Last night earned that title. Gracious, I hope to never repeat it again.
On Friday morning around 3 am Alia woke up with a fever. Thus far in life she's been a very healthy girl, having only had one other fever due to cutting her molars. I didn't think too much of it and just chalked it up to getting her incisors. I just rocked her awhile, and layed down with her in her "big girl bed" for a few hours. Around 6 am she woke up crying a bit, peed the bed (her diaper was full), and wanted to be held. So... I changed both our clothes, took off the sheets, gave her some Advil, and she slept in our bed until morning.
Through out the day Ali was "off and on." She'd be happy and playing, and then the fever would start to get higher and she'd be cuddly and tired.
Around supper time she was quite warm, whiny, and very very cuddly. I kept trying to take her temp... but that's not her most favorite thing to do... so it was a constant fight. I gave up and about that time Jonathan walked in from work.
When he closed the door she jumped... she had just fallen asleep on my shoulder... but then she just kept shaking. When I looked down at her eyes weren't right and I started yelling for Jon to call 911.
He did. And she kept convulsing, puking on me, and not responding. That image of her in my head is a horrifying one. The 911 lady told us to lay her on the floor on her side, so we did and just kept talking to her and rubbing her back. She wasn't with it even when the paramedics arrived... and that only added to the terrifying feeling. They handled everything very well and told us they would be taking her to the hospital for the night.
I quickly packed anything I thought we'd need and ran out to the ambulance. Which, by the way, had gotten stuck. So Jon had to get them out, etc. etc.
I'm so glad I was in the ambulance with her just to comfort her and sing her songs. She had started to come back at that point and was quite scared.
When we got to the hospital they explained that it was a fever induced seizure and that it's surprisingly more common than we realize. I kept asking what I could have done differently and they said there's nothing you can do really. But... I just know there has to be something. I have gone over yesterday a million times in my head and I would have done so many things different. It's done now... I know... but it's still very very hard to feel like a good parent when something like this happens.
Anyhow... we were at the hospital for about 4 hours and they ran blood and urine samples. Her temperature never did get very high when we were there. They said some kids it takes until 105 and the next one can have a seizure at 102. Ya just don't know apparently.
The absolute worst time at the hospital was when they tried putting a catheter in. HORRIBLE. I finally told them to stop and that they weren't doing anything else... I was just a basket case and couldn't stop crying.
Anyhow, the Dr. came and said that it's probably a viral infection and that the 2nd urine sample wouldn't come up with new results anyhow. So.... I would have much rather been spared that last bit of drama, but it's done now.
We were up most the night monitoring her, and will def. be napping soon. She is doing MUCH better today. She's more herself and her fever hasn't fluctuated as much. So... right now she's napping and was quite tired, so hopefully her body can get the extra energy it needs.
This isn't flowery, or beautifully wrote out... but that's a overview of what happened last night. And I'm so thankful that she's fine, and that it wasn't worse than it was.
