Each test and step Charles takes is one step closer to finding out where EXACTLY the seizures are coming from in the brain. So, we went back to the hospital for another 1-week EEG, but also added SPECT this time. He did great. I slept every night at the hospital. One night, I woke out of the dead of sleep at 3am (which I never do) and sat up and immediately thought I needed to check on Charles. I ran to his bed and he was barely conscious, I immediately hit the seizure button AND the nurse call button and they came in. 2 Nurses totally panicking, and one asked the other under her breath "should we call 'code blue'?" I said ?WHAT?! If you're thinking about, then DO IT!" I texted my mom (she sleeps with her cell and Ken and I don't) to call Ken (and he was there within 13 minutes - it's a 20 minute drive). About 30 doctors, nurses, specialists, etc were there within a minute, all working on him. His nurse did chest compression as they couldn't get a strong pulse. He was ultimately okay, but what a TERRIFYING experience. They don't use heart/pulse/oxygen monitoring as a regular practice on the EMU floor (Epilepsy Monitoring Unit). Everybody asked how did I know to get up, my response is "God woke me up". That's all I can say to explain it.
That night (actually morning now) after things settled down, an Epileptologists by the name of Dr. Pramote Laoprasert called me to explain that he reviewed his EEG from the night and that he was okay (obviously not super great though). He had a grand maul while sleeping, which has not happened to our knowledge. He had a thick Thai accent and I was probably impatient and unkind based on the horrible night we had just had, but it was also hard to understand him (since it was on the phone and lots of people around) and I was exhausted being up half the night. That was our first introduction to Dr. Laoprasert, which would later become our "favorite doctor ever".
Charles got lots of fun gifts that week from friends, neighbors, family members, etc. One of his favorites though has been a patchwork (I Spy) blanket that my best friend Annie West made him. It's been a GREAT conversational piece whenever he has hospital visitors, staff, etc. The Child Life ladies stopped by one day and helped him give his bear an IV....it was VERY entertaining.
