From the Hospital

So I formulated this wonderful plan. I talked to Psychiatrist's nurse. I talked to pharmacist. It made sense that Daughter was having seizures when the cymbalta peaked. It made sense to everyone that if we split the dose and gave half in the morning and half in the evening, the problem would be solved. It didn't make sense to Daughter, though. We were sitting at the church after supper talking when I realized she was having another seizure. Her arm and hand were shaking and she wasn't there. I kept calling her, but she couldn't respond or even move her head. Two seizures in six hours, this one extended. I arranged coverage of the rest of the evening's events, pulled the car around, loaded Daughter in (with some help) and headed to urgent care. We got to urgent care, and they called a squad. We got to the main hospital around 8:00, and by 10:30 she was admitted.

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The staff here on the neuroscience unit recognized and respected my expertise on Daughter. The nurse last night was struggling to figure out carbs on a bedtime snack, and someone told her to ask me. She came in and I told her the carb content of the food. She was impressed, and asked about my medical training. I told her I was an expert on Daughter. She charted that they should defer to me on all things diabetic. They tell me her blood sugar, show me her meal, and I tell them how much insulin she needs. Her blood sugars have been good. They allowed me to approve all her meds, and I alerted them to a change they hadn't been told of yet, allowing that change to happen this morning.

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Pharmacy questioned some of her meds and dosages, but finally got things straightened around. I explained that even in her abnormalities, Daughter isn't normal.

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EEG was normal. CT scan was normal. Daughter was not. She was unsteady on her feet, lethargic, sleeping through blood tests and just not doing well. Cymbalta was cut in half. Another anti-seizure medication was added. Around 1:o0 this afternoon, she perked up. We have been under a winter snow advisory all day, and the snow was really coming down. I decided to travel the 24 miles home and shower and get some things (like my computer). Nurse told me she was sure Neuro would keep Daughter one more night to see how she reacted to the medication.

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I returned, and was greeted by a different Daughter. She had been awake the whole time I was gone. She was perky, happy, excited about the flowers Far Away Sister and her family had sent her. Neuro called, heard how she was, and discussed discharge with the nurse. Then he called Daughter's room to get my opinion on it. I told him she was much improved, and I was now comfortable with it. So, she's gathering her stuff and the nurse is doing paperwork and we'll be out of here in an hour or so.

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I hope that she will do well now, and we have made it through this challenge. I think she will. I know I like Neuro, and am very grateful for the way he entered our lives at the right time. Sister said last night that she wished we lived closer. There was a message on the answering machine when I got home. I have a phone interview Tuesday night with a church within 10 miles of Sister and Brother. God is good, whether that call comes through or not. We will end up in the right place at the right time. If this post rambles and doesn't make sense, attribute it to the fact that I'm operating on about 4 hours of sleep. Exhaustion doesn't begin to describe what I'm feeling.... It will be good to sleep in my own bed with my cats at my feet tonight.