I'd say it is a bit unusual to have to field phone calls from well wishers on two nationally reported events within 9-months (I-35W Bridge last August), but here we are again, and a quite a bit closer to home. As most of you know, if you have been watching television in the last 24 hours, our town was hit by a devastating tornado. Many have called or emailed us but I just want everyone to know we were not home but over a hundred miles away up north at the lake.
The neighborhood in which the tornado went through was about 29 blocks to the north of us, but the damage is more widespread. When we came from the north on 35-E we saw a farm in Lino Lakes which had it's silos torn apart and strewn up to the interstate. As we came into town we saw windows tarped and siding with large holes where the baseball sized hail just pummeled everything. Hwy 61 to the north is closed off which means no Subway, Carpenter's Steak House, or Blacksmith Lounge for a while.
None of this compares to what those in the 159th street area lost. Silos, siding, and windows can be replaced but a lot of people lost their homes, memories, and for one couple, their two-year-old son. It really hits home not that it was our town that got hit, but that the boy was about E's age.
Our house escaped with little damage. A few screens will need to be replaced as they now have large holes, and our siding needs to be fixed as it has chips and fractures. Just a few blocks to the north the damage is more intense as you can't miss the holes in the siding and broken windows. To the east, in a small Lino Lakes neighborhood every house has holes in the siding like swiss cheese. It is unbelievable, and again, we are very fortunate. Our prayers and thoughts are with those in the areas most affected, as they are our neighbors in a very, very close sense of the word.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Another Fever
Yesterday afternoon E started running a temperature at daycare. They gave him medicine but his temp did not go down. Amy picked him up, brought him home and give him two Popsicles as well as dinner but it didn't help. At around ten o'clock I went in to give him medicine and found he had diarrhea and a temp of 102. We started monitoring him and he seemed in high spirits.
Around 1:15am this morning we have him some more medicine but his fever was not going away. At around 1:30am we heard strange noises from his room and went to check. He had gone into seizure, yet again. We called the on-call doctor who suggested calling 911 because the seizure had gone on for a little longer than before.
The ambulance yet again made its way to our house and transported E to our hospital. This time, since it was late at night, there was little fan fare for our neighbors as sirens were not used while approaching our house and only four vehicles responded. We were calm this time as we had gone through this before and are assured by everyone that it causes no damage or long term effects on our little guy.
We arrived back home at around 4:15am and as you can imagine we were all exhausted. We now have medicine to give E if/when he goes into another seizure that can hopefully prevent us from calling 911 again. We are told to call 911 if the seizure seems to be lasting too long. I expect us to get to know our local EMT's real well, and since they keep asking me for E's social security number after they transport him, Amy and I are going to have to seriously memorize it.
As I had mentioned earlier, we were calm this time, and I don't think we will just "get used to it" but we really hope he doesn't do this every time he gets a fever. The good new is that the fever has nothing to do with his ears. They are clear of fluid and not infected. (Yeah! NO TUBES! -yet) The bad news is that they think he has the Rota (sp?) virus which is causing the diarrhea and fever.
Around 1:15am this morning we have him some more medicine but his fever was not going away. At around 1:30am we heard strange noises from his room and went to check. He had gone into seizure, yet again. We called the on-call doctor who suggested calling 911 because the seizure had gone on for a little longer than before.
The ambulance yet again made its way to our house and transported E to our hospital. This time, since it was late at night, there was little fan fare for our neighbors as sirens were not used while approaching our house and only four vehicles responded. We were calm this time as we had gone through this before and are assured by everyone that it causes no damage or long term effects on our little guy.
We arrived back home at around 4:15am and as you can imagine we were all exhausted. We now have medicine to give E if/when he goes into another seizure that can hopefully prevent us from calling 911 again. We are told to call 911 if the seizure seems to be lasting too long. I expect us to get to know our local EMT's real well, and since they keep asking me for E's social security number after they transport him, Amy and I are going to have to seriously memorize it.
As I had mentioned earlier, we were calm this time, and I don't think we will just "get used to it" but we really hope he doesn't do this every time he gets a fever. The good new is that the fever has nothing to do with his ears. They are clear of fluid and not infected. (Yeah! NO TUBES! -yet) The bad news is that they think he has the Rota (sp?) virus which is causing the diarrhea and fever.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Weekend Scare
I'm emerging from a hectic 14 days of grad project and final studies, UST Board of Trustees presentation prep, final AITP meeting of the semester, and various other work projects. Amy is counting down the days to the end of school, scheduling E's appointments, and trying to keep our house together. We were not ready for last weekend.
E's ear infections have been on again and off again for about five or so months. If he didn't have an ear infection, there was fluid, so he hasn't had decent ears in quite a while. However, we are blessed with the fact that he does understand directions and he is saying Bu-Bu-Bu for Buddy, Da-da-da for daddy, and ma-ma-ma for mommy. He can be quite helpful when he chooses, like following orders to bring dirty clothes to the laundry room, though sometimes he will then go through the drawers and bring clean clothes to the laundry.
Teething always seems to bring out the sickness in E. First he gets a runny nose, then a slight fever, and finally an ear infection. Right now he is teething four at once. We are leaning towards tubes, but really don't want to rush. If we can hold off, we want to, but the reality is we might be be able for long.
It was no surprise, when at his 15 month appointment, he had a slight fever and so the doctor decided not to do shots. E was also prescribed a new anti-biotic. His fourth.
Come Saturday, E's fever did not go away and we put him down for a nap as he was tired. I was working on my grad work when E woke up crying. Amy went up there to get him out of his crib and noticed he was soaked with sweat. She undressed him, went to get a cool wash cloth and when she came back she found that E had his eyes closed and was unresponsive. She tried waking him up and when he wouldn't, she called down to me.
I arrived upstairs with Amy holding E, limp in her arms and asking me to call 911. As I was on the phone with the operator E's eyes opened but were rolling in the back of his head. Within a minute we heard a siren and E was starting to twitch and then foam at the mouth. The sheriff's deputy was the first to arrive. Shortly after the first paramedic arrived, within another 30 seconds, E started to cry. Amy heard them say it was a good sign. Over the next few minutes I let in about six more emergency workers. We have a volunteer emergency crew in our city so whoever was available responded. We ended up with two ambulances, a Fire/Rescue Suburban, and two sheriff deputies. Looking back, we are amazed at the response time.
E was transported to our hospital, mainly because they wanted to make sure it was not the new anti-biotic. After 30 minutes in the ER (E's third visit this year) it was determined that he had a Febrile seizure brought on by his fever. It is common among those under the age of 6 and some will say that it in no way relates to Epilepsy or seizures later in life. It depends on what professional you ask or Web site you visit.
Amy's parents met us in the waiting room and brought a smile to E's face. It was nice to have them there as he was extremely tired from the seizure and the medical staff said he might not be himself for a day or two, but there would be no permanent damage. A febrile seizure is harmless, but really traumatic for parents who go through it for the first time. No kidding. They do recommend you call 911 though on the first instance, but after that just let him work himself through it as there is nothing you can do. We just hope there isn't a next time as we both thought we had lost our little guy.
My mom was planning on coming up this coming weekend, but came up early to help out as he re cooperated and I finished out my hectic week. I am glad to have a four day weekend coming as mid-last week I thought I needed a break. Now I am really glad to have taken the time off. I can now spend some time at home doing things and being with E.
E has been doing fine and we are looking forward to transitioning him to the toddler room at daycare next week. His fever is gone and his teeth don't seem to be bugging him much anymore. One ear no longer has an infection.
E's ear infections have been on again and off again for about five or so months. If he didn't have an ear infection, there was fluid, so he hasn't had decent ears in quite a while. However, we are blessed with the fact that he does understand directions and he is saying Bu-Bu-Bu for Buddy, Da-da-da for daddy, and ma-ma-ma for mommy. He can be quite helpful when he chooses, like following orders to bring dirty clothes to the laundry room, though sometimes he will then go through the drawers and bring clean clothes to the laundry.
Teething always seems to bring out the sickness in E. First he gets a runny nose, then a slight fever, and finally an ear infection. Right now he is teething four at once. We are leaning towards tubes, but really don't want to rush. If we can hold off, we want to, but the reality is we might be be able for long.
It was no surprise, when at his 15 month appointment, he had a slight fever and so the doctor decided not to do shots. E was also prescribed a new anti-biotic. His fourth.
Come Saturday, E's fever did not go away and we put him down for a nap as he was tired. I was working on my grad work when E woke up crying. Amy went up there to get him out of his crib and noticed he was soaked with sweat. She undressed him, went to get a cool wash cloth and when she came back she found that E had his eyes closed and was unresponsive. She tried waking him up and when he wouldn't, she called down to me.
I arrived upstairs with Amy holding E, limp in her arms and asking me to call 911. As I was on the phone with the operator E's eyes opened but were rolling in the back of his head. Within a minute we heard a siren and E was starting to twitch and then foam at the mouth. The sheriff's deputy was the first to arrive. Shortly after the first paramedic arrived, within another 30 seconds, E started to cry. Amy heard them say it was a good sign. Over the next few minutes I let in about six more emergency workers. We have a volunteer emergency crew in our city so whoever was available responded. We ended up with two ambulances, a Fire/Rescue Suburban, and two sheriff deputies. Looking back, we are amazed at the response time.
E was transported to our hospital, mainly because they wanted to make sure it was not the new anti-biotic. After 30 minutes in the ER (E's third visit this year) it was determined that he had a Febrile seizure brought on by his fever. It is common among those under the age of 6 and some will say that it in no way relates to Epilepsy or seizures later in life. It depends on what professional you ask or Web site you visit.
Amy's parents met us in the waiting room and brought a smile to E's face. It was nice to have them there as he was extremely tired from the seizure and the medical staff said he might not be himself for a day or two, but there would be no permanent damage. A febrile seizure is harmless, but really traumatic for parents who go through it for the first time. No kidding. They do recommend you call 911 though on the first instance, but after that just let him work himself through it as there is nothing you can do. We just hope there isn't a next time as we both thought we had lost our little guy.
My mom was planning on coming up this coming weekend, but came up early to help out as he re cooperated and I finished out my hectic week. I am glad to have a four day weekend coming as mid-last week I thought I needed a break. Now I am really glad to have taken the time off. I can now spend some time at home doing things and being with E.
E has been doing fine and we are looking forward to transitioning him to the toddler room at daycare next week. His fever is gone and his teeth don't seem to be bugging him much anymore. One ear no longer has an infection.
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