Horse Show

Another year of horse show...another year of fun  
we love our horses so much, we don't want it to be done...

But we are a wee bit tired.

And how was your day?

Summer Stress

I am finally able to take a minute and blog our not so fun adventure in Arizona.  With the summer of sorrow, we had already planned our vacation and the timing couldn't have been better for us.  We were headed to the mountains of Arizona to heal.....or at least that was our intent.
Here is one of the last photos of Caitlyn before everything happened:

We were on the first part of the Bright Angel Trail at the Grand Canyon.  Caitlyn, by her nature is adventurous.  She rides all of the crazy, scary rides at the fair and is willing to ride the hottest horses.  So, it was a bit out of character when she said that the trail was making her dizzy.  She kept her hand to the inside wall and often had to stop.
I called off our hike after the first switch back, figuring the heat had gotten to her, or maybe mild dehydration.  Look in the picture by Caitlyn's hand...a water bottle.  We all had bottles and refilled them often.  In retro spec, it was the on coming menace that was making her dizzy.
Wednesday morning we slept late.  Cait had gotten up earlier, proclaimed a lousy stomach and went back to bed.  I made breakfast for the rest of the troops.  We packed, we enjoyed our last few hours at the lovely cabin.
Caitlyn woke up and said her stomach felt bad.  We only had flavored seltzer water but promised her a ginger ale once we hit the road.
I went up stairs to the loft with her to help her pack and change.  I am so glad I did.
She stood next to me in her bra and in leggings, talking and then her face was confused.  She said, "Wait a sec.." and then her body began an unnatural posture and she began to seize.  There was no other warning.  Her seizure involved full convulsions.  I lowered her to the floor and yelled for Steve to call for help.  Frances, my mother in law,  came up the stairs to help me and Steve had to go outside to get a signal.  Jerry, father in law, herded the boys outside to the backyard.
Frances and I kept Caitlyn from hitting her head and when the seizure stopped, we moved her into a rescue position.  For a full ten minutes, my girl did not wake up.  When she did, she was altered to time and place and was confused.  Her speech was slurred and her eyes rolled.
The paramedics arrived and began to check her sugar level, her blood pressure and other vitals.  They wanted to transport her, which Steve and I agreed with that.  In light of the fact we were in a loft, Steve carried her downstairs to the gurney.  The paramedic went in front of him, "to catch her if you fall.  You're on your own, I am grabbing her."  Steve didn't fall.
By the time we put her on the gurney, she was completely altered and fighting us.  My girl is strong.  I asked if we were going to the center in Williams...which was the closest town.
"No ma'am, Flagstaff".
It was the longest drive of my life.  Caitlyn pleaded with us, she didn't recognize me, to get her mama.  She asked for help.  She was convinced she would die.  I would calm her, remind her she had a seizure and was on the way to the hospital.  I reminded her at least a dozen times, and each time, it was new information to her.
At the hospital, the physician and nurses were waiting just for her.  A room was prepped and waiting, just for her.  The doctor was calm, the nurses reassuring and I felt some relief at landing in such a good place.  I hugged the paramedic when he left.  He had remained calm with Caitlyn during that loud and horrible ride.  He was never put off by her panic, he kept me calm as well.  Carl Goff, you are forever in my prayers.
A C/T scan to check for hemorrhage was ordered...she had hit her head the night before while playing.  I had checked it, but thought it was nothing.
Caitlyn was still fighting so permission was obtained to give her sedation.  A ventilator was brought in on stand by, but she never needed it.
The C/T was promptly performed and was cleared.  A lumbar puncture was ordered.  Through the prep, Caitlyn came to and her doctor wanted her sedated again because "I don't want her to experience or remember this".  About 40 minutes after the punch, results were in meningitis.  We would be admitted to Flagstaff Pediatrics.  She was started on two major anti-biotics, anti-viral and a steroid.  Infectious Disease was brought in.
While waiting for the bed to be prepped upstairs, Caitlyn woke up.  When I say, woke up, I mean my girl was back.  She was convinced it was a bad dream.  We told her it was real.  She then announced (loudly) that she wanted to go home.  She wanted her dog, she wanted her horse and she didn't want to be there.
But. She. Was. Back.
After 36 hours of strong meds, my girl smiled.  She was tired, she had headaches, but she was coming around.

We will never know the exact virus that found it's way to her spine.  We were able to rule out all of the truly serious bacteria and viruses.  Our doctor on the floor, a cheery and wonderful man, said that if he could figure out why some bugs became meningitis, he would win the Nobel prize.  He could say that it was likely the same virus that causes a stomach flu.
We had up moments,

And we had down right worrisome moments:

 But in the end, as the ID doc said, we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Her body healed and on Saturday, we were released.  We made our way down the street to the Taylor House, which offers housing for parents and family with loved ones in the hospital.  There Caitlyn got what she had wanted for days....a bath.  I took her into the sunshine of the lovely garden and let her soak up the warmth and the fresh air.

She slept well that night, no IVs, no monitors, no beeping  and no noises.  In the morning, we woke early and began our trek home.  Dad and Steve met us in Santa Rosa to drive us the last leg, as I was wiped out.
The boys had made welcome banners, Grandma was there with hugs and the dogs were over joyed.

We kept Caitlyn under house arrest for roughly two weeks.  She had fatigue and headaches.  She rested and watched more TV than she ever had in her life. 

In the end, it was a challenging time for us, but we are here by the grace of God.  To everyone that prayed and provided, thank you so much.  Your support was essential to our getting through this so quickly. From meals, to picking up the boys in Gallup, to the prayers,,,,thank you.

We move on to the fall...hopeful for the rest summer didn't provide.

And how was your day?