Joyanna was sick for a few days last week--ran a low-grade temp, coughed and had a sore throat. Then she started getting over it. Everyone else here was fine...until Sunday and Philip started to get sick. I figured it had taken a while but he had gotten what Joyanna had and would soon be over it, too. For the most part, his body is really healthy. In fact, he hasn't been sick at all since December of 2012. I stayed home from church with them on Sunday morning and Ben stayed home Sunday night. Philip's symptoms were following along what Joyanna had. Then Monday morning, he woke up much more affected by those symptoms--a much higher fever, lethargy, etc. I decided to take him to our primary care clinic. He was out of it! I had to take him in the clinic in the stroller because he was just so sleepy and weak.
He was diagnosed with influenza A. I thought it was just an upper respiratory infection. His temperature in the clinic was 104 degrees. WOW! It hadn't been that high at home and I was surprised but very glad I had brought him in. He slept most of Monday, only waking up when we needed him to take medicine or get some fluids into him. Tuesday, he woke up a tad more like himself, but later in the morning, his energy flagged a little and as I watched him, I noticed that his eyes kept wandering upward and he was twitching in ways that weren't common to his regular seizures. Of course, we know that fever agitates an epileptic condition but we spoke with his neurologist who suggested a round of his rescue medication and then if no change was seen to bring him in to the ER. After the rescue med, he fell asleep but when he woke up, his eyes continued to wander upward whenever they were at rest. We decided to take him in to have it checked out. We know OU Children's ER very well now! The ER physicians examined him and determined it wasn't a shunt malfunction (thankfully) and that more likely, it is the way Philip's body will react to a virus or a fever. Of course, we didn't know that, having had no experience with him being sick since his seizures started in April. We did not have to be admitted but were sent home to treat this illness as almost any would--fluids, fever reducers, tamiflu, rest. Of course, we have to watch him a little more closely and he isn't springing back so quickly, at least as Joyanna did.
He is still sleeping a lot. I'm sure the rest will help him. He quickly developed a dislike (that seems a light word for his reaction) for his normal medicine routine plus tylenol, ibuprofen, tamiflu added in. In the morning and evening, he takes 6 medications. I'm not sure I blame him for being upset. We have been forcing fluids but even then it is hard to get him to drink. We are focusing on that mostly because if he gets dehydrated, he will be back in the hospital. We have offered quite a few options in many different ways but he does not like it. Please, please pray we can keep him hydrated.
The oddest thing is--I have not seen his typical tonic seizure since last Saturday before he was sick. We don't understand that one. So, another waiting game has begun. Life seems so full of those and it is hard to not know the answers. Also, please pray that I do not catch the flu. I am currently taking tamiflu under my obstetrician's orders so that should help to ward it off. At 36 weeks pregnant, it is not the worst time but not good at any time during pregnancy. So far, so good.
It is hard to see Philip so weak and tired. It is hard to force medicine and fluids into him despite his protests but that is what being a parent is about many times--doing what's best for our children, even when it's hard to do. We need the Lord's grace and strength for sure. Thanks for praying.