I've already shared about this seizure on social media but I wanted to make a post here as well for those that just follow on the blog and also because this is kind of my diary; something I can look back on and reference in the future.
Luella had a seizure on April Fool's Day and it was not a joke. It was just after 5pm, she was on her computer in the room just off the kitchen. I was in the kitchen getting ready to make supper. I heard a loud crash and I expected Luella to say something like "whoops" but it was silent. I ran in to see what happened. Her chair was tipped over she was the opposite direction. Her face hit the bottom of the chair next to her. Her glasses were off her face. She was having a tonic clonic (grand mal) seizure. Lots of jawing chomping, bloody saliva everywhere. It's been awhile, but this is a seizure. We've been through hundreds of these, but before this seizure, she's only had 2 in the last 3 1/2 years. I feel out of practice but the same feelings and emotions rush over me just as they did for those first seizures when she was a little baby. I'm crying and praying over her. Her lips are blue. Arms and legs stiff and shaking. It feels like forever and then she breathes out a big sigh. The sigh that marks the end of the seizure. I thank God for letting it stop without the need for rescue meds. I wipe the blood off her face. Her body relaxes. She sleeps.
Jim was there waiting with the rescue meds and watching the time. Once she was asleep we tried to move her to the living room. Our Luella isn't so little anymore! We ended up waiting a little bit. I talked to her to see if I could rouse her enough to move. She did wake up a little and Jim helped her walk to the couch. As soon as she was on the couch she was asleep again.
I tried to position her a little better and twisted as I was lifting her legs and threw my back out! Instant pain! I fell to my knees and cried. I've also done this before.
Thankfully Luella escaped this seizure with just a sore tongue. She didn't remember anything about the seizure starting. She didn't have a fever and isn't sick so we are just praying this was an isolated incident. Of course random seizures like this are very nerve-wracking. Luella has had more freedom lately to be on her own - at school and at home. We will have to be more vigilant about keeping an eye on her.
And of course this comes as we've just completed registering Luella for her very first sleep-away camp this summer. She is planning on going to Camp Oz - a camp put on by the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota for kids with epilepsy. I was a little nervous about sending her away from us for a week anyway so hopefully she won't have anymore seizures between now and June!
Luella had planned to go to Camp Oz in June 2020. Campers can take a sibling and Ashlyn was on board to go with her. Then COVID hit and everything was canceled. Ashlyn would have been happy to go with Luella this year but unfortunately Camp Oz is the same week as Ashlyn's choir trip. Not sure how I'll survive that week!!
Today is better. Luella slept well. I slept ok. My back is improving. Much less painful than yesterday!
Please pray that this was just a random seizure and not the start of something different for Luella. Thank you!!
