the thermometer wasn't working right so they couldn't tell what it was. We left for the hospital after Michael left. On the way the paramedic told me he delivered a baby at our place a few years ago.
By the time  we got there which wasn't very far. Michael had parked in family Parking and ran in his church clothes to the emergency entrance and had to wait 5 minutes for us to arrive.
We were checked in fast and weighed measure and they took his temp (it was 100 even) so not high at all. We were asked a million questions about him; but he hasnt been sick, he hasn't ever had any problems, and my pregnancy was completely normal. In short everything was normal except why we were there. We were seen by nurses all who asked us these questions. And an intern, and then her attending all not quite sure what could be the issue. They ran some test to figure out what could be causing his low fever. And nothing seemed to be that reason either. He napped on me for 20 minutes and started feeling more normal. He drank some of his bottle and stated to want to play and explore. He even smiled at the nurse.
They said it was probably a febrile seizure. Due to a high spike in temperature. It should be a one time thing but if he has any more to come back in. They told me I did everything right. And that we
needed to go to his doctor for another check up this week. They discharged us told me to keep my eye on him. And we left. We got home at 11 and we put Brock down for a nap. He slept for almost 2 hours and woke up happy. He even really started crawling good. I didn't leave his side.
We have had lots of friends stop by and meals and cookies. Lots of prayers and good thought sent our way. We love our family and friends. And we really appreciate the love we have felt.  It was a scary morning but he seems to be doing much better now.

8 Months

This little stinker is now 8 months old!

He wears 9-12 month/12 month clothes. Barely in a 3 diaper still. (Well can still wear some 9 month clothes but they are getting rather snug.

He’s been a lot happier this month even though he has been sick 2 times; Once with the cold once with the flu.

He is also a better napper. We have been working on being able to lay him down when he needs a nap. After a little fussing at the beginning and now he does it (most of the time without fussing at all)

Sleeping has been better but still not quite to where we were before. He sleeps about 4 hours at a time we have made it to 5 hours a couple times this month and the day before he turned 8 months he slept for 6!

He gives hugs and kisses now to us. He is getting more cuddlier and better at showing affection to us. This has really been helping me because I finally feel like I am doing something right!

he is getting more independent. If you give him a bite to eat and stick it in his mouth he will take it back out and put it in himself.

He loves food; he is getting to be quite a good eater. He loves table food, especially veggies and fruits. He’s tried chicken noodle soup and sweet potato fries this month they were big hits!

He does have problems with textures of some foods but if it’s mixed with something else he is ok.

 

 

loves loves loves baby cheddar Cheetos. He will no longer eat baby puffs unless the baby Cheetos are out of sight.

Loves playing in with mirrors. He knows how to open and shut the bathroom mirror and every time he sees himself he starts laughing.
He also loves seeing pictures and watching videos of himself. It kept him entertained in the car when he woke up and wasnt happy

 

 

 

He doesn’t pull himself up yet but he can stand if you get him holding on to something. He will stand for a while too.

 

He still only army crawls to get around and he’s getting really good at it. He does pull himself up on his hands and knees and can move his legs but not his arms. He also started sticking his leg out. Almost to planking position

 

 

happy boy moving around!


I think some of the just army crawling has something to do with the wood floors. I think it’s easier and doesn’t hurt his knees as much. He can also now go from sitting to crawling smoothly!

We have been trying to introduce him to using a cup and well we finally found one that worked or he got the hang of it. but he loves drinking out of a cup!

He’s getting to be really fast and really crazy in his walker. He gets our heels all the time also gets into things. One day I was reading the zoo magazine to him while he was in his walker and he snatched the magazine out of my hands and ran away as fast as he could. Laughing the whole time.

Another time I stuck him in his walker and took a shower and came out to find him like this:

 

As you can tell he is getting a sense of humor. He is pretty funny and laughs a lot.

He is starting to be stranger aware. He won’t just smile at anyone. He still doesn’t freak out if we hand him to someone, I don’t know if he would freak out if someone else picked him up we have never been in that situation before.

 

Michael wanted me to add his "toys". when we are skyping on the computer we had been giving Brock his computer mouse which he loved and would reach for it all the time. It’s now his toy because he broke the mouse. He also has stolen a PlayStation remote, a tooth brush, an old TV remote, an old phone. Just about anything that could be something we would use. He has a whole box of these silly toys and he goes crazy for them.

we love our cute boy!

Nashville/ Clarksville Trip

After we had a visit from the Florida now Oregon Coles we had our own little trip for spring break. We spent one night in Nashville and 2 nights in Clarksville (just north of Nashville) visiting with my Cousin and her Husband who live there. Nashville and Clarksville are beautiful cities. A lot different than Memphis (not that I don’t like Memphis but I miss the country side and clean big cities.) We went to the Parthenon and to the state Museum the first night in Nashville then crashed at our hotel and ordered pizza for dinner, which was amazing.

He is always so good on long car rides!

 

The Parthenon

 

 Huge doors leading to outside

 Athena Statue

 

State Museum:

We drove around Nashville saw all the cool famous buildings and drove down Broadway. It was too cold to walk around.

The next morning we left for Clarksville to my cousin’s house. She showed us around the city we had Chicago dogs for lunch. We drove up to Kentucky to an Amish bakery but they were closed. The city was cool we learned some neat things about the Amish communities up there.

 

deer in thier backyard

The river walk

Jennifer playing with Brock

Chicago dog!

 

 

The next day we went into Nashville went to the Opry Mills Mall. And had some mexican food for lunch

we had left our strolller in Clarksville so we rented a stroller at the mall. It was fun for Brock!

little auqurium

I tried to take some pictures of the country side on the way back to Memphis the next day. It was snowing and cold which was a lot different than last year!