Seizures

On the list of terrifying things that can happen to your child, slipping into a nonresponsive state is high. This week we experienced that with our daughter and I thought it would be worthwhile to tell you our story and to educate a little about what seizures are.

First of all, a seizure is short circuit in the brain. Nothing more. It’s not permanent, by definition it only lasts for short time.  They’re not GOOD for you but they won’t kill you or cause long term damage as long as they’re passing. In fact, anything under 5 minutes isn’t considered worth going to the ER unless it’s the first seizure or there’s some other complicating factor.

There are tons of kinds of seizures. Sometimes people have seizures that last only a few seconds and are very mild. The two major categories are:

• Petit mal – basically staring spells. They usually last for less than 15 seconds and are often misdiagnosed
• Grand mal – what most people think of when they think of seizures. Body shaking, eyes rolling, last for a few minutes.

Seizures can be caused by medications or backing off of medications. Children under 5 are prone to febrile seizures, which are caused by fevers. Usually these last less than 15 minutes and are like grand mal seizures.

Epilepsy is diagnosed when someone has recurrent seizures that are not brought on by some outside force (fever, medication, alcohol, etc.) Sometimes there is an issue in the brain that’s found to cause the seizures and sometimes not.

There are drugs that doctors use to prevent seizures, but there’s no magic bullet. The seizure medications available today don’t cause physical side effects which is great as there was a time that you had to choose between seizures and pancreatic, liver or kidney damage. But they do cause other effects – drowsiness, nausea and dizziness which can be problematic especially for children. They are also mood altering for many people, making them downright mean.

Some myths about seizures:

• Tongue swallowing – NOT REAL. This is totally an urban legend.
• Epilepsy = Mental retardation – NOT EVEN. Lots of people with super IQs have seizures.
• Having one means you’ll have another – NOPE. A person could have one severe, grand mal seizure and never have another one.
• Seizures are contagious – ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

But what do you do if someone has a grand mal seizure?

• Keep them from hurting themselves. Make sure they don’t bump into anything, fall off of anything or get near the water.
• Don’t call 911 if it lasts for less than 5 minutes.  Take them to the doctor once the seizure is over. If it does last longer than 5 minutes CALL 911!
• Once the seizure is over, don’t overstimulate the person. This could cause another seizure.
• Let the person rest. Seizures are exhausting and the person will probably sleep for hours.

This week our 7 month old little girl had a seizure. It was 11pm on a Tuesday night and was totally unexpected.

She’d been fussy earlier in the evening and had finally gone to sleep around 7pm, which would usually mean that she slept until after midnight. She woke up and was a little warm, but I was feeding her before I took her temperature because she was so upset. About halfway through her bottle, she got a little fussy so I pulled the bottle away and sat her up.  She got a far away look and became unresponsive. She’d had a seizure while we were in the NICU that was caused by a reaction to medication and my husband and I are both in special education, so we were pretty sure this was a seizure.

After a couple of minutes we called his parents to come stay with the boys while we went to the ER.  But the seizure kept going and getting worse. She started shaking and her eyes started rolling. That’s when we called 911. By the time they got there 5 minutes later, her lips were twitching and her tongue was moving so it looked like she was speed talking.  They worked on her in the ambulance in the back yard for 20 minutes before they could get it to stop, and that involved drilling into her lower leg bone to insert a line and administer medication to make it stop.  The whole thing lasted for at least 30 minutes.

Once we got to the ER, there was the usually flurry of blood draws and whatnot. She had another seizure around 1:30am (perhaps brought on by all of that activity) that lasted for 20 minutes before they were able to stop it with medication in the PICU. She was actually transported upstairs during the seizure because the PICU was so better equipped to handle it.

People enter into a kind of catatonic state after a grand mal. Often there’s a partial paralysis called Todd’s paralysis. Hermione had this on her right side for several hours and wasn’t herself even for short spells for two days.  She slept constantly and ate little, was fed by IV and her eyelids swelled shut from the excess IV fluid.

We’re pretty confident that Hermione’s seizure was febrile. On Wednesday morning I woke up in the PICU at 7am and found her to be a little warm. When the nurse took her temperature, it was 106. Yes, one hundred and six. As her neurologist said, if my temperature was that high I would have a seizure.

Still, this was our second experience with seizures, the other one being likely caused by a medication. So we’re told that she probably has a low threshold. She’s on one of the anti-seizure meds called Keppra.  She was on it before and we don’t like it, we find that she’s not responsive, generally in a bad mood and just not able to make developmental strides on it.  We’re giving her B6 daily to help mitigate the effects, but here’s hoping we’ll only be on it for a couple of months at most.

She’s home now. We never found a cause for the fever, we think it was viral. She’s on a low bit of oxygen (darnit we’d make it without home equipment until now!) but is doing well and we should be off of the O2 in a couple of days. Sleeping a lot but that’s the sickness and the Keppra.

At the end of the day, a seizure is terrifying but nothing to be afraid of. You look at your child and wonder if they’ll ever be them again, if you’ve lost them. One the the most amazing things that I’ve ever seen was her during this – she was still there, in her eyes. I could see here in there, not helpless but fighting it. She wanted it to stop and she was trying desperately.  She’s a tough kid.

Beautiful Baby at the Grocery Store

Just had throw up a quick post to brag.

 

We did our grocery store thing today Three grocery stores – there are two discount chains in the Asheville area, one specializes in health foods followed by just a few leftover things at the big box regular grocery store. We scored some buckwheat noodle ramen as a treat for my oldest, spelt bread, a case of soy yogurt and whole wheat/spelt thin bagels for a fraction of their price at the health food store. Did I mention the two cases of my husband’s favorite soda – Zevia – which is no calories but sweetened with stevia. Got them for less than half price. They are his super treat.

 

We literally got stopped a dozen times for people to marvel at Hermione’s beauty. Seriously – stood in front of the cart so I couldn’t move kind of stopped. She’s just as much a charmer as her brothers were. Even her genetic mutation couldn’t keep the adorable out – I think it’s just making her that much cuter. And we were worried.

This is the definition of a cute baby.

Using a 5K to jump start your fitness

Looking for a way to jumpstart your fitness during this spring? Tis the season for 5Ks!

A 5K equals just 3.1 miles and is an attainable goal for just about anyone, even if you’re sedentary by nature. With a little training, you can find yourself revitalized and proud of yourself.  If you’ve never tried running, it’s something that you should really give a shot. Starting out can be intimidating, but jump in and give it a try!

Six weeks is a reasonable training time for someone who has never run before to go from sedentary to a 5K.  So with that in mind, here’s a basic sample training schedule and how to.

1. Pick your race. Allow yourself six weeks at least, don’t try to cheat the schedule especially if you’ve never run a race before. Runner’s World has a great race finder. 
2. Find a plan that works for you. They’re literally ALL OVER the internet. It can get overwhelming.  I’ve included here a super simple time training plan. Since it’s a time based plan,  all you’ll need is your watch and some decent running shoes in order to get started. This is a real beginner plan and meant for someone who’s never run before. Remember that in the real race, you can walk for portions when you’re unable to continue running.  The idea here is to start small and to increase gradually.
   

   	SUN	MON	TUES	WED	THURS	FRI	SAT
   Week 1	REST	REST	10 min – jog as much as you can, walk when needed	REST	10 min – jog as much as you can, walk when needed	REST	10 min – jog as much as you can, walk when needed
   Week 2	REST	REST	15 min – aim to run for one 5 min stretch	REST	15 min – aim to run for one 5 min stretch	REST	15 min – aim to run for one 5 min stretch
   Week 3	REST	REST	20 min – run for 7 min stretch	REST	20 min – run for 7 min stretch	REST	20 min – run for 7 min stretch
   Week 4	REST	REST	25 min – run for 10 min stretch	REST	25 min – run for 10 min stretch	REST	25 min – run for 10 min stretch
   Week 5	REST	REST	30 min – run for 10 min stretch	REST	30 min – run for 10 min stretch	REST	30 min – run for 10 min stretch
   Week 6	REST	REST	30 min – run as much as you can	REST	20 min – run as much as you can	REST	RACE DAY!!

3. Follow your plan. You’ll find that you’re feeling better and stronger every week.  Running is addictive for most people, so hang in there for those first couple of weeks. Every time you run you’ll get stronger and enjoy it more.
4. RACE!!

 

One of the best parts about doing a 5K is that you can do it with your family and friends. You can also find a cause that you’re passionate about to run for – there are 5K’s for everything from cancer prevention to the Girl Scouts out there. We’re planning to do the Bunny Run on Easter weekend at Lake Junaluska, there’ll be an Easter egg hunt and a half mile fun run for the kids. A great way to encourage family health!

In summary, here are 5 reasons to do a 5K this Spring:

• Jumpstart your health.
• Inexpensive (most 5K’s have an entry fee less than $30)
• Huge sense of accomplishment.
• An attainable, reasonable goal for almost anyone.
• Support a good cause!

Lemonade

I’ve spent the last seven months making lemonade.

It was just over seven months ago that our daughter was born.  That was the biggest odyssey of the last year and she is the defining characteristic of our lives during this time (you can read about our journey in my previous blog posts here).

But that wasn’t the only thing that went crazy during these last eight months.  My grandfather-in-law was hospitalized while my daughter was still in the NICU (he’s in his 90′s and his heart has been compromised from heart attacks for nearly twenty years). My niece had her appendix out. My grandmother, who raised me along with my mother, was in a car accident. Again, all of this was while my daughter was still in the NICU. Then two weeks after she came home that same grandmother was walking across the street to church, which she has been doing for decades, and was hit by a car. In the face – the rear view mirror hit her full on in the face at full speed.  She was being escorted across the street by a gentleman from the church who was untouched. I can’t go into details because the insurance company hasn’t settled yet, but it was and has been horrendous.  She’s 92.  Then two weeks later, a couple of days before Thanksgiving, my husband was informed that he would loose his job at the end of December because he was unable to fulfill his teacher licensure requirements as a result of our time in the Ronald McDonald House at Duke with our daughter.  We were expecting a pay raise and had planned our family budget around it. He lived in a hostile work environment for the next month and was then denied unemployment because they offered him another position (a teacher assistant position which paid too little to justify a 45 min commute each way).  It seemed as though it was all over until the second week of January when my father-in-law was diagnosed with kidney cancer.

There you have it. I feel like the lemons have been falling from the sky for the last half year.

But what do you do when life gives you lemons? You make LEMONADE.

 

For everything that’s happened, nothing has been devastating. That may seem crazy but it’s true.

• Our daughter is surpassing everyone’s expectations. Including ours.
• My grandfather-in-law has slowed down a little but is doing great.
• My niece is minus one small organ but is otherwise an awesome teenager.
• Grandma is still with us! There are long term repercussions from the accident, but she is alive and home. That’s just amazing.
• My husband and I are taking this opportunity to re-evaluate our vision and change our lives.
• My father-in-law had his kidney and the tumor removed at Duke and the cancer had not spread!

For all of the struggles and hard choices and seemingly insane turns of events over the last few months, we are all still here.  Our family has been through the fire and we’re stronger on the other side.

So on this leap day, I’m taking this extra sunrise as a sign that life is beautiful and a gift. Raising a glass of lemonade to all of the strong people in my life who inspire me and to the miracles that I’ve been blessed to witness.

20 reasons to exercise

1. You will NOT live to be 100 if you don’t.
2. It’s addictive.
3. Workout clothes have come a long way.
4. More exercise = less cancer.
5. Our bodies are meant to move.
6. It involves oogling hot guys at the gym.
7. Your children.
8. Your grandchildren.
9. Your great-grandchildren.
10. Fewer real sick days (so you can use those sick days for fun)
11. Your body is real – your TV is not.
12. More exercise means more food!
13. A little goes a long way.
14. Your friends will be impressed.
15. Lower medical bills.
16. Better sex.
17. A sense of accomplishment.
18. Being able to shop anywhere in the mall.
19. You will feel better. (even if it sucks at first)
20. No more guilt about not exercising!

 

A Brief History of Workouts

A Brief History of Workouts.

What a great blog post! Just had to share.

I am a big fan of the Beachbody systems (P90X, INSANITY, Yoga Booty Ballet).  Just like anything, you have to actually follow the system.  Seen lots of folks fail at these systems because they didn’t really buy in and do them as they were prescribed.

Gaiam has some really wonderful dvd’s out there. Their Pilates Mat workouts got me my body back after my second child.

Workouts from books is old school but awesome. I did yoga in high school from this horrible book that looked like a middle school health text. The pictures in it could have been of Debbie Gibson.  Then when I got married, my father in law turned me on to Hittleman’s Introduction to Yoga. Amazing book.  One of the best yoga programs I’ve ever seen. It’s out of print but you can find it readily online.

Product Review – Morningstar Sweet & Sour Chik’n

So I was in the mood for something a little different tonight and, frankly, a little processed.  Thankfully I had this green box in the freezer, as I’d gotten several of these on sale a while back.  Perfect.

Here’s the nutritional breakdown:

• 340 calories
• 14 grams protein
• 6 grams of fat, .5 g saturated fat
• 56 grams of carbs (yikes!)
• 550 grams of sodium (double yikes!)

So the calorie count on this little diddy isn’t too bad.  340 calories is a diet meal. But goodness the carbs and the sodium are both insane.  This definitely falls into the “treat” category.

On the upside, it’s vegan and as vegans know, Morninstar usually isn’t.

It tastes really good actually. Processed and just a hair bit bland, exactly as a TV dinner should be. The texture of the “chik’n” is nice. It’s made from that nice mix of tofu and wheat gluten that has become so popular because it’s so tasty. The rice has got that weird frozen rice texture, but the sauce and veggies are great.

Also in the plus column is that I can cook it in my oven, as we haven’t had a microwave in years.

Overall – something that we’ll keep in the back of the fridge, especially when I can get it on sale!

How to stay hydrated

Water. Your body is mostly water – about 60%!  Arguably one of the most valuable resources on Earth, water is as essential to your ability to survive as air or food. But in our modern society it gets a whole lot of lipservice with folks mostly drinking sugary drinks.

Just. Plain. Water.

First and foremost – just drink water. Learn to develop a taste for it so that you crave it the way that you crave your favorite foods.  Don’t sweeten it. Don’t add things to it to make it more palatable. Buckle down and decide to make a change.  Anything else is really cheating and you’ll find yourself reaching again for that Coke (or Dr. Pepper or whatever).  While sugary drinks do indeed count towards hydration, the hydrating benefits that you’re getting are not outweighed by the negative affects.

Diet drinks are as bad – because they trick your body.  When you drink a diet anything your mouth is sending the message to your brain that you’re getting calories but then they don’t appear in your stomach.  Your digestive system is easily confused so don’t try to play games with it. People who drink diet drinks actually tend to carry more extra weight than those who don’t.

Same goes for sports drinks.  If you’re looking for electrolytes, check out my recipe for a homemade 0 calorie sports drink. You can certainly use sports drinks when you’re training, but don’t rely on them for hydration.

The only exception here is ice. There is some research that shows that cold water actually increases your metabolism. It can also make it more palatable if you’re not used to drinking water.  I often put my metal water bottle in the fridge to get it really cold – I find that it’ll slake that craving for something sugary and sweet and carbonated.

How much?

The eternal question – how much? The conventional wisdom is 8, 8 ounce glasses per day. That’s 64 ounces. It’s kind of hard to vizualize that, so here’s an image for you.

two liters = 67 ounces

That’s right, a two liter a day is roughly equivalent to eight, eight ounce glasses. How easy is that? Pretty easy I’d say.  That’s a half gallon. It’s not much for a bare minimum.

While pregnant with my first child, my midwives instructed me to drink a gallon of water a day.  WHAT?? A GALLON? That sounds like oh so much. They said that the lighter your urine, the better. In fact it’s was a point of pride to have it be almost completely clear.  The darker your urine, the more unhealthy your hydration level. It’s really not that bad! At first you’ll feel like you’re constantly in the bathroom, but after a while your body will adjust. So my recommendation – twice the conventional wisdom if you want to be truly healthy. Aim for a gallon every day.  Especially if you’re pregnant or nursing.

A gallon? How to get there.

• Get a good water bottle, one that you love, and keep it with you all of the time.  Stainless steel, pretty design, whatever keeps you interested. Don’t rely on disposable bottles or glasses. Invest ten or twenty bucks in something you like – it’ll make all the difference.
• Drink on schedule at first. If your bottle holds a quart, then aim for a quart every five hours. If it holds a pint, then a pint every two and half hours. Down it at the end of your allotted time if you haven’t finished it yet.
• Good tasting water. My tap water tastes horrible, so I know I won’t drink if that’s all that’s available.
• Give yourself a week and see how you feel. You’ll notice that you’re more alert, awake and you feel better!

Love your water bottle!

hey mama

hey mama.