First, just prior to that, I thought I'd change the format on the blog and make it nicer. Well that didn't work and I made a mess of it. I messed up the background and the posts. I still haven't been able to fix most of it and some posts are missing. So I am leaving it alone for now.
OK, now about my absense...
My son Henry, who is 19, will be starting college the end of August at the University of Montana (UM) in Missoula, about 140 miles from here. I took him to orientation, which was scheduled to last for 3 days. We left early in the morning of the first day and got there in time to find where we were supposed to be before it started.
Everything went well and it was about 10 pm when we got to my friend's house to spend the night. We planned to stay there 4 nights before coming home.
We got up in the morning, had breakfast and headed back to the UM. You can't get a cell signal at my friend's house, so I was going to check my phone as soon as we got to the UM.
There was road construction along the way and we were delayed, so we were late when we arrived. I dropped Henry off and went to find a parking space. I kept thinking I needed to check my phone, but once I got parked I spaced it until I got into my class, late. Then my phone started vibrating. I waited about 15 minuted until the class was over and hurried out to check my messages.
There was a panicked, incoherent message from my husband Jerry, I couldn't comprehend. He handed the phone off to our 12 year old son Leif, who told me the paramedics were there and working on our 16 year old son Harrison, who had had a seizure and they were taking him to the hospital. The message was from 7:30 am. Then the next message said they were in the hospital and they might have to keep him there for a few days.
OK, by this time I am a wreak. I am shaking, crying and totally panicking, but manage to call Jerry. It is 9:30 am. Jerry said the Dr. had just left and Harrison was responding, but had memory loss and that they were going to release him to go home in about an hour anyway. I have got to get home.
Now Jerry hadn't told anyone that he is legally blind and can't drive. They put Harrison in a wheel chair for Jerry to wheel him out...they assume to his car.
So Jerry just kept a pushing the wheel chair all the way home, 3/4 of a mile, uphill.
In the meantime...I am trying to figure out what to do. Henry is in his class, which was separate from the parent classes and I don't know where he is. So I call my son Peter (21) who lives there and wake him up because he worked late. I ask him how fast he can get up and dressed and meet me, take over for me and tell Henry what happened, when he finds him and take care of him until I can come back to get him.
Twenty minutes later Peter was there. I handed him my schedule, lunch ticket and parking permit, moved my car so he could take my spot, hugged and kissed him, told him I loved him, thanked him and left.
I was home in an hour and a half, about half an hour after Jerry and Harrison.
We are still going the rounds with Dr's. So far no one knows anything. We have more appointments ahead. Harrison has regained almost all of his memory, but only knows what he has been told about what happened. He only remembers waking up in the hospital. There have been a couple odd things going on with him, that have made him realize that there is really a problem.
I have him on a short leash (figuratively). I am afraid to let him out of my sight in case something else happens. I told him if I had my way, he'd wear a life jacket to take a bath. I make sure someone is with him at all times. It was Leif who realized something was wrong in the first place and went and woke up Jerry.
The consensus of opinion is; that because Harrison is an avid skateboarder, he probably smacked his head a few too many times, which may have caused his seizure. The CAT scan and tox screen were both negative and the EEG "normal", so we really know nothing. We continue to hang in limbo with Harrison, who is being a good sport about not skateboarding and me being over protective.
And...FYI...I have 6 boys, aged 12 - 30 and 2 girls, 32 and 34.
The picture is of Harrison a week later telling me "I'm OK Mom".
I hope you are having a great summer or winter...depending where you are.
Carolyn
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