Rough, Tough and Tumble

(Pictured above are our boys, "Rough", "Tough" and "Tumble")

Yesterday was a blur and yet seared so vividly in our minds that and I don't think we will ever forget the events and emotions.

The morning began early with P coming in right before 6 am to alert us to a nightmare he had just had.  Strange but not completly out of the ordinary.  At 8:15, when his alarm clock turned green, he tumbled out of bed to come down for his "usual" (warmed milk in a coffee mug with a green straw). Strangely, he did not drink his milk or even ask about breakfast (REALLY not like our boy who's a lover of food), it was that point I knew something was a bit strange.

He laid for a long time without moving on the couch (again, out of character for our very energetic 4 year old) and I finally took his temp.  The first of many checks yesterday that indicated a high temp.

He went in and out of sleep right there in the middle of the family room -- in the midst of a lively 9 month old and 6 year old. At one point he said that he did not want to watch his show that was on tv or listen to his favorite Pandora station...once again, strange.

I e-mailed my sweetheart to alert him to P's illness and also to ask if he could work from home in the afternoon so that I did not have to drag him to the dermatologist for T's apt.  Thankfully, he wrapped things up and brought work home so he could be with P.

Once he was home, I left with T to get answers at the dr as to why his skin is getting white spots on his feet, legs, tummy, neck, and now face. 

We did receive answers.  If I understand it right, T has a skin disorder that's causing his body to fight the pigmentation.  Not contagious but is often permanent.  And worse, will continue to spread.  There are 2 different treatments that help with some of the people who have this condition. 

One that is a prescription topical cream ($55 a tube with insurance) and the other is light therapy (not always covered by insurance).  We began the former and hope to reverse the already changed pigments on his face and neck.  Feet and legs are a lot more resistant to the meds and will most likely never be able to respond to treatment.

Here's T's right foot...the left one is just as discolored as well. 

While there, the dr saw a mole on T's back that had one of his white spots on top of it.  He said that for whatever reason, when a suspicious looking mole is coupled with a white spot, it is more likely to be a melanoma.  He waisted no time in removing the mole to have it biopsied.  We will hear more by the end of next week on that report.

Our T has so many amazing qualities, quietly suffering through pain is not one of them.  He, however, shocked me with his bravery as they cut it out and stitched him up. 

The whole way to the dr, he was nervous that he would need shots and I reassured him that his white spots would require no such thing.  MAN did I underprepare my little boy for his visit!  Just one of those things...

On the way home I called my sweetheart to fill him in on the whole diagnosis with his white spots and also his mole biopsy and possible melanoma.  His phone went straight to voice mail.  Figuring he was on a work call, I left a quick message. 

Several minutes later, I pulled up to our house I noticed an ambulance in front and our front door wide open. 

My thoughts immediately flooded as to why the ambulance was at OUR house.  T spoke before I could find words.  He seemed excited to have an ambulance at our house, innocently inaware of its indication.

I was greeted by my sweeteheart as I walked in.  He was calm and spoke quietly.  It seeemed like time stopped yet I was spinning.  I couldn't grasp what he was saying.

He explained that P is on the floor in the family room and that he's being checked out by EMTs.  He's ok and is stable. 

He had a seizure.

A seizure. 

Seriously??

Immediately my mind pictured our 4 year old falling and going limp.  It was more than I wanted to take in. 

I walked in and saw his little 4 year old body laying on his side with all his clothes removed (to bring his body temp down).  He was really quiet and still but did look at me.

Thankfully, it was my calm husband that was home instead of me.  He was right behind him when he began to stagger then fall.  His eyes rolled back and he began to tremble then became dispondant for several minutes.  With a call to 911, my sweetheart was able to know what to do until the ambulance arrived.

The EMT's filled me in with his vitals and some of the other details I had not yet gotten.  I then quickly rattled off that T had a bipsy, stitches and possible melanoma along with a skin condition that is permanent and possibly not curable.

I ran up to nurse our baby then brought him down from upstairs where he'd been napping during this whole thing.

One EMT looked at our baby then at me and could not help but ask something like, "what's his story?" 

It took me a moment to realize that he was referring to the helmet.  I think he wondered if Baby Boy was healing from brain surgery or a head injury, something really serious -- THAT would have really been hard considering our other 2 boys were in the midst of health challenges. 

I smiled and reassured him that he was actually indeed our best off at the moment of our 3 boys.  (I just have to wonder what was going through his head!)  Here stood our boys as they appeared at the moment, "Rough" (P), "Tough" (T) and "Tumble" (S)...

Next, P was sent to the ER with further monitoring, blood tests and an IV for dehydration.  Several hours later was were released with no answers as to the strange, high fever.  However, the seizure was confirmed to have been caused from P's high fever.

As of  a couple of hours ago, P still has a fever.  His fever has come and gone today but we've noticed that when the Tylenol runs out, the temp begins to climb much higher.  He has been complaining of a sore throat and tummy, as he says "behind his belly button".  No other signs indicate a stomach bug thus only leaving us guessing.

I'll post any updates when we have them for either T or P...prayers are much appriciated.

Thank you.