It had been one of those exhausting weeks. My 18-month-old daughter, Mia, woke up one morning with her first stomach virus. Up until that point, she had been the picture of health, and I thought it was just a matter of time before she caught something. She threw up a couple of times a day, and after what felt like an eternity, she finally started to show signs of recovery. “Finally!” I thought. “Things can return to normal.”
If only I had known how mistaken I was.
The following day, I woke up feeling queasy myself. Thus began the longest and most harrowing day of my life. After an agonizing day spent in bed, I finally managed to rise, still feeling nauseated and disoriented. As I sipped ginger ale, Mia played with the condensation on my glass. Suddenly, her gaze shifted, and she seemed to look right through me. In a heart-stopping moment, she fell backward.
Confusion engulfed me. It took a moment to register what was unfolding. I scooped her up, and it hit me: she was having a seizure.
I screamed for my husband, Alex, to call 911 while I held her tightly as she convulsed. Her eyes rolled back, her breathing became erratic, and she was completely unresponsive, making distressing gurgling sounds. With Alex on the phone, I frantically relayed our address to the emergency operator, praying for their swift arrival.
Fear gripped me like never before. After what felt like an eternity, Mia stopped shaking and fell asleep in my arms. Alex and I broke down in tears.
“This must have been a febrile seizure,” I said, trying to rationalize the situation. I knew these were common in toddlers experiencing fevers. That had to be the explanation.
Once we reached the hospital, Mia began to wail, and her screams echoed for hours, interrupted only by what appeared to be absence seizures. But she had no fever.
Fast forward six months, and we’ve faced another grand mal seizure, two normal EEGs, and countless absence seizures. Yet, we remain in a state of uncertainty without a definitive diagnosis.
I had always thought such events would never touch our lives. Until that week, Mia had barely experienced a sniffle, and now I was grappling with the realities of raising a child with complex health issues. Nothing could prepare me for witnessing her seize in my arms. The routine of tests, medications, and numerous hospital visits with a toddler is overwhelming.
At night, I find myself lying awake, consumed with worry. I fret about the possibility of future seizures, the tests that lie ahead, and what they might reveal. Will she outgrow this? Will she still be having seizures as a teenager? Could these episodes be connected to her speech delay? What are the long-term implications of her medication? Will we ever find a diagnosis?
I ponder these questions, knowing I may never have all the answers. However, one thing shines through: Mia is incredibly strong. She is brave beyond her years, and I often wish I could channel even a fraction of her tenacity. While her strong will has posed challenges during her toddler years, I know it will serve her well as she grows. She is a little warrior, destined to overcome every hurdle in her path. I eagerly anticipate the person she will become. Seizures won’t define her.
In the meantime, I will continue to worry. I will wait and advocate fiercely for her, doing everything I can to uncover the answers to my many questions. I will take it step by step, drawing inspiration from her courage and being the strong mom she needs me to be. If you’re interested in exploring more on this journey, check out this post on couples’ fertility journey.
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Summary:
Navigating life with a child prone to seizures is filled with fear and uncertainty. After experiencing her first seizure, a mother reflects on the challenges, tests, and the emotional toll of raising a child with health complexities. Despite the struggles, she finds strength in her daughter’s resilience and vows to advocate for her health and future.
Keyphrase: Life with a child prone to seizures
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