Fear ....

Last night I learnt all about FEAR.  I also learnt that I did pay attention in that First Aid class I did last year. I also learnt that in a crisis, I CAN be calm .....

Yesterday was a fairly typical day with the boys.  We played, ate and slept ..... and night time came, into the PJ's they went, with the dilemma I have lately about them being "TOO COLD LATER IN THE EVENING".  So, I make sure they have enough layers on to be warm later ...

Spencer was a little warm to touch, and had had a fever earlier in the day which Panadol helped.  I checked on him a few times, he seemed ok .... and headed off to bed to catch up on the days news/emails, etc.

10:47pm - an almighty SCREAM emits, and I bolt out of bed to find Spencer shaking.  I yanked him out of the dark room, rushed him into the main bedroom, to see my lovely boy convulsing, twitching, eyes blank, all stiff .... and foaming at the mouth.  Yes, as I type this I am in tears, and YES, I hope I NEVER EVER experience it again.

10:48pm - dialling 000 -  as I talk to them, and ask for ambulance, we removed all Spencer's clothing except his vest, and still, he was convulsing on the bed.  It is truely the hardest thing I have ever seen, and can still hear him trying to suck in air.  We estimate he convulsed for about 5/6 minutes before calming down, panting, still not focused ...... before he turned again and vomited.  Still shaking, he started screaming and crying.
All I remember is the lady on the phone telling me to be calm for him, talk to him, reassure him .... just be calm.

Thankfully, the paramedics arrived, and by this time Spencer had stopped shaking, was simply lying still, not really focused, but no longer out of it.
We (Spencer and I) were taken to the Emergency Dept and they observed him overnight - took blood, tried to book Spencer into the hospital for observation (which everyone but the DR thought was unecessary), but eventually let me take him home at 9am.  He is on Panadol every 4 - 6 hours, and tonight his temperature is normal.

What happened was that Spencer had a Febrile Convulsion.  He COULD have it again, but I truly hope not.  It is when he has a fever, and it spikes so high (38+) and he can't cool down (refer back to my earlier comment of ME dressing them warmly IN CASE the got cold later)

It was terrible, horrible, awful .... and I wonder if I could have avoided it if I had just let him get cold, and covered him up in the early hours  ....

Tonight, he can get cold ......... I don't care, I'll get up to cover him.

Thank you 000, Paramedics and the Emergency Dept at Sunshine Hospital.
Thank you GOD.

Later
Me