It was Thursday morning. Josiah had been sick for two days and I was feeling it. I was also feeling a little nauseous and tired myself. The kids both were extra tired and allowed us all to sleep in until 9am. I got up, went in the kids room, and picked up my boy to wake him slowly. Treasuring the moment as he leaned, hugged, and lay on me; he's so cuddly and sickness makes him more so. His fever had been 102.4 on Wednesday. Next I felt his forehead and was quite relieved, his temperature was down almost to normal. He felt a little warm, but sleeping does that to you sometimes.
I ate half a bagel and half regretted it because I felt bad. I knew this would be the hardest day of caring for the kids. I was so tired I took Josiah in my room to lay down with him and read to him. I called Ben to tell him I wasn't feeling good and also just to have company for a few minutes to rally my strength to get through the day... I ask him what time he got in and reminded him that he should probably take a few hours vacation to miss the big snow. We've decided that to come home a hour or two early beats driving an extra hour or two in traffic hands down.
I didn't even take the kids downstairs because neither of them were very hungry. I brought some gatorade up for Josiah and then refilled it with juice and brought Naomi some also. I fed Naomi some cheerios I think, but didn't want to upset Josiah's stomach so I just gave him lots to drink.
It was only 10:30 or so and I decided a bath would do me more good then laying around. It would be relaxing and get me clean. I put both kids in their room for play time. Josiah didn't want to but that was to be expected since he'd been spoiled during his sickness. I don't know how long I was in there - I really had no concept of time that day because I slept in and had no normal routine that week. I got out of the bath and got half dressed to go to check on the kids.
During my bath I heard them talking with each other and occasionally griping about something. I don't know how much chatter was Naomi talking by herself so I have no idea how long it had been since I'd heard from Josiah.
I walked by their room and saw Josiah laying on the floor. I thought, "Poor guy he must still be feeling bad." He looked strange, his head was turned to one side and his eyes were over that way to. I said something like "hey buddy, you ok?" because I wanted to see his eyes move. That's when he started shaking. In a way the shaking was better then not moving - I would have thought he was dead if he hadn't responded. I rushed in and scooped him up to bring him in my room. I looked for my phone - where was it when I needed it most? Immediately I called 911 with urgency. I could handle a seizure if someone was on the way. I kept thinking how long had he been laying there?
I rushed out all the information I could on the phone... I guess I thought someone would get here quicker if I spoke quickly.
"My son is having a seizure, he's only 17 months old.
I live at 1 4 3 Center Street in Bellevue
He's shaking"
"What's your name?" she asked
"Michelle Sprague S P R A G U E, my son is Josiah J O S I A H.
His lips are purple, I think he's choking"
"Do you know CPR?" she asked
"Yes, well sort of, it's been a while
I'm going to breath for him, he's not getting good breaths"
Then the moment... His seizure ended it once rigid body went limp and he fell over. I was holding him and I felt his life stop. That moment... it will never leave me. I had been sort of calm until now.
"He stopped!
He's not breathing!
His lips are blue
Josiah!"
I breath for him a few times and watched his chest rise with my breaths. Then I paused and waited... he breathed again. Relief rushed over me.
"He's breathing again. He's not moving, I think he's unconscious, but he's breathing."
"Ma'am, help is on the way, I'm going to stay on the phone with you until they arrive"
"Ok"
I had prayed with every thought the whole time and now my mind was saying: Oh God thank you, oh God thank you! Over and over again. I told the operator I was going to go downstairs with him and unlock the door for whenever help arrived. I quickly picked up the first set of real clothes I saw and changed then went down with him, Naomi trailing. Naomi hovered over him patted his belly and said "everything is going to be ok mom" "Josiah you're ok buddy" and other comforting things.
Some firemen arrived took his vitals, he was still dosing in and out of consciousness. They came in, I retold what had occurred and they told me we'd be going to the hospital. My neighbor had come in when she saw firetrucks and ambulances parked outside. I told her Josiah had had a seizure and she offered to watch Naomi. I had put his coat on him and had Naomi get hers on and her boots. I wrapped Josiah in a blanket and took him into the ambulance.
I repeated everything I could remember, probably in too much detail, to the ambulance woman, two doctors and a nurse. I held him for hours only letting go when told to. Ben arrived, we had a CT done and after hours of being at children's were released.
This concludes the narrative portion.
Now we have a EEG scheduled because they weren't conclusive with the type of seizure Josiah had. We will find out Thursday if he has epilepsy or if this was a non repeating seizure. I'll write another post of the results and upcoming changes in our lives when things are more certain and times nailed down. Just a heads up, we'll be moving for a few weeks and hopefully not more than that.
