Thursday, October 7, 2010

In Which Connor Is In The Hospital

So judging by the many, many e-mails I got (thanks, everybody), most of you probably noticed that I didn't update yesterday.  I'd like to say it was because we won the lottery and didn't write because we were jetting off to Bermuda or something, but that's of course not the case (especially since I don't play the lottery).  No, just like the last time I didn't update, it was because I was sitting in a hospital room.

Connor's not feeling so hot right now.

Yesterday morning he was supposed to have a cardiology appointment at nine.  He was sleeping in, which is pretty typical when he has a bit of a bug, and so I woke him up at about 7:45. 

By 8:45 he'd had three seizures.

None of them were more than a minute long, and I only had to give him one breath for each to kick start him again, but three seizures in an hour was way past my comfort level.  After the second one, I called his neurologist.  After the third one, I took him to the Emergency Room at the private hospital less than a mile from our house. 

By 11:00 he'd had three more seizures.  Two of them were absence seizures, which we'd never seen from him before, and the last one was also something new and different-- it involved his eyes rolled completely back in his head, which was not a particularly wonderful thing to watch.  So at that point they dosed him with some Valium via IV and decided to transfer him to Children's Hospital in Seattle, which is where we spent last night and still are today.

They have him on a maintenance dose of Ativan every eight hours right now to stop him from having seizures while his body is recovering.  At first they thought he might have aspiration pneumonia, but a chest x-ray ruled that out.  After running a gamut of tests on him, right now they think it's most likely that he's simply picked up a viral upper respiratory infection.  On the one hand this is a good thing, because that's much better than something like a liver or pancreas problem, which was another thing they checked.  On the other hand it's not so hot, because it means that every time Connor gets a common cold from now on we may be doing this.  I am really not thrilled with that idea.

Right now the little guy is relatively miserable but stable.  Mostly he's spending time either sleeping or watching as much TV as he wants (a rare privilege for him reserved for hospital stays).  He's having a bit of trouble keeping his oxygen saturation levels up while he's asleep though, so until he can do that and they're sure that he won't start seizing again when they take him off the Ativan, we'll be at the hospital.  Current estimates are that we'll be spending at least another two to three days there.  The good news for you is that the hospital has Wi-Fi, so I can blog from there and keep you updated. 

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers, please!

~Jess

22 comments:

Em said...

I read your blog daily, but rarely ever comment. I was really concerned when there was no new post this morning. Prayers and happy thoughts are going out to you guys.

Lissa said...

thinking of you and connor!! sending him get well soon vibes!!

Wherever HE Leads We'll Go said...

Jess, I am so sorry to hear this! So scary! Praying Connor feels better very soon.

Julie said...

I too read your blog every day and rarely comment. I'm glad you updated us. Keep us posted. Feel free to update more than once a day. We all love and worry about Connor!! And take care of yourself too!

Laura aka Mama Ham said...

I also follow you and just love sweet Connor, he reminds me a lot of my little guy! We will be praying for him.

lee said...

Jess,

I am sending positive East Coast thoughts to you, Jeremy and the little guy.

You are in my prayers.

leah said...

Thanks for the update- I am sending all my prayers in your direction, so that Connor beats this bug quickly and gets to go home very, very soon.

Heather said...

I am a daily reader as well, and was worried when you didn't update this morning. I will keep him in my prayers, and hope you get home soon.

Nancy said...

Poor little dude...nothing worse than being in the hospital and out of your home environment. My thoughts are with you and hope for a speedy recovery.

Mama E said...

Sorry to hear this! I sure hope the little guy feels better soon!! Prayers being sent from Texas!

xraevision said...

Oh Jess, I'm so sorry that you're going through this. Sounds like Connor is in good hands at the hospital. Perhaps you can take some relief in that. Sending you my best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry my love to conner

TC said...

You can have all my good thoughts right now...can't think of a better use for them.

Searching for Grace said...

We are really hoping Connor feels better soon. I am so sorry you are stuck in the hospital, we know that feeling! Praying for health and healing.

Jennifer Jayhawk said...

I read your blog every morning while I'm having my coffee and just felt sick when I saw no post.

Take care. My prayers and thoughts are with you guys.

pamct said...

Sending love and prayers!I am so sorry.

Niksmom said...

Oh no! I'm so sorry. Sending prayers and healing thoughts.

Kristina said...

Sending up some prayers and I'll add him to our church prayer list. We hope for a speedy recovery!

Simply, Sarah said...

I've been following your blog for a couple months now.
We're also at Children's, and have been for many months now. Sorry Connor is here for a visit. :(
We'll add him to our prayers.

ANewKindOfPerfect said...

Oh no! I hate seizures and I especially hate when they come so frequently and harshly. I hope he is able to regulate his breathing while sleeping soon. The post-ictal phase can be brutal. We just had two back to back hospital stays for seizures, the first one leaving my girl post-ictal for almost 4 days. I hope Connor recovers quickly and you guys are home soon!

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Oh dear...

As highly as we think of Children's Hospital, nobody wants to have to stay.

Praying for Connor,

Julie

Kristin said...

Glad to hear they're taking good care of Connor! I hope he starts feeling better quickly and that all three of you get some much needed rest. I hope you realize the instant all of us faithful readers dont see a new post, we immediately start sending positive thoughts your way. I hope you feel all those prayers and positive energy. Love to you three!

 
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