So as it goes, the same thing seems to have happened this spring that happened last spring. Remember Parker climbing out of his crib seemingly uncontrollably? We first thought it was because he was excited and determined to climb. But as it turned out, it was his brain sort of short-circuiting him awake. And at that point it was difficult for him to find sleep again.
So we upped his meds, and he got "better".
Well a few months ago, Parker started waking up between 3 and 5 am. AND STAYED AWAKE UNTIL HIS NAPTIME IN THE AFTERNOON. This was significant for a household full of people who usually sleep during those times. It meant that the exact time he needed to get ready for school (CEOP) ,and I also needed to get 5 other people in the house ready for school, he needed and wanted to be held, and reassured, and basically wanted a nap about 8 or 9 am.
The doctors chalked it up to a "normal"phase some children go through at this age, or nightmares, or who-knows-what-it-doesn't-matter-to-me-all-that-much-becuase-it's-not-me-waking-up-all-night-long-repeatedly-for-months-it's-unfortunately-you, Madame.
That was the way I felt, anyway. But I was beginning to have very hazy thoughts because I was very plainly sleep-deprived, so I didn't know what exactly to think or do at that point.
But I climbed into a very welcome bed about 12:20 one night, and at exactly 12:30, ther were little boy noises coming from the twins' room. He stayed awake all night long. Poor little guy then went to school, and did a great job they tell me....
But, they also told me they thought he was having "absences". What is that? It's when your brain actually stops sending electricity to the next part of your brain to complete the task you are working on....for a few seconds, then starts up again when it figures something should actually be done about the obvious malfunction.
I learned today during Parker's EEG (but I'm getting ahead of myself) that absences only last 5-10 seconds.
But people seem to think that absences are not as serious as "crises". The french word for a seizure is a "crise".. Yes, I think it would be considered a crisis if your brain started mis-firing and sending bad information to your limbs, eyes, tongue, etc to move repeatedly and involuntarily, so chalk one up to the french for that terminology. Its much more explicative than "seizure".
So for months I have had the impression that "absences" are just not as bad as "crises"....but truth be told, its not as tiring for the epileptic patient, but its basically the same thing. Humph. This is disconcerting, I think to myself. And Parker is having them? For real? I hadn't seen one until today.
We do not want Parker having absences or crises, they both signify brain abnormalities, and to me, brain lesions--which translates to---brain damage.
But the good news is his EEG looked great today after we've increased his meds. The bad news is that he clearly still needs these meds, and my prayers for him to have "no more brain lesions or epilepsy"have not yet been answered.
BUT many of my other humble prayers HAVE been answered with time, so I must be patient, and finally soak up all I can about deafness, implants, hearing aids, deaf education, hydrocephaly, vestibules, bilingual education and brain-compromised (do I prefer that?) children, and a bunch of other important stuff--like the difference between an absence and a crisis.
For those of you who prayed for us today, THANK YOU! It was very painless comparatively speaking. Parker put on his spider-man mask (what I call it--you would, too if you saw it), and sand in his hair with the electrodes in style--(I joked that we were going to the beach--the techs just love it when we show up)--and even slept without a fight. That was a wonderful blessing for a tired mama.
But he is sleeping better at night. UNLESS HE SKIPS HIS NAP. THEN HE WAKES UP AT NIGHT. Weird, right? SO much for the old adage of keeping your toddler awake so they sleep earlier, longer, and harder. It's just not true. It's just not true for Parker. He needs a routine, and he needs to be consistent in that routine.
ANd apparently is very sensitive to having absences (I still prefer them)if he is sleep deprived.
Sleep child, and onward, soldier. Onward we go.
Tomorrow is the twins' birthday.
I can't believe my babies are turning three. It's amazing.
