You read that right..Viral Meningitis! I mean, who really gets meningitis!?! We do apparently!
Last Sunday, after Ezra's first tball playoff game, Ezra started complaining that he had a headache. I gave him some Tylenol and we ate dinner. He didn't really mention it again and ate all his dinner. So, that evening we decided to go to the pool and go swimming a little bit before bed. He swam and had a good time. Towards the end of swimming he started crying, saying his head hurt really bad. We decided to go home and have him drink some water and Gatorade, thinking he was a little dehydrated from playing in an afternoon ball game. He couldn't drink much because his head hurt so bad. SO, we decided to just get jammies on and hit the sack. While getting his jammies on, I was getting the girls in a quick bath, I went back in to check on him. He mentioned to me that he felt like throwing up, so I was getting him off his bed to take him to the bathroom. Well, he just started throwing up everywhere. When he finally stopped, I threw him in the bath to rinse off and see if that would make him feel better. I was a little nervous about him sleeping in his own room so I had him sleep on a little crib mattress by our bed. I am so thankful I did. About every hour or two, he woke up complaining that his head hurt so bad, a few minutes later he would run to the bathroom and throw up. It went like this until about 330 in the morning. The next morning/day, he stayed in the same spot, barely waking up. We would wake him up to give him sips of water, but he barely woke up and would go right back to sleep. Around 2 I got worried. I just had this feeling something isn't right. So, I called the DR and talked to them about his symptoms. They told me to take him to the ER because they were concerned about his headaches and the fact that he hadn't urinated in 12+ hours. Brent was working, so I called my dad and his wife to see if they could watch the girls while I took Ezra to the ER. They immediately came over and off I went. I was so nervous, and doing it by myself, but I truly thought I would take him in for IV fluids, he would perk up and we would be back home by dinner. NOT THE CASE! After a round of IV fluids..nothing changed. He was still pretty lethargic and complaining of a headache. The DR made him sit up and move his head/neck around. After looking over some things and getting bld work back from lab work, he decided that he need to do a SPINAL TAP to test for meningitis. I lost it! Meningitis was not even on my radar and Brent was still not with me! I called Brent to let him know what was going on and that he needed to come as soon as he could. I asked the DR "well, what if it's just a cold or sinus infection??" He said, "it could be but I would be doing you a disservice if I didn't do this". The whole time I was in the ER room, I was praying over Ezra and wisdom for the doctors, so I had to trust that. They came in to do the spinal tap and I was still by myself. That was one of the hardest things I had to watch as a mom! My sweet boy was so out of it that he barely moved/flinched when they did it. But they still had to have a guy basically strong arm him to keep him still. I could not hold it in. I was BAWLING. Still makes me cry writing this!!
After the spinal tap, we had to wait and hour for the results. Results were.. MENINGITIS! But now the real scary part, waiting to see if it was viral or bacterial. We were praying for Viral. They were concerned that it was going to be bacterial because the WBC in his spinal fluid was 743, which is extremely high and an indicator of bacterial. While waiting, I knew Ezra was exactly where he needed to be so I was able to have a peace about that. My next fear was the girls. What if it was bacterial?? Do my girls need to come in and be tested and treated?? Waiting.. that was hard. The previral test came back positive, meaning that it was probably viral, but they needed to admit him and treat him with IV antibiotics just in case. The tests usually take 48 hours to get true culture results.
With the girls taken care of, we spent the night in the hospital praying the tests would come back viral and that we would be able to go home sooner than later. On Tuesday, we didn't get to see the DR until around 430. He was about 90% certain it was viral because the enterviral test came back positive but that they were still concerned because of his WBC. So, he called in a specialist and she agreed that we should stay another night to make sure the actual test came back negative.
Tuesday night was the 1st night of our church summer bible study that I was facilitating and leading. With the girls being taken care of, Brent being able to stay with Ezra, I decided to go. It was a great break from emotional ride I had just been on. I know God wanted me to be there. I shared my story with the ladies and how there is a difference from just KNOWING God and Trusting and BELIEVING God. And through this experience, I had to cross that point once again. I couldn't just know the verses I know and know that our God is a big God, but TRUSTING and BELIEVING those things! After I was done with my part, I had a lady in the crowd raise her hand, so I called on her and she asked if they could all pray over me for Ezra and our family. Yes, thank you! So, Ericka got up and prayed for me while 240 LADIES extending their hands toward me! That is the POWER OF PRAYER!!
The next morning, Wednesday, the doctor called me around 830 in the morning to say Ezra's test came back NEGATIVE for bacterial Meningitis and that he was going to be discharged at 10AM! PRAISE GOD!!
Since then, Ezra has had the best/fastest recovery. He came home Wednesday feeling back to normal but was still a little tired. Thursday morning he was 100% back to NORMAL and hasn't slowed down since. It is so crazy!! He played in his championship game Thursday and swam in a swim meet Saturday. He was running around all over the house Thursday so we thought, "whats the difference". I have to remind myself he was in the hospital this week and SO SICK.
I truly believe it's only because we serve a BIG GOD!! Thank you everyone who lifted our family up in prayer!! We love you and are so blessed by you!
He was so lethargic and out of it..i can't even tell you how scary that was
Doing crafts to pass the time. Methodist Children's is the BEST
Finally going home!!
