A Febrile Nightmare

The afternoon of Thursday the 30th Caden put himself down for a nap. When he awoke he had a fever of 102. Hot, but not too worrisome. We medicated him and he seemed fine a couple hours later.

I checked him all throughout the night and his temp was within the normal range. Friday morning I got Gavin up for school, got him out the door and then went to wake up Caden. Caden at this point was ON FIRE. He was sooo hot. I took his temperature at it was 104.8. That couldn't be right. Took it again, 105.1. I medicated him quickly while I got on the phone to try and get him into the doctors. Caden wasn't responding to me very well and it seemed as if he was about to pass out. I called my parents and while talking with my mom I decided to take him into the Urgent Care center here in town. I got off the phone, went to check on Caden again and he was in a full blown seizure.

I freaked out. I didn't want to leave him to go back and get the phone and Reese was in her own little world coloring in my room ignoring my urgent pleas for the phone or to call 911. He stopped seizing about a minute later. I have no idea when he started. It could have been anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes. I got my phone, called 911. An ambulance and fire truck arrived and the EMT's took a look at Caden and determined he was indeed hot, had had a seizure and wanted to take him to Children's Medical Center in Dallas. Off we went (Reese and I) in the ambulance with Caden.

Reese not realizing the severity of the moment believed the ambulance ride to be a field trip of sorts and was in heaven riding up front in her "niener, niener truck" as Caden calls them. While riding in the ambulance (strapped in a carseat to a gurney/stretcher), Caden tested negative for flu (I was worried about the swine flu). His oxygen levels were good and so was his blood sugar.

It was determined while transporting to the hospital that he had had a Febrile Seizure. This typically happens in toddlers when a sudden spike in temperature (going up or down) causes the body to convulse with the same movements as if having a Gran Mal seizure. Yeah, not something you EVER want to see your child going through.

I was relieved somewhat to know that these convulsions occur without any brain or spinal cord infection or other nervous system cause. I was worried about any lasting effect that might result from the seizure but was comforted to know that a febrile seizure is basically "harmless" we just needed to find out why he was having such a high fever. The emergency personnel at Children's suspected Meningitis. Not what I wanted to hear.

Fortunately Caden was testing negative to just about every test they ran. Yay! So, we were moved to First Care where it was determined that Caden was most likely suffering from an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus. What a relief!

Just before Daddy arrived (he was at work and needed to come rescue my emotionally worked over nerves, besides, we had no way home as we arrived via ambulance) Caden's fever was at a comfortable 101 (ha,ha) and he was definitely feeling more like himself.

Reese was such a good big sister during this whole ordeal. Never once did I have to get after her for anything other than for her to give me hugs and kisses. She was patient (we left our house a little after 8am and didn't leave the hospital until after noon) in waiting and kept herself entertained with coloring and a my little pony she was given by the hospital staff. Such great staff too! The nurses and doctors there at Children's were some of the best I have ever met and dealt with in my life. Seriously.

Caden also got a little toy from the staff. A magnadoodle with a bear on it! How appropriate for our little C-bear! Caden is doing much better now. His fever never got that over 102 in the following days (whew!) and Reese and Gavin ended up getting high fevers as well on Friday night and Saturday, but they only lasted 24 hours and everyone is now well in our house!! Hallelujah!! Now I just pray nothing like this happens again! I don't know if I could emotionally watch that happen again.

Oh, and thanks to all my wonderful friends who called with their concern and offered dinners, their cars, and child care! I can't even tell you how much knowing y'all were there for me really helped. THANK YOU!!