Just breathe...

I guess I'm finally taking a moment to just breathe and relax.  So much of my energy has gone into worrying about Beau this past week that I seemed to neglect my own feelings and emotions.  I guess as a parent you seem to go on "auto pilot" and you let the adrenaline carry you through.  It's what happens after the adrenaline wears off that can be hard to deal with.  You're so grateful that the hard time is over but you now deal with the after effects.  There are a lot of questions that go through your mind when your child is ill, sick or in an emergency situation.  I think the thing I'm having the hardest time coping with is that there isn't a concrete answer as to why Beau had such a prolonged seizure.  I want to know "why"?  I believe there is a multitude of reasons for the horrible seizure.  He was having mini seizures for the last month.  His neurologist had increased his carbamazepine (Tegretol) as a result.  They couldn't go any higher on his Keppra-he was already at the max.  He'd also been having ear infections the past 2 weeks.  For his first ear infection, they put him on omnicef.  A week later the other ear was infected.  That time, the doctor prescribed, azithromycin.  We were at the end of the round of azithromycin when the seizure occurred.  Here is where I feel I made an error; I didn't read the drug insert when I got it from the pharmacy.  Beau had taken azithromycin previously - but he wasn't on carbamazepine when he did.  The neurologist informed me that azithromycin can inhibit some of the absorption of carbamazepine, lowering his seizure threshold.  I put my faith in the local doctor but mostly in the pharmacist to know that interaction.  I shouldn't have had to read the insert, but I have learned my lesson!  Not very far into the insert is the warning about carbamazepine and how it's absorption can be affected by the azithromycin.  Word to the wise - don't ever expect that your physician or your pharmacist will catch those things for you.  I guess I've known for quite some time now that you have to be your own advocate but this locked it in for me.  There is no way to know that this was the exact cause of the seizure.  I don't believe it was completely, as I think there were other factors involved.  The fact is, it happened and now we move forward and pray that God will give Beau a little reprieve from the crappy days he's been having.  Once again, I am amazed at Beau's strength, resiliency and ability to smile through it all.  I can't believe how lucky we are to have such an inspirational and amazing child. 

In the ER.  The seizure had finally stopped and he's out like a light.

After several rounds of vomiting after arriving at the U of I, he got some meds to help stop it and was finally able to sleep.

The day after; exhausted but still wanted to ride around the unit in a wagon.

This picture says it all - sooooo tired.

Beau with "bampa" Ron, who came to visit.

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
-- Albert Einstein