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November 02, 2008

I just couldn't make this stuff up.

Before you think that our life is plagued by one disaster after another - even if it is - I should let you know that today's story ends well. Except for one thing.

Jade had a pretty good day, seizure- and meal-wise. Taking advantage of that, Fawn, Jade and I went grocery shopping this afternoon. Since Jade was doing so well, we left her helmet at home.

Fawn did the groceries while I followed Jade around. It was so nice to see her happily walking up and down the aisles, pushing one of the cute, little-kid grocery carts.

Then she had a drop seizure. Of all her seizure types, I hate the drop seizures the most. The tonic-clonic seizures are scary (she hasn't had one of those since July, thank goodness) but if there were an award for most dangerous, the drop seizures would win hands down. Imagine that you're walking along without a care in the world and then all of a sudden your body goes limp, you fall, and you hit whatever is on the way down. Like the ground. Or the frame of a shopping cart. Or both (not in that order).

Jade started crying the second she landed. I lifted the toque off her forehead to assess the damage. A small spot on her forehead, about the size of a pea, was indented from hitting the cart.

Although she was wailing, she seemed fine.  Her pupils were of equal size, but I refused to take any chances.  The dent started swelling and it ended up looking like an everyday, ordinary, bump on the noggin.  Still, I had no idea how the bump (or a cracked skull) might affect a seizure-prone brain. I asked to use a phone to call 911.  I didn't want to drive her to the hospital only to have her lapse into convulsions.  The young manager pulled out his cell phone and called for me.  He was level-headed and handled things well.

I kept apologizing to the ambulance attendants for what must have seemed like a frivolous call.  They kept assuring me that it was fine.  He described the symptoms for a concussion.  I explained that we see those symptoms all the time right now, so it would be hard to tell how much of it would be concussion-related and how much of it would be epilepsy-related.

Jade was fine, but quiet, for the short ambulance ride.

In the hospital, Jade continued to be fine.  Her bump swelled a little more and she went into whiny-mode because I wouldn't let her play with the alcohol hand-wash.

It wasn't long before she got a head X-ray.  Her whining ended just in time for the images to be taken.  The technician confessed that she was worried it was going to be a fight to keep Jade still.

Jade was happily colouring a picture of a cat when I got the X-ray results.  The X-rays showed that there were no shards of bone floating around her brain and there were no abnormal cracks or punctures.  I had not realised that there is so much flesh on a forehead that it can be dented without affecting the bone.  

Relieved, I phoned Fawn to come and get us (she was driving around town, looking for cream and other things for Jade's diet).  While we waited, Jade and I went up to say "Hello!" to the gang in pediatrics who took such good care of us when Jade first started having seizures.

Jade was great for the rest of the evening.  She hardly had any seizures and she was in a good mood.  We're supposed to wake her every couple of hours to make sure she's doing alright - at least until about 4am - but I'm OK with that.  It's better than a fractured skull.

I mentioned that this story ends well except for one thing.  While I was at the hospital, helping Jade sit on a swivel stool, my pants ripped along the crotch and up my butt.  

I really liked those pants.

5 comments:

Matt, Kara, Hunter and Cavan said...

ahahahahahahha the pants thing is really funny.

Glad Jade did okay with the fall! Hunter fell a while back and hit our floor molding. It has nasty points on the corners and Hunter had a dent in the top of his head. I was so freaked out! Good thing the boy is hardy!

Stephanie Wilson she/her @babysteph said...

Oh my gosh. I hate those drops. Shopping carts were always the worst. Bring the helmet and you get TONS of stares and questions, don't bring it and they'll for sure need it. I am glad all is well!

Steph

Meandering Michael said...

I used to not like the helmet. Now I find it's like some sort of "free pass" to special treatment - it sort of screams "CUT US SOME SLACK, OK!" I haven't noticed the stares so much, though. People have been good about that. Jade certainly doesn't seem to mind.

dogsled_stacie said...

Wow, glad to hear she's ok. I often wondered about denting the head too, as I've done that a few times myself and wondered how much it takes to crack a skull!!

The pants thing is totally a bummer!! The universe is working overtime on you guys, geez...

Heather, aka: Mum said...

I don't comment...butI do read when I can & I think about you guys all the time! Somedays I'm a bit stressed with the girls now crawling & almost walking...and I get stressed about being home all the time...sounds silly, I know...
Sounds like the two of you make a hell of a team & that you savour the good...When I'm stressed...sometimes I think of that, of you...

And about the pants...time to buy an even nicer pair ;) And a pair for Fawn too (except makes hers a killer sweater or something that will make her gushy!!