Ammie's Biff and Barf at Costco last night

Once again, the seizure monster barged in and took over our life.

Daddy was at work and the kids have cabin fever so we decided to jump in the truck and take a trip 45 miles (and thousands of feet lower in elevation), to the southern city of St. George where spring is beginning to unfold. It would give me a chance to pick up some staples at Costco and after dark we would go to the Dollar Movie. Cedar City has neither of these and on our budget precisely where we can most afford to visit. We were also hoping for an afternoon at the park.

I should have seen the signs that maybe things wouldn't be as planned when it started snowing soon after we left. While it wasn't snowing when we arrived in St. George it was pouring down rain. We did some shopping and ended up at Costco about 5:15 PM. We squeezed our way through the concessions line and loaded up on pizza slices, smoothies, frozen yogurt and hot dogs. Those hot dogs. You know those mega sized hot dogs. Ammon ate one and a half and much of a smoothie. He was IN HEAVEN!

We zipped around and got our oversized toilet paper bundle and other Costco prizes and made sure to take a trip to the restroom where everyone was ordered to use the bathroom. Ammie shuffled into a stall and as usual needed my help to unbutton his pants. I stood behind him as he tried to go and felt him start to crumple. I was able to catch him as he was toppling face first into the toilet.

Heretofore, I have kept my radar out for possible drowning sites for Ammie in the face of a seizure. The toilet has never been on it. Now it has been added to my danger list.

I didn't want to lay him on a bathroom floor and scanned the room for a better option. I spotted the diaper station and yelled for Shayna to pull down the table. I laid him down and assessed his breathing. As we spoke to calm him a woman came out of a stall and kindly asked if she could help. I told her I thought we would be okay and she let me know she was a nurse and if I needed anything to let her know. She gave my shoulder an empathetic squeeze as she passed by me towards the door. No sooner had she exited then Ammie started choking and then let loose with projectile vomiting FULL of chunks of hot dogs out of his nose and mouth. I quickly turned him on his side and screamed for Shayna to find the nurse who just left the bathroom.

The vomit kept coming and coming and I was wiping his nose and mouth as quickly as I could. The nurse was quickly by my side making sure he was breathing and not aspirating the vomit into his lungs. Before Shayna could get back from the truck with Ammie's rectal diastat to help stop a seizure, he rolled his eyes and was back with us. I peeled off his retch covered shirt and asked Caden for his jacket. We wrapped him up and carried him out to the car and secured him into his carseat.

With eight children somberly buckled in their seats I sighed, "Sometimes its really disappointing isn't it?" I didn't need to spell out that there would be no movie tonight. They had already guessed that as Ammie started dozing off in his post dictal state clutching the jumbo box of his beloved Goldfish to his chest.

Once at home Ammie wanted to cuddle right up in his newest treasure. One of the CHIWaitingkids listmates made the most cozy Scooby Doo blanket in bright teal and orange. It arrived in the mail just a couple of days ago. I could tell his world was still spinning as he tried to find a place that felt safe for him. He started on my bed, then his little bed next to mine, then the floor. His body was warning him in needed to stay low, stay in a place where falling in a seizure would keep him most safe. All the while he dragged his new blanket from spot to spot and then finally felt safe enough to fall asleep for the night wrapped up from head to toe.

It is still another two months before we can anticipate the results of his MEG and MRI.

Ammon's Sedation MRI

Alas, the test is DONE and Ammon did pretty darn good, all things considering.

He doesn't like those darned rules that he can't eat before these sedated tests but we made it through. We got the the hospital about 11:30 AM and waited for him to be called back to be evaluated and then sedated. He just hates those tiny rooms and does all he can to escape. Thankfully I had called the nurses beforehand and warned them about how much fun Ammie could be while trying to sedate and test, so the nurses were ready for him.

When Ammie saw the big IV needle come in the room with his nurse, he uttered a loud, "UH OH!! Poke! Poke!" But he sat calmly and carefully watched as the nurse gave him the poke. The nurse smiled and assured me that he would be asleep in five minutes. At eight minutes of Ammie screaming, "Ammon de dowww!!" (Ammon get down)the nurse thought perhaps she needed to go get more meds. She came in with more and inserted it in his IV tube. Still, Ammon screamed and struggled to get off the table. At about minute 11 they gave Ammie another dose and in the middle of shouting "Ammon de doww" his mouth froze in an o shape and he was out.

They rolled him down the hall and into the imaging room. They assured us that he would be just fine and for us to come back in 45 minutes so that when they finished at 60 minutes we'd be ready and waiting for him in recovery. Makayla and I went to eat lunch and came back in about 30 minutes....just in case...and sure enough as we walked down the hall to imagining we could hear a scream that sounded very familiar!

We turned the corner and saw the tech with a helpless look on his face trying to hold on to a squealing, squirming Ammon who woke up inside the machine. They gave him another dose of sedative. Didn't put him out. Gave him another dose. Magic. Ammon went out and then was rigged back up and put inside the MRI machine.

Once in recovery Ammon decided it was fine to sleep and then he wouldn't wake up! Finally, we were able to rouse him enough to get him walking with help and able to take him home.

But its done. We got er done.

~~~~~~Its a 7th Birthday Party~~~~~~~

SEVEN is HEAVEN. And so is a birthday party for our boy Ammon. Each arrived at birthday is a blessing that we know we can't take for granted.

We started out the day up with the birds. Then it was a dip in the much adored hot tub. This is one of Ammon's favorite activities. Today is also our hot tub's birthday. We bought it four years ago on what turned out to be Ammon's birthday...and that was two weeks before we realized that Ammon was our son. It was just meant to be.

Then is was a trip to Walmart to pick out balloons and pinata candy. If ever you want fun, just take 5 of your children to shop with you. Those with 5 kids clearly know what I mean...LOL! We had the balloons filled at the Service Counter. They made it ONE STEP away where the bracelet they made on Ammon's wrist came undone and off they floated to the very tall ceiling of the store. Bye, bye balloons! Ammon was distraught so back to the Service Counter we went.

At home it was cake, candles and candy. Ammon has been practicing blowing out candles for days so he was quite startled and delighted when the candles lit themselves again. Those relighting candles can seem like magic! He must have blown them out for 5 minutes but is ready to blow some more.

He got a Smart Cycle where he pedals a bike that is hooked up to the TV. He has to catch stars and letters and help Dora save the day! The faster he pedals the faster he goes on the screen. The more he pedals the faster mom hopes he wears himself out. Maybe we could get a full nights sleep!?!??!?! Ammon now gets up between 3-4 AM and while he seems fine with that it is killing his mother and father. UGH!

The party will continue at Applebees tonight and then the Bouncy House on Thursday when we go to Salt Lake City to play with the big brothers and sisters. Ammon has his sedated MRI on Friday at Primary Children's Medical Center. Wish us luck on that front! Lan and Caden have Shriners the following Monday so it is nice to be able to do it all in one trip.

We love, love our Ammon and thank him for reminding us what is important in life. That is to look for the joy in every tiny thing and to be grateful for the time we have with each other. Ammon was sent to earth with his suitcase full of happiness and he shares that everywhere he goes. Happy, happy birthday little son. May you please be here to see number eight.

Ammon the Love Bug

He came home with his Valentine stash today. He hasn't a clue what it is all about but you couldn't find a better love bug every day of the year.

His birthday is coming on Monday. He's not sure what that means either BUT he does understand his party with be at the bouncy house. Every day Ammon says his prayers. It is always, "Ammon bounce Makayla. Ammon bus seatbelt. Seizure. Amen". Notice the order of the requests. He just wants to bounce and making sure God remembers too.

When Ammon seizes...

This is Ammon when he has a seizure. He doesn't even recognize this as himself. He keeps telling me this is a picture of his brother Caden. Often we have alot of contracture in his face and his left eye starts winking and the left side of his mouth grimacing.

ABC Good Morning America spotlights MEG test

This was on this morning. We can only hope for success like this lovely young woman has had.

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/MindMoodNews/sixty-seizures-brain-scan-detects-source/story?id=9730383&page=3