We’ve spent a lot of time this month in the care of medical professionals.  I suppose that’s to be expected with three boys, but nothing can prepare you for that feeling of your stomach turning inside out and loosing your mind all at once.  Last night was easily the worst experience of my life and I pray not too many of you can relate.

I don’t know how many of you out there have had the unbelievable misfortune of holding your baby as their eyes roll back into their head, their body convulsing uncontrollably, and between shakes feeling like there are no muscles inside them at all.  For those of you that have, I’ve joined in that fear, and I pray to never experience that again.

As soon as I got home last night, Cooper was in his highchair waiting for dinner and didn’t even look over at me when I walked in the door.  I walked up to him and noticed a blank stare on his face and his arm start to flex over and over.  I picked him up and the seizure started to get worse.  This is the moment, as a parent, you truly have no idea what to do.  I tried to get him to respond with no success, and had Kristin call the ambulance.  Ten minutes later or so, he had thrown up several times and was still not responding to anything.  

Once the ambulance got there he had stopped seizing, but his eyes were still rolling around and not responding.  For what seemed like the longest ambulance ride to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital possible, Cooper was given oxygen, and was hooked up to all sorts of machines.  I sent out a Twitter and was immediately flooded with encouragement and prayers.  This online community blows me away daily.

Once we got to the hospital Cooper was responding to us talking but still wouldn’t talk or move around that much.  After much poking and prodding… and a popsicle, he started to come around and was acting more normal.  What seemed like an entire day of trauma truly only lasted about three hours.  The doctors checked him out, watched him off and on and finally told us it was a result of some virus and a really high fever spike.  Turns out that’s a pretty common thing but, no doubt, something a parent can never get used to.  Even as I write this, I can feel my throat closing up and my stomach turning.  

So, Kristin and my date night to The Swell Season was cancelled, and instead we spent the evening in the emergency room.  It’s disappointing, but I’m glad it happened before we left for the show.  We have some great neighbors that helped us out a ton and sprung into action as soon as we needed them.  Thanks for everyone’s prayers and spreading the word.  Cooper’s doing better today, his fever is still off and on and we are watching him pretty close, but he’s eaten today and woke up asking to watch Clifford, so he seems a little more normal. Thanks again everyone.  Your prayers meant so much to us.