The Scariest Day of Our Lives

Monday night I noticed Noah had a bit of a fever, but it didn't last long. Tuesday he was acting normal, playing, getting into everything, and being himself. Wednesday morning around 11am we noticed he was feeling warm again. His fever continued throughout the day and into the night, while I monitored it every thirty minutes or so. I had not given him any medicine because I was taught that a fever is a good thing, as long as it didn't get too high, and that it was just the body fighting back. In fact, three weeks ago, Noah had a fever, teething maybe? and I did give him medicine. I don't remember how long he was under the weather, but long enough for me to call the doctor, who also told me that the best thing to do is to let the fever do its thing. However, after recent events, I have come to understand that this is quite a controversial subject. The other side is now saying that the body can fight it's illness just as well without a fever. Soooo, which side do I choose? Not sure, but anything over 101 in my children and you'll see me pouring it down their throats. Here's what happened.

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Noah spent most of Wednesday in just a onsie, if that, sitting on my lap, very quiet and lethargic. He had a hard time sleeping and when he woke from his naps he was very upset, crying like he was scared and he was trembling a bit. I held him, calmed him down and gave him some water and a snack. At that point his temperature was 103.1. It was the highest, and though I was concerned I attributed some of it to him having just been asleep. All of my boys get hot and sweaty when they sleep. I cooled him off with a damp rag and his temp went down and hung around 102 for most of the night. At bed time, I laid him next to me on my bed, while I watched some TV. He slept for an hour of so and then woke up, really warm again. I gave him his water and sat him up next to me. It was around 10:30pm and Sterling had just returned home from work and was literally about to hop into the shower when it happened. Noah started falling forward on me, and I thought he had fallen asleep again, but when I looked over that was not the case. His eyes were rolled back in his head, he had drool running down both sides of his mouth and he would not respond. I yelled for Sterling and he grabbed him and started calling him name. "Noah! Noah!! Noah!" His little body was so stiff and if he was breathing, we couldn't tell. I grabbed the phone and called 911. I didn't know what was happening but told them "I think he's having a siezure! What can I do?!!". If I hadn't spoken to my brother earlier that day about this very thing, I wouldn't have even had seizure in my mind as an option. I knew nothing about them, except that people shake?? Noah wasn't shaking. Anyway, all the while I'm on the phone, Sterling is still calling to Noah who was at that point pale & slightly blue. Then, suddenly, Noah's eyes closed and his body went completely limp. This was the worst part.

We thought he was gone.

I remember it was then that the dispatcher asked me if he was breathing. We felt for a pulse and took our own breath when we found one! Sterling put his hands on Noah's head right then and gave him a priesthood blessing. The paramedics arrived very quickly and checked his vitals. They were all normal. On the way to the hospital my dear husband broke down crying. What just happened? Is he going to be OK?

We were released around 5am with blood work and everything checking out normal. We were to watch him carefully, with the cause for fever as most likely a virus. We are soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

blessed

and sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

thankful

and sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

happy

to report that Noah is better now! Healthy and well. After 4 days with a relentless fever, two priesthood blessings, 1, almost 2 trips to the ER, 5 runny diapers (very late on day 3 & 4...never so happy to see diarrhea!), Noah is back!!

So the paramedics and the doctors educated us on febrile seizures, which is really the only reason I chose to blog about this. I wanted to share this in case you're ever faced with the same thing. Here's what we learned...

-Don't try to stop a seizure.

-There's nothing you can do during a seizure, other than put them in a safe place

-Seizures aren't always accompanied by shaking

-ALWAYS know your address, or have it written down, especially when you are out of town, say in CA. I did not know our address. If Sterling hadn't been home just in time, I don't know what would have happened. yet another blessing

-any sign of trembling IS A SIGN!! it's so clear to me now, but in the moment, man, what a disguise! Let me explain. Do you ever get shaky, weak or feel fatigue when you have gone too long without eating? or tremble when you're scared? Noah fit both of those.

-Febrile seizures happen all the time when your temperature gets too high. So, even though Noah's temp was in a high, but safe place all day, it spiked, which sent him into the seizure.

-always have a fever reducer in the house, Tylenol or Motrin, and it's best to alternate, though it is OK to give full doses of both at the same time because they work in different ways. (Tylenol every 4 hrs, Motrin every 6)

-These types of seizures are common in young children, up to about ages 3-5yrs old, when they usually outgrow them. This is simply because their immune systems are not fully developed. When their temperature gets too high, the brain doesn't know what to do so it seizes up as a natural response to lower the fever.

-Febrile seizures are safe and last about 1- 2 minutes. It's a good idea to call 911 so they can administer oxygen if needed.

Sterling and I have found ourselves on our knees a lot more lately, and have been spending more time with our children. The last four days have been so emotionally draining for me that I made myself sick. If I was able to sleep, it was in 20 minute intervals, with Noah at my bedside. All throughout I have been overwhelmed with gratitude, realizing that the worst could have happened, but didn't. I am grateful for every second, and can now appreciate the value of one. How quickly our lives can change.