Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Episode #36

In the spreadsheet record I keep, it says:

April 28, 12pm, Duration 4 hours, Altered level of consciousness, vomiting, and vertigo

We had a completely average morning yesterday, KayTar dressed up as a princess and pretended to marry our giant crayon bank ("Can this bank be a boy, Mom? Because I want to marry it!"), she had her morning feed and we stuck to our every day routine. I dropped her of at school on time, went from the school to Subway to grab a sandwich and by the time I walked in the door at home, the phone was ringing. It was the school. She said that KayTar was vomiting and I knew. My heart raced, by stomach dropped, I called Josh to tell him. I knew she wasn't sick when I dropped her off, if she was vomiting, there was only one explanation.

I raced to the school and she was sitting in the nurse's office, crying. I sat next to her and she wilted onto my lap, and that was that. She had told her teacher that she felt spinny, and the teacher knew she didn't look right and sent her to the nurse's office, where she promptly bathed the floor, the nurse, and herself in her morning Pediasure. Then they called me. This is the first episode she's had at school and it is an enormous relief that they recognized what was happening and called in me a very timely manner. I've been anxious about that all year, but when it happened it was taken care of beautifully.

From the car, I called the pediatrician (which I try not to do, but I made an exception this time), she put a call into her nurse to get labs ordered and KayTar and I headed to the clinic to pick the orders up. We went to the lab and they drew some blood (upside to having a mostly unconscious kid, no fighting for the draw...downside, that makes it sadder somehow). Then we came back home to let her rest. She woke up about 4 hours after it started and said, "Where are my red high heels?" Always true to character, that one. Within minutes she was in full princess regalia again, slow dancing with her crayon bank husband.

As these things go, it was an easy one; only 4 hours, no pain, only one round of vomiting, we were even able to finally get labs; serum glucose, complete metabolic panel, CBC with differential, and something else that I'm forgetting. Today we should have the results back and I'm hoping that we at least get a CLUE from this. I'm not sure why after 6 months without one, she seems to have picked up right were she left off. It might have been an easy one, but I'd prefer having none at all.


19 comments:

The Tutugirl said...

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that y'all learn a lot from those labs. A huge hug to both of you for having to deal with that after six months without one!

Niksmom said...

So very sorry to know she's had another episode. i hope the labs can give some hints as to where to look for causes which can be treated and eliminated.

Sending good thoughts and hugs.

Becca said...

How frustrating and sad. I am so sorry. Glad that she seems unphased now, though. The crayon bank story is adorable.

Jaden Paige said...

Glad the princess is back up and swooning over her crayon-bank husband :) I, too, hope for some kind of new information- a breakthrough, even, if that's not too much to ask- for your family. *sigh*

At least they handled it well... Now you don't have to worry as much about them not knowing what happens to her during an episode. Not much of a comfort after something like this happens... but it's got to be at least a small relief to know that they'll handle it right should it ever happen again.

Magpie said...

I hope the labs tell you something.

InTheFastLane said...

I am sorry they are back.
I am glad the school dealt with it well.
I hope you get some answers.
And I am VERY glad that she went right back to being herself again.

alejna said...

Oh, I hope you get some answers.

sheree said...

definitely keeping my fingers crossed that SOMETHING can be hypothesized after those labs. I'll be on pins and needles waiting to hear.

Ona positive note, thank God her Crayon husband was there for her when she woke up. ;)

Bennance said...

I'm a lurker who's not commented before. I love your writing. My husband has seizures. He has always vomited with seizures, whether they are big or small. What you describe sounds like his complex partial seizures...altered consciousness, vomiting, then sleep. Sometimes he doesn't lose consciousness, he just retches suddenly (and violently). I'm sure you've looked into it, but these episodes remind me a lot of his seizures. He's had epilepsy for 17 years, but never had an abnormal EEG (we've never had an eeg done when he was seizing). Just a thought.
You are in my prayers.

painted maypole said...

hopefully those test will provide some answers... and solutions!

glad the school handled it well!

tierd said...

Damn.

I so hope the tests show something - anything - to offer an explanation. I'm glad you were able to get them done but wish you never had to. Prayers for answers to you.

Ben and Bennie said...

I just hate it for you and Josh. Our kids are so resilient but those that aren't used to this just can't grasp how painful it is for the parents. let's just hope something good comes from the bloodwork.

turtlemama said...

I have kept silent for months while following your daughter's saga, but just in case this might help the teeniest, tiniest bit, I will share. So much of what you describe sounds like migraines. Not much is known about migraines in children, but from what I have read, many think that there are more children suffering from them than is diagnosed. I have had migraines for most of my adult life, but they have changed course dramatically (started as the traditional migraine with aura that one tends to think of when they hear the word migraine, now they are primarily an aura without headache) since the birth of my fourth child last summer necessitating being followed by a neurologist due to their severity. Kaytar's symptoms mimic so many that I've read about and/or experienced. I know you've seen all the doctors and researched everything to no end. I'm sure this is not new information, but just in case it is...maybe it will help. Praying for you always--
Sarah

Kyla said...

Turtlemama: Thanks for commenting! Migraine variants are something that is still on the table, we're just not exactly satisfied with that answer...and we can't pin down which variant she might have. It definitely is floating around out there. In fact, the working diagnosis is something like "migraine-induced seizures", but nobody feels like it is a great fit.

natalie said...

I've been trying to clean up my language, which is never too bad, but I immediately wanted to say, "Oh, SH$%!" Poor Kay-Tar!! I am ever so thankful that her teachers and nurse recognized that something was wrong.

Eager to hear what the labs show.

moplans said...

I'm so sorry. I do hope that something comes back from the tests.

Mimi said...

I'm really glad the school handled it so well -- I know it's terrible to have had an episode, but at least now you know what Would Happen At School, right?

(trying to make the best of it, but really: suckage)

RazzberryMomma said...

I'm sorry she had another episode... poor baby. But on the bright side, you no longer have to worry about how the school will handle it. At least you know they are on top of things. Hope the labs give you some info. Take care!

~Christina

~aj~ said...

I really hope that you'll get some kind of answers with this batch of labs.

And I just love that KayTar was able to pick up her heels and get right back to the important task of marrying her crayon bank. :)