Another hospital stay & and a pretty bad MRI
Late this morning, Misty was sitting on couch downstairs and she called to me. She managed to tell me that a seizure was coming on. About ten minutes or so later (we don’t usually get quite that long of a warning) her face started twitching. Imagine an awkward blinking of one eye, combined with an unusual set of mouth and jaw movements. So, I gave her 1 mg of ativan. Nothing happens. She moves into a generalized seizure (whole body is shaking). I put another 1 mg pill of ativan on her tongue (they dissolve in your mouth so you don’t have to swallow). Still no results. This is about the extent of my comfort level with self medicating…we are getting into the “pretty serious” zone. Forty minutes after the seizure started I finally pick her up and put her in the car and speed the 5 minutes to Monmouth Medical Center. Dr. Raval had called ahead so they were ready for us.
Now, it’s about 50 minutes into this generalized seizure by the time we get into a bed and she gets her first shot of Ativan (50 minutes of generalized seizure, really isn’t good for you). Five minutes later, shot number 2. Another five, another shot. And finally, shot number 4. So before the generalized seizure stopped, she had to get a total of 6mg of Ativan (a dose that would have a guy my size out cold for a good day or so). But the drama wasn’t over…that would have been too easy for our lives. Her face was still twitching, so we gave her an IV of some keppra (another seizure medicine) that took a good 20 minutes to infuse. This low level seizure went on for quite a while. Finally, after over 3 hours of seizure, it was over. Well, mostly. A couple short spells popped up later, but for the most part it was over then. Misty was pretty out of it by this point, not able to really communicate at all (not even head nods).
Doctor Raval stopped by late in the afternoon. Tuesday is his day to work in Toms River, or we might have seen him sooner. He pulled me out and took me into a small office there with some of the resident doctors to review Misty’s MRI from yesterday (the highlight of the night was his telling them that they should listen to me because I’m a “mini-neurologist” – hah). Well, unfortunately the day just went from bad to worse. The large part of the tumor (the low-grade area that doesn’t “contrast” on the MRI) is just a little bigger than it was a month ago. The high grade part, however, is significantly bigger. There is a noticeable increase in the high grade tumor. I discussed all her recent symptom improvements with him and he is so surprised that she is doing so well, seeing what he saw in the MRI. It doesn’t seem to make sense. So anyway, that was pretty bad news…but I’m not really worried. I’m really not. No amount of bad news will change the fact that God is in control.
So by that time, it was about 5pm and I finally got her to respond with head nods to my questions (like “are you ok?”, “do you need another blanket?”, “are you hungry?”). She got to see Olivia, who I think was a little freaked out when mommy had a seizure at home and daddy left without a kiss goodbye (we did a good job of keeping her in the kitchen with Misty’s mom…but its not easy to hide things from a smart kid). Misty ate a some fruit snacks by herself and later she fed herself a cheeseburger (thanks Justin for the McDonald’s run) so that was good. She can’t say anything at all but is feeling ok and knows what’s going on. That’s about the best we could hope for after such a seizure (it really was a bad one) and being on the elephant dose of meds that she is.
Which brings us to the present. My belly is full of cheeseburgers and fries…and my heart is a little heavy (not because I’m worried, just because I really wanted to be able to tell the world how Misty is getting better and back it up with a nice improvement in her MRI). Misty has just fallen asleep and is peacefully resting on her side facing me. I have her tucked in pretty snug – the only thing exposed to the surprisingly cold hospital room air is a bit of her head (showing that she has lost about 60% of her hair) and the tips of her recently french manicured fingers (thanks for the manicure, Aunt Shirley). I’m in my ridiculously uncomfortable chair (no recliner like last time) and dreaming of my bed. With all the seizures that she had today, I may end up sitting up and watching her….I feel like I’m on seizure duty.
PS…we always get the craziest roommates in the hospital. As I type this (its about 12:30am), the lady next to me is yelling at everyone who walks down the hall “do you know where my wheels are?!?” – and quizzing every person that comes in the room about her “wheels”. The staff is so nice to her…they all just say “I’ll look and see if I can find them for you”. Ah, never a dull moment.
PSS…It’s kinda like deja vu…except this really did happen. Just over 2 months ago we were in the same hospital for nearly the same reason (read about it – april 26)…and believe it or not, we had the same night nurse: Reny.
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Believing when there is no physical evidence is a lonely and conflicting place to be in. I often feel like I am fooling myself into believing something just to have hope. And then I shake it off and remind myself that we are called to believe when we do not see, and to believe when we do not understand. God has asked me over and over again whose report will you believe? My prayer is that you will stand firm on God’s promise and set your eyes on His report in the midst of all the physical evidence to the contrary.
Geannine
Today is prayer and fasting day, it’s a very important day especially now with Misty not feeling well. We all know that God is watching over her and taking care of her. God is cradling Misty in His arms and taking care of her and healing her. He is the Great Healer. With all our love and prayers to Misty, and you Darren for being the mighty best of the best of husbands, and (”doctor”) for Misty. You are truely an amazing man for all that you do. May God keep you also strong and healthy to care for our loving Misty.
Love and prayers to all of you,
Aunt Amy, grandma, and Lacey~
Read this verse this morning and thought it was appropriate to share with everyone on Misty’s Prayer and Fasting Day:
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him,
on those whose hope is in His unfailing love,
to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
We wait in hope for the Lord,
He is our help and our sheild.
In Him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in His holy name.
May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord,
even as we put our hope in you.
Psalm 33:18-23
Darren, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding….with prayer make your requests known to God and He is faithful and just to answer according to His riches in Glory!! We are praying,all of us are, to move the hand of God on Misty’s behalf. We love you, And I am praying that God will give you rest. Rejoice in the Lord at all times as He is bringing you into a closer relationship with Him. He will make us to soar like eagles in the face of adversity. Prayer is the only answer and this is being fullfilled on a real scale, I know we can move His hand, He shows mercy to those who humble themselves before Him, and I know that this comes when we have to rely fully on Him. You are all always in my heart and on my lips in prayer to Gods ears. Love you three, Dawn
Darren…. praying.
Sheree
I just want you to know that she is in my prayers, as well as my families.
Darren,
Sometimes words are hard to find but I want you to know that I am praying for you and Misty especially hard during this time of recovery from the seizure. You know as I do that you are both in God hands and that is love surrounds you both. God is the great and almighty healer.
Thanks for the pictures of the party for Rich and MAJ T. My prayers are with them too as they take on new assignments and settle in a mew environment.
I will be sending you my thoughts and comments from home from now on since I just retire from WIN_T Increment 1 on Monday, June 30.
Darren, I can only pray for you, Misty and Olivia. I am of a deep faith as you are that God can and does perform mircles and does heal and I know you are all in His care and His hands.
Beth
Hi-
I read your posts about Missy. I must say I thought I was having a bad week and feeling quite sorry for myself the past few days…you know, money problems, kids misbehaving etc….thank you for sharing your stories. You were linked to a blog I read every day and I was intrigued. I am so glad I clicked on it. God does have a plan and Missy’s suffering somehow has a purpose. A confusing, heartwrenching lesson, but God knows what he is doing. Your attitude is inspiring and please know that from a small suburb in Chicago, a family is praying for you all.
[...] 2008 – Misty has a terrible seizure and we end up in the hospital for few days. The report from the MRI doesn’t look good so the doctor gives us an option of [...]
Hi, ive been reading all of your updates and im so overwhelmed. I go to the youth group at Calvary light house and i heard about your wife! First off im very sorry but i no god will heal her as he did me. Last year i was diagnosed with a brian tumor and i had surgery to get it removed they got all they could which is good. I take keppra everyday twice a day just like Misty did. I go for my M.R.I.’s and catscans about every 2 and a half months and all is well. I know god will heal your wife and i will be parying every single day. Ive been prayng every single day since i heard your story from the kids and youth and Pastor Tim and there is such an out pooring of love for your family! Your wife sounds like an incredible women. I can’t wait to meet her when she gets up and walks into the youth group doors! Well i just wanted to say that your family’s faith is such and inspiration. I will be praying for the best of news and i hope that things keep on getting better as im sure they will! God Bless !!