#4 The worst day

Usually Baron’s seizures are considered mild grand-mal. This means that while the seizure manifests as foot paddling, over all body convulsions, open mouth and loss of bladder control it only lasts a minute or less (any seizure lasting less than three minutes is considered mild). When this happens he goes through the typical post-ictal phase. During this phase he usually suffers from loss of depth perception, disorientation, confusion, anxiety and restlessness. This phase can last anywhere from ten minutes to one hour.

There has been one occasion where Baron went into what is referred to as status epilepticus (seizures lasting more than five minutes). When he first started seizing I treated him as I normally would, he came out of it and I thought everything was normal. But, within a few minutes he was seizing again. I again followed the plan prescribed by my vet and gave him more medication.  This went on with him seizing and stopping for about an hour. I had given him as much medication as I could; it was time to get to the emergency vet.

I can honestly say that was one of the hardest drives I have ever made. I had to make the 45-minute drive by myself while my sweet boy lay in the back of my car, the seizures becoming more and more violent with less time in between each one.

I had already called the emergency veterinary office and they knew I was on my way. By the time I got there they were ready and waiting. During the drive there poor Baron had lost control of his bladder and bowels several times on the blanket I had put him on. He vets met me at the door with a fresh sheet. They scooped him up and we rushed inside. They immediately started hooking him up to machines and starting him on IV medications.  Within ten minutes of our arrival they had put Baron in a medically induced coma.

When the doctor came out to talk to me he said it would be rough going for a while. They were unsure if there was going to be brain damage or if Baron would even survive.  They said if he had the will to fight they would do as much as I wanted them to. They let me sit with my boy for a while; in spite of the coma the seizures hadn’t stopped completely but they were much less frequent and a not nearly as violent.

When the time came for me to go home I was feeling heart broken. I had made a plan with the vet that they would stay with him overnight and would call with an update first thing in the morning, unless things got bad during the night. If that was the case they would call right away.

 I was dreading the drive home- alone, heart broke, and in a stinky car. When I walked out to my car I noticed that it had been moved closer to the building. The kind receptionist came up behind me with my keys in her hand. She said “I hope you don’t mind. I cleaned up the mess in the back for you.” I cried all over again. Her kindness was so unexpected.

The following five days were horrible. I went to visit Baron frequently; he was taken out of the coma on day three but was still having mild seizures. He had lost weight, and the only fluids he was taking in were through the IV. They said he only perked up while I was there- so I stayed with him. On day four I slept in the waiting room, waking up to feed and water him throughout the night. Finally on the morning of the fifth day the vets decided Baron was well enough to come home. 

                                                      Coming home!

                                                        1 year later

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