Settling in

I've been hoping for life to settle down for us and had thought we had reached that point what with getting everything unpacked and in place.  We have pretty much made up our mind that we aren't going to stay in Sacramento so that means a move, once again, is in our near future.  Yikes!  Moving is simply not fun.

Our daughter is helping volunteer coach a local recreational synchronized swimming team as they get ready for their championship meet.  As I mentioned before, she is swimming at the Masters level competitively herself.  Sunday evening we went to the rec team's water show. What memories came back while being at the pool seeing all those cute chickies running around with their hair pulled up tightly into buns along with Knox gelatin painted on their hair to make their hair waterproof and stay in place, the sparkling costumes and headpieces, music, and yes, routines.  Oh, those were the days!  Truth be told, we went because we got to see our daughter and her teammates swim one of the routines they are going to compete with in Florida later this year.  John and I really enjoy seeing how happy she is being on the pool deck once again.  

Monday certainly proved to be a trying day.  We went to the Fitness Center in the morning; John was on the recumbent bike and I on the elliptical machine.  About 24 minutes in to the workout, I happened to look over at John and noticed that all was not well with him.  Sure enough, he was having another seizure.  Dang it . . . was so hoping that the first one was just a fluke.  Luckily, there were three guys in there and they got John safely to the floor (bless them).  911 was called and by the time they got there, John was back with us and sitting up.  This seizure was somewhat different from the first and seemed to last a bit longer.  The paramedics sort of pressured John in to being transported to the hospital to be checked out.  The neurologist told us that if John had another seizure, to just make sure that he was safe and as long as the seizure didn't last over five minutes or come in waves, that 911 didn't need to be called.  I had mixed emotions because I knew it was a seizure but John (who wasn't thinking clearly) agreed to be transported.  Once there, they did blood work, an EKG, and a chest X-Ray.  Once again, John is confirmed as a healthy specimen (yea) and that, yes, it appears to have been another seizure.  The ER doctor deferred treatment to John's neurologist as he knew John had an upcoming appointment.  While waiting to get in to ER to be with John, I called the neurologist's office to advise him that John had another seizure.  We learned this morning that the neurologist wants to see him on Thursday.  Guess this means medication will begin as well as the official diagnosis of epilepsy (two or more seizures in a short period of time tips one over the edge).  

Caffeine is not suppose to be good for someone with seizures so John took over a couple of 12 packs of Diet Coke over to the office to share (get rid of) and the staff asked how he was doing etc.  John was a bit embarrassed as I think he thought he would remain anonymous; no such luck honey lol!

One thing that I have learned in this whole seizure business is that most people think all seizures involve convulsions.  They do not.  Grand Mal seizures are the ones with convulsions.  John is not having those type of seizures; thankfully, as what he does experience is tough enough.  For those who wonder if epilepsy runs in John's family, we are wondering that ourselves.  John's sister was diagnosed with Simple Partial Seizures at the age of 58/59. John is now 58.  Interesting coincidence isn't it.  Her symptoms are totally different from Johns' as she gets a warning (aura) and doesn't lose consciousness.  The good news is that medication works for her.  Losing consciousness causes one's driving privileges to be revoked  - period.  For the record, John has not driven and will not be driving anytime in the foreseeable future.  That is one limitation that he is fine with as he doesn't want to cause harm to us or anyone else.

We don't know if the exercise brought on the seizure because John works out hard and might have tripped something or if it was going to happen anyway at that time.  From what I've read, I'm not sure if the neurologist will even know.  The sleep deprived EEG along with three minutes of hyperventilating was suppose to trigger a seizure and it didn't.  I'm wondering if they should do another EEG with John working out on a stationary bike.  Maybe that would help them learn where in the brain misfiring is happening.  No harm in asking the doctor.  

The brain is very complex and something like 70% of all seizure problems can't be readily diagnosed as to a cause.  Not very comforting is it?  Especially in wanting a "fix" for your loved one.  Some of the medications side effects can be worse than the seizures so we have been told - great.  I just pray that the medication will help arrest the seizures once started. By the way, thanks for your thoughts and prayers, please keep them coming this way.  They are great medicine for the two of us.  :)

Adjusting to this new way of life is tough on both of us.  So many things that John loves to do, he now can't.  I now worry about the next seizure and where/when will it happen.  After this second seizure (45 days from the first seizure), we both felt vindication in our decision to sell the fifth wheel (some might have thought we were a bit hasty).  The truck was sold today and I'm driving a new to us 2011 Ford Fusion SEL.  What a change from the truck lol.  The last major piece of our former lifestyle is now gone.