Yesterday Conor, his mother and I went to the Superstore on Main Street in Fredericton. As we moved to the express cash to pay for our purchases Conor began convulsing and a full scale tonic clonic or grand mal seizure was underway. I was able to hold him carefully as he fell to the floor to prevent head injury, placing him on his side so he would not choke. A shopper, who happened as it tourned out to be a paramedic, came by and provided assistance, including timing the convusions which lasted approximately 3 minutes. and providing assessment commentary as Conor recovered. The 3 minutes of convulsions and subsequent recovery time may not seem like much but if you are holding your son's head up off the floor while he convulses on the floor of a busy grocery store it can seem much longer.
Three well trained employees of the Superstore also provided assistance directing shoppers away from our immediate area towards a different cash, forming a line between us and other shoppers, getting a thick blanket for under Conor's head, offering moral support and suggestions, making a wheelchair available for when Conor was ready to be moved to my car, and actually accompanying us to our car in the parking lot.
Thank you to the Superstore who had trained staff on site to assist in seizure situations, thank you to the 3 employees who provided assistance and support and thank you to the paramedic who happened to be shopping in our immediate vicinity as Conor begain convulsing.
Thank you everyone.
Oh Harold I'm so sorry. I hope Connor is ok. I know EXACTLY how you feel. Indeed those three minutes seem like a lifetime. The tonic clonic seizures, no matter how many a parent experiences or how well trained and calm you force yourself to be, is something we as parents never get used to. It's so unbelievably scary each and every time. Does Connor have any obvious triggers? For our child it can be heat, illness and at times just out of nowhere. It's so hard to always be on guard.
ReplyDelete3 minutes is an inconceivably long time! When Wulf went for two minutes I thought that was interminable... Caveat parent: ask the neuros about possible implications for O2 levels... Also, have you discussed PRN medications for immediate response to prolonged seizures?
ReplyDeleteI find that, for the most part, people are very kind.
ReplyDeletedo they have like medical train persons that deal with the disabled in Canada I know they have those kind of people where I live in California if the disabled person has serious medical problems they can be basically watch 24/7.what about respite care to give you and your wife a break from handling a sick disabled child maybe you guys should look into.many stores have AED devices and first aid kit I hope the one you went to did.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear that Conor has had another seizure. I hope that he is doing well and everything is okay.
ReplyDeleteI am so heartbroken for what you are going through. I know this situation well. It's frustrating and mindboggling. You just want these seizures to be cured. Hang in there Harold. God bless you and your wife for your years of endless advocacy and awareness into the subcultural of autism and epilepsy.
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