the difference a day makes...

It always amazes me how small my boy looks in these damn hospital beds. Sammi is at least 6'1" yet when he is in the bed he looks so small and frail.

Yesterday I was up earlier than usual and thot I would start my day 'relaxing' watching the mornig news (something I dont do very often anymore as our TV is in the basement rec room) with my coffee. I came up to the main floor just before the kids usually wake up and sat down to go over my list of 'to do' for the day and Josh came down the stairs saying Sam wanted me.

I was not alarmed as when hSam went to bed he was in fine spirits and healthy .... so up the stairs I go and find him not only sweating as if he had been working out  and the bed sheets soaing with sweat but he was red and a bit 'outta it' (note to self: BUY A THERMOMETER!!!).  Dennis and I got him in the shower, 2 tylenols, a litre of water drank and back to bed. Josh told us that he had heard Sam get up and down all might (I had too but assumed he was getting up to go to the washroom because the boys had drank some gingerale before bed -- and I didnt hear any throwing up or calling for us...) Sam informed us that he was up because he kept feeling like he had to pee but couldn't.

 This made me call the hospital.

They recommended that we bring him in as he is at risk for seizures.I took Sam to the hospital and they took his temp and it kept fluctuating up and down for the entire time we were there, but we got him cooler than when he first woke up. They did got a urine sample from him and blood work to find that he has a severe bladder infection (his white blood cell count was at 19000 and it should be around 11000) and his urine was full of infection. The next job then was for the medical team to find meds to get rid of the infection that would not interfere with his seizure meds...

Thankfully they found one and with the meds and rest Sam will hopefully be noticeably be feeling better by Saturday noon-ish and without a fever. If the fever persists and he is not able to pee or isnt feeling better we need to take him back to the hospital.

Praying he is better today (at med time he was not fevered and said he was peeing a bit better so that made me happy) and continues to get better -- because did I mention that Dennis and I have a holiday booked that we leave for to Jamaica on Sunday? Not going to be able to go or relax if I know our boy is still sick...

Faith Hope Cure

Dennis and I bought 250 purple silicone bracelets with Faith Hope Cure Epilepsy Awareness on them to help spread awareness of ... well Epilepsy in the month of March.

We gave 200 of them to the high school to use for Global Purple Day (which March 26 -- but since our school will be on Spring Break they will be doing Purple Day on March 23) The student council will be selling the bracelets that week and on the 21st there will be an assembly for the 7th graders about Epilepsy and they will be given a bracelet.

The other 50 bracelets I put into 2 businesses in Neepawa- and area available for a donation. One is Curves-- my girlfriend is the owner and they are the business that sponsored Sam in football last year and they also had a box of leaves for TBI Awareness.

The other business is It's Time -- a fabulous clothing store in Neepawa. A friend owns it too and they have supported us with TBI leaf sales also and help spread the word via twitter and Facebook.

All the money raised from the bracelets will be given to Epilepsy and Seizure Association of Manitoba (Esam) The money will be used to help keep the Association spreading awareness, giving out pamphlets on E. education and anything else that is needed. Esam is the place we went to for our 'education' with epilepsy when Sam was first diagnosed and we were given a tremendous amount of help in understanding what we were going thru and what we may face.

Please show your support for Epilepsy survivors and families and wear purple on March 26!