Every Day is FryDay: Day 25 (21 days till Easter!) Lenten Journey

Today is PART 2 of "Carter's Journey" . Which, in our family's case, is a part of our Lenten Journey as well. Because this Lenten Season we are filled with SO much happiness and thankfulness. I almost wish I could go away for 40 days and just thank God for giving us this precious boy back....here is the rest of his story (well, from where I left off! his story is continuing!)

After the Cullens trip back from Cincinnati, things did not improve. They had more information but that's about it. Carter was on many medicines. Some so strong that he had to have OTHER medicines to counteract those that could harm his liver, etc. It seemed all they did was crush pills and (try) and hide the taste in applesauce! Things were going ok., but not great. Probably in the late summer, Carter started having even MORE drop seizures. It seemed he couldn't do anything without that little head dropping (and hitting something). Katie was getting bigger (pregnancy-wise, let me make that clear! LOL) and Ella Kate was in the middle of the "terrible twos".AND, they were 3 hours (not counting traffic) from our front door. Not bad , EXCEPT, we are talking "Atlanta traffic". (you know how people in Alabama talk constantly about the weather? too hot/tornadoes/not enough rain/too much rain?)---well people in Atlanta talk constantly about THE TRAFFIC. with good reason. It is the worst I've ever seen. Right up there next to L.A. (and I don't mean Lower Alabama)!So, it isn't easy to "hop on over to Atlanta" for a visit. And, not too easy to pack up 2 kids and "hop home" either. I can't remember the date, it was in the Fall, but one morning Carter woke up and "didn't seem right" per Katie. He was like "in a fog"/ having LOTS of seizures, and having trouble talking. Jon was fixing to go to work and he felt the same way. In fact, it was so bad, they went to the hospital with him. (to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Scottish Rite). PANIC for us. Ella Kate could not go!

Kelley to the rescue!

So, my sweet DIL, Kelley, offered to drive me over there--get Ella Kate and bring her back. Jon/Katie took Ella Kate with them to the hospital/ Jon sat in the car while we drove there and got her. (the only snafu of the trip was we went in the wrong parking deck and drove around in it---trying to get out for 15 minutes! HAHA!)! they admitted Carter and started more tests. More MRI's/ More Cat Scans, etc. (they actually SENT THEM HOME, shouldn't have, they were back in hospital in a day). Anyway, he was lethargic/ didn't even mind being in hospital/ slept a LOT. And having LOTS of seizures. During this time, I was so pulled. I had EK but I wanted to be both places!!! My (very) pregnant daughter and many times alone with Carter b/c Jon had to run into work. Enter the DIVA. Natalie, (daughter #1) , called and told me "i want to go to the hospital. I've arranged things with the kids and I want to go and help". So off the girl went, to my GREAT relief. I knew Katie needed some "girl talk. Some crying. Some comforting. Some advice". (and of course, I was texting them both constantly. LOL). Thankfully for her, Natalie had never seen Carter have a seizure. Unfortunately that was to change. OH and in the middle of all this??? My sweet mother, MIMI, age 101, was going downhill. Fast. I was being pulled in so many different directions. And , oh how I talked to God during those times! (He didn't let me down, btw)....

SOOO many people wanting to know how he was doing!

Mimi, back home after hospital stay

Katie was exhausted. Hadn't eaten and was "eating for 2" but not even eating for ONE. When Nat got there, she sent Katie to the cafeteria and told her "TO EAT" and to take a walk. Carter had to go "potty" so Aunt NatNat got him up to take him. As soon as he got into the bathroom---BAM! He had a seizure and hit his head on the commode. Natalie went ballistic. It scared her to DEATH. She called the nurses and they came running. She called me sobbing. Katie, in the meantime, was eating lunch and when Natalie called her it didn't even faze her. She told her, "natalie this happens all day. Every day now". Natalie was shocked and saddened and determined to help out somehow. And that came when another set of doctors (besides the neurologists) came in. This doctor introduced himself as "the KETO Doctor).

unfortunately, he would go BACK to the hospital :(

Sorry to leave you hanging, but it's Sunday and I have to get all my Sunday School supplies together for my 3-4th graders AND we are picking up Daisy who wants to go with us (usually Kemp does, too but he is at a sleep over. Nat is singing at DUMC).