I think we are all quite anxious to put this one in the books. Little did we know what seemed like a more usual Christmas morning would take an unexpected turn just a few hours later.
Our boys do not get up early anymore so our morning is slow going. However, they still enjoy opening up their stockings and their gifts. Hiding a shoe for Fudge was also mixed into our chaos.
We packed up our stuff and gifts to go to Erie for a short overnight trip. My Mom was busy preparing a big lunchtime meal for our family. My brother's family came over so it was kind of like a mini-Thanksgiving again with ham added on (as well as turkey and stuffing at Eric's request).
After lunch, we exchanged gifts and the kids went through their usual inquisition by my Mom. She asks them each five individual questions to review some family history. This always challenges them (and us) to find out the answers if they do not know them already.
Eric brought his Start Wars Monopoly game and they set up a card table in the basement. The boys and their two cousins started playing it. Our Christmas Day was normal up until this point.
At about 3:20pm out of the blue, Eric started having a seizure right in front of his brother and cousins. Jesse ran upstairs screaming for his Dad's help. We ran downstairs, helped Eric to the floor as my Mom called 911. Jon knew what to do and remained super calm, guiding him over to his left side. Eric finally stopped shaking and thankfully came out of this horrifying state.
The ambulance and two other emergency vehicles arrived. Six EMS folks came in and helped get Eric up and out of the house via a stair chair. Jon rode to the hospital in the ambulance with him. Jess and I followed them.
They ran a battery of tests on him for the next several hours in the ER. His heart rate and blood pressure remained elevated so they decided to keep him. After almost seven hours and interactions with least another dozen various hospital workers, they transferred him from an exam room to a hospital bed and room.
Now, the first thought by everyone would be that this was caused by hypoglycemia and related to Type One Diabetes. However, as he has been managing his sugar level very well, this was not out of whack and remained in normal range. Although he has a cocktail of medication for several existing conditions, nothing was unusual, unexpected or added into that mix.
Numerous tests followed over the next day and a half including multiple ekgs, an eeg, MRI, lots of labwork, but nothing could be pinpointed as the root cause. Given the timing over the holidays, the hospital time seemed long and drawn out. Eric was very upset that they kept him a second night as he (and Jesse) missed his work Christmas party for the second year in a row. On top of that, based upon the neurologist confirmation of him having a seizure, under PA law his license is now suspended for six months.
We are thankful for the support of our family and friends throughout this trying time. We got to return home to Pittsburgh on Friday. To allow Eric to keep his original plans, my Mom agreed to keep Fudge for a few days. Jon and I then drove the boys and three of their friends down to Mount Hebron Presbyterian Church in Ellicott City, MD. The drive back was entirely in rain and fog, however we made it and glad to be home. So, this would definitely be our least favorite Christmas to date. However in God's mercy, we still have an amazing love, family and sense of togetherness.
