Sunday August 21, 2005

Sunday August 21, 2005 Scott couldn’t stand it and decided to go back to the hospital at 1:00 A.M. When he arrived he was passing Zack’s room headed to the nurses station to tell them he was there when he heard Zack crying. When Scott walked into his room Zack stopped and looked puzzled. He told Scott he had a bad dream, and then he smiled real big and started laughing. He said he was glad his Dad was there and Scott said they had great conversation. He was laughing a lot at Dad’s goofy jokes, like when a nurse would come into the room Scott would tell Zack that he use to date her. He thought that was really funny. He said he remembered golfing with his Dad in Hilton Head. Scott was there for breakfast while I went to the church with the girls. He said Zack seemed so clear minded and had good manners (probably not what I would think was good manners). I arrived after church to relieve Scott and ran into Dr. Raff from Infectious Decease Control who was caring for Zack at University Hospital. I asked him to come by and see how well Zack was doing since he hadn’t seen him since he came to Frazier. Dr. Raff was very pleased with Zack’s progress and when it was time for him to leave I wanted to get a picture. At 1:15 I asked Zack to stand up and when he did he had another attack (I don’t how else to refer to it). He was dizzy, blank stare like he wasn’t “there” and his body went limp. Dr. Raff said he felt like Zack had a “Petit-mal absence seizure” so he went to the nurses station and wrote an order for a Neurologist to come see him. I was so glad that Dr. Raff was there because the three times this happened yesterday there were no doctors or nurses around to see it. Dr. Raff left and Zack continued to visit with his friends Tiffany and Brittney. At 1:30 he stood up again and had another attack. This time his eyes rolled back into his head and his legs were shaking. I yelled for Holly (our nurse again today) and was grateful the girls were there with me. We sat him down and he said he didn’t feel good, was still dizzy, his head hurt and his eyes hurt. Holly took his blood pressure while he was laying back in his recliner (100 over 70). Then she had him sit up and it dropped to 84 over 60. Holly still thinks this is related to his blood pressure and not seizures, but she told me a Neurologist would be coming today to check him out. Zack kept watching the clock and asked me, “When are we leaving”. I asked him where are we going and he answered “therapy”. He was not happy when I explained that it was Sunday and he didn’t have any therapy. We decided to take him down to the conference room for our own form of therapy. There was a game board with big holes to throw beanbags in and a large bulls eye made of Velcro. Zack worked at both for 30 minutes and even threw with his right arm a lot. While we were there the Copeland’s came to see Zack. Mr. Copeland was his Spanish teacher last year and Mrs. Copeland had him for History. They talked with him for a while and went back to his room with us. I told Mr. Copeland that Zack had been speaking Spanish and he was very pleased. Mr. Elrod from Southeast Christian Church came to pray and give Zack communion at 3:30. I was visiting with my sisters (Rosemare and Colleen) when Dr. Holmes (neurologist) arrived. He talked with me about when the attacks occur (always when he goes from a sitting position to standing), examined Zack and read his chart. He doesn’t think that it is seizures but rather “automonic dysfunction” (the regulation of blood pressure). We need to expand Zack’s vascular volume and the best way to do that is with fluids. We need to offer him drinks frequently and he could use salt to help him retain liquids. If that doesn’t work they may give him sodium tablets or start him on the drug Florinef, which will help regular his blood pressure. I am just relieved they don’t think it is seizures.
Zack is going through a lot of clothes. He is a messy eater, has accidents and has learned how to open his G tube, which spills the liquids from his stomach. I can’t wait until it can be removed on Sept 2nd (six weeks after it was installed). At 5:30 Zack had his third attack and I was thankful that Blake (one of his friends from CAL) was here. I grabbed Zack from the front when he started to go down and Blake grabbed him from the rear as he was slipping through my arms. We sat him down and had him drink some cranberry juice. I don’t like this new aspect. It is scary to think that any time Zack stands up quickly he could pass out and someone might not be able to catch him. Now I am paranoid about always asking him if he needs something to drink. His dinner arrives and so do other visitors. I have to send everyone to the conference room while he eats which he does pretty quickly. Later Andrew was throwing the football with Zack and I asked him if he remembered who brought him the football. I showed him the picture of Dale and Addison giving him the football that the whole team had signed, asked him who Dale was and he replied “dufus” and laughed. Sorry Dale but he has not lost his sense of humor. Kaitlyn and her Mom bring Zack a Key Lime pie, his favorite, and he devours a big piece. He enjoys his friends as much as ever but especially on the weekend when he doesn’t have therapy. He gets bored now and I am sure that will intensify the depression. I am so grateful to all the people who visit, help us out at home and school and all those who are praying. I made a list the other day of the countries that were praying for Zack and was amazed; New Zealand, Ireland, Poland, Honduras, India and Cuba. And there are many churches across this country praying for us. I feel so fortunate being a member of a large church like Southeast Christian because I know many people there that don’t know us have been praying since the beginning. It reminds me of the song we sang today, “you set me inside your family and called me your own”. I truly feel like part of God’s family and I know he will take care of his children. Continue to pray for Zack’s complete recovery in Gods own time. Pray that depression will be fleeting and wisdom for the doctors as they manage his blood pressure. I have faith that when Zack recovers all will see how great is our God!