A New Road to Travel

It was the sort of déjà vu I never wanted nor ever imagined I’d have to experience. One rumbling fire truck, three firefighters, two paramedics that arrived in an ambulance a few minutes later and a stretcher in the very spot of my entry way where it had been just two months ago. Now they gathered in my bedroom—last time it was the girls’ room-and instead of my father, the patient was Caleb. The procedure was the same; administration of oxygen, taking of vitals with the blood pressure cuff and finger pulse monitor and the barrage of questions about had happened. I told them the story that I’d have to repeat many more times before day’s end.

Caleb woke Friday, showered and dressed as he would any school day, and came downstairs where I was busy in the kitchen. He let out a moan as he threw himself on the couch, telling me his head was hurting. I gave him three chewable Tylenol and figured he’d soon be just fine. A few minutes later, I was in my bathroom doing Alyssa’s hair for school when Caleb lay on my bed and reiterated that his headache was quite painful and he was also feeling dizzy. I told him to go to sleep, that maybe when he woke up he’d be better. He buried his head under the pillows and I covered him with a few of his favorite blankets. I got Alyssa off to school and called the office to let them know that Caleb was sleeping off a headache. I fully expected that he’d wake up in an hour and be ready to go to school. I put on a show for Natalie (she’s come to expect one right after the big kids head out the door), checked on Caleb who seemed to be sleeping peacefully and grabbed a book and began reading in the den.

Not more than ten minutes had passed when I heard an agonizing wail. It was followed by Caleb shouting, “Help me!” I ran upstairs and found Caleb holding his head saying, “I’m so dizzy!” I tried to talk to him but his eyes began darting wildly and uncontrollably from side to side. I asked many questions regarding what was he seeing and begged him to just close his eyes. He could never manage more than one or two word answers and most of his responses didn’t make sense. I held my hand to his eyes and tried to physically close them but they wouldn’t close and Caleb muttered, “I can’t.”

I knew something wasn’t right and picked up the phone to call Jon at work. My entire body was shaking and I was unable to speak. He advised me to take Caleb to his regular pediatrician. I didn’t want to overreact but it somehow seemed like I needed more urgent care for my boy. I ran downstairs to get the doctor’s number and while I was looking it up, called my dear neighbor, Camille, who has now been through far too many emergencies with me and abruptly told her to come over. I then dialed the doctor’s office and was listening to their prerecorded messages when Camille arrived. Caleb’s eyes had become fixed in a glassy, empty stare. I repeatedly asked him to look at me but he was unresponsive and unable to shift his eyes in any way. While he eventually moved his gaze in one slow, deliberate shift toward my face, he was unable to converse. He couldn’t identify Camille or how many fingers we held in front of his vacant stare. Camille suggested I call 911. While I called she sat with him and continued to ask him questions. His skin was clammy and tiny droplets of sweat formed on his upper lip. He was beginning to seem slightly more responsive but then rolled to his side and fell asleep.

Camille whisked Natalie off to her house just as the fire engine came rumbling up to mine. Three firefighters came into the room and tried to rouse Caleb. He was groggy and a bit disoriented but he was now able to answer simple questions. He described a headache which he rated an 8 out of 10 and was still quite dizzy. After taking all his vitals and asking me all the questions, they asked me where I’d like him to go. I offered to just take him to his pediatrician now that he was more stable but they said that he needed to be taken to a hospital by ambulance. They continued tending to Caleb while I called Jon to let him know that we were headed to the nearest ER. Since he commutes by train, he explained that he would get a taxi and meet us there as soon as possible. One of the firefighters with a muscular build scooped Caleb in his arms, I threw his favorite blanket on top of him and he was carried downstairs to the awaiting stretcher. Caleb curled on his side, his eyes closed, as they covered him with a large navy blue blanket and strapped him in.

The paramedics advised me to drive myself to the hospital and I made a couple of phone calls on the way, one of which was to Jon who was now in route to the hospital. He mentioned that he wanted to find someone that would be able to help him give Caleb a blessing. I arrived at the hospital ahead of the ambulance and two workers standing outside the ambulance entrance advised me to go through the regular emergency room entrance where someone would assist me. Right as I walked through the doors I saw our home teacher sitting in the waiting room, reading a magazine. I had been so shaky, nervous and a bit teary eyed but when I saw him I burst into tears as I realized he could be the one to help Jon administer to Caleb once he got there. It turns out his wife had a meeting at the hospital and he was just waiting for her to be finished. Jon arrived a few minutes later and Caleb was able to receive a blessing even before seeing any medical personnel. It was a minor miracle amidst our trial.

Caleb continued to battle a fierce headache and wanted nothing more than to sleep, but he had to endure several tests. The nurse tried to start an IV but the first attempt failed. Caleb looked at me with his pale, weak face as she poked him a second time. I asked him which caused more pain, the hand or his head. He moaned that his head hurt far more and when asked, he rated the IV pain as 2 out of 10. Once the IV was in place, they drew a blood sample, gave him more pain reliever, a drug for nausea that had caused vomiting right as we arrived and later started hydrating fluids. He slept soundly between visits from nurses and doctors and struggled to be roused with each exam. It was difficult for him to focus each time he opened his eyes. He slept right through a rather long ride from the ER to the CT room and when lifted to the CT machine, he opened his eyes all wide and glassy but didn’t seem fazed by the machine that would take pictures of his brain. He went right back to sleep as soon as the procedure was finished and continued sleeping for a couple more hours.




We got the results that his blood test and CT scans were clear. It had been 3 hours since our arrival and Caleb was beginning to be more alert. It was determined that we could take him home and they had set up an appointment for us to see our pediatrician the next morning. I began asking Caleb many questions about the incident of the morning and while he could remember some things, there were clearly some gaps in his memory. Though he had stared directly at Camille, he recalled hearing her voice but didn’t at all remember seeing her. We weren’t really surprised that he didn’t remember, he was clearly somewhere else in those moments.
Caleb returned home around 1:00 in the afternoon and spent the rest of the day resting on the couch. His headache and dizziness slowly faded and he was beginning to get his strength back. He didn’t manage much lunch but by dinner, had a hearty appetite.
We went to our appointment the very next morning and after reading the reports and hearing my story, the doctor felt strongly that Caleb had experienced some sort of seizure. We will go in tomorrow for more in depth blood work and he will be communicating with a pediatric neurologist to schedule an MRI and EEG. Caleb’s ER blood test showed slightly elevated blood sugar levels. He said that that is common in patients who had just had a seizure. Caleb had not had anything to eat or drink that morning so the elevated blood sugar is another thing that warrants more investigation.

We don’t yet have many answers, we just know that we’re starting down a new road. We’ve been travelling the road of digestive problems, the long, ever-winding and often steep road of Asperger’s and now we will travel this road to determine the cause of his seizure-like episode. I would’ve thought it impossible for one nine-year-old to travel so many roads at one time but evidently he’s a very strong boy and Heavenly Father has confidence in his ability to handle all that comes in his path.
It was traumatic and disturbing to have to watch my son endure this episode but Caleb is now doing great. In fact, he woke Saturday morning as if nothing had ever happened. I am thankful to see the life back in his eyes. I am grateful for many thoughtful friends who visited, called and offered their support and prayers. It really is a great comfort to be reminded of the many wonderful people who surround us in our times of need and how many others are willing to help us down any road we have to travel.