Zack's personal chauffeurs

Talking about what happened is just fine. Thinking about what happened when I am all alone is another thing.



On Sunday night, we went to bed before midnight. Zack got up around 4 o'clock in the morning to use the restroom and then got back in bed. The next thing I knew, it was 6 o'clock am and I was staring at the ceiling wondering why I was awake. I wasn't tired so I just lay there looking at our bedroom windows. All of a sudden Zack let out a loud, painful sounding growl. I called to him but he didn't respond. He immediately began to have a grand mal seizure. You know, the kind where they shake and bounce all over the place. I flipped the light on and futilely tried to get him to snap out of it. I grabbed the phone off my dresser and called 911.


I have had so many dreams where 911 has put me on hold and I desperately hoped that wouldn't happen. As I tried to tell them our address and what was going on, I was shaking like a leaf trying to get Zack to wake up. He continued to seize for at least 20 seconds, which seemed like forever. Finally, he stopped.


The woman (my personal angel) told me to put the phone down and roll him over. I finally was able to get him on his back but he still wouldn't regain consciousness. At least he was breathing, though it was ragged and weird sounding. He was asleep! The nerve ;) I grabbed my robe and ran down to open our door so the paramedics could just run upstairs when they got there. They are 1 mile up the street and it only took 2 1/2 minutes for them to arrive. Let me tell you, that is an eternity with something like this.


Once they arrived, they tried to get him to wake up and took his vitals. Still no response from Zack with the exception that he would open his eyes for a second when they would call him by name loudly. They told me that they would take him to the AF hospital and that I should meet them there. They brought up a special chair with straps to take him down the stairs - another reason why I want a rambler! Anyway, they had to revive him a little to get him to be upright in the chair. They called him again and he started to look around. It seemed to kind of freak him out that there were 8 uniformed men in our bedroom. They told him why they were there and then he immediately fell asleep again. They brought him down the stairs, put him on the gurney, and then rushed him out the door.


A few of our neighbors were there by the time they took Zack out and the 911 dispatcher had called my parents so that they could come help me with the kids. We had a great deal of support which I will be forever grateful for.


I drove to the hospital all the while having a nice, long begging session with the Lord. The hospital let me right in to see Zack and he was still really out of it. My dad showed up and then about 15 minutes later, our home teacher arrived. They gave Zack a blessing and I finally began to relax. The ER doctor diagnosed him with a seizure. Wow...really? You think?


It was about noon by the time we got home and he slept nearly the entire day and all through the night. He actually went to work the next day. Man, that's so not me...I'd milk it for all it was worth! He had a CT scan which was normal, and just had an MRI done yesterday and plans on having an EEG on Tuesday. Next Wednesday he will see a neurologist which I predict will diagnose him with Epilepsy. For a few years, he has had weird "dizzy spells" which, if I am right, are actually mini seizures called "Aura"s .


In a way, I hope that this is epilepsy. It's treatable with medication...otherwise, if it's not, then we are back at square one. The only physical thing that you can see that says something happened to Zack is that he now has red stripes on his shoulders and chest where the straps from the special chair held him in. It's a little weird for Zack for sure. All he remembers is going to bed after using the bathroom and then he was waking up in the ambulance.



Oh, here's a little tidbit for all you sports fans...The ER doctor, his little brother is Steve Young.

While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads

And by sugar plums, I really mean chocolate!

I love to cook and bake the entire holiday season. Candies, breads, cookies, and most importantly, hand dipped chocolates!!! I guess it's a good thing I didn't join the BR Biggest Loser this year! Starting today, I plan on making...

4 batches lollipops, cherry & raspberry Done

3 batches pistachio cranberry biscotti drizzled with white chocolate Done

2 batches pecan pralines Done

1 batch coconut dipped chocolates

1 batch butter rum dipped chocolate - Zack's favorite Done

1 batch lime dipped chocolates - white chocolates Done

1 batch raspberry dipped chocolates

1 batch caramel nut dipped chocolates

1 batch mint dipped chocolates

2 batches peanut butter fudge Done

1 batch chocolate fudge Done

2 loaves cinnamon raisin bread Done

2 loaves white bread Done

4 batches caramel chocolate popcorn - thank you, Gina!

2 batches English toffee

And plenty of these for Zack and me with the left over chocolate.



Oh man, I am crazy to try all of this. We're still having to show the house, too! I am going to end up in the looney bin considering Christmas is a mere 9 days away. Plus, I think I broke my elbow.

And have a bruised nose.

He Does Exist!!

Tonight, for his Young Men's activity, Zachary went swimming at the Legacy Center. He had a great time until they went into the locker room. That's when he discovered that there really are Grade A jerks in this world. Someone stole all of his clothes. Pants, shirt, socks, boots, coat, his watch, even his underwear. He had to run barefoot through the snow and ice wearing just a bathing suit and a cold, wet towel to get to their cars. It is so bitterly cold tonight, too.

I felt so badly for him. I am upset about the loss of the clothes, but even more, I am sad for his realization that there really is evil in this world. He was so sad. Stuff like that can always be replaced, but not his childhood innocence. Maybe this will be a good experience for him, maybe he'll learn more about forgiveness and compassion.

I guess, the only way I can make myself feel any better is to convince myself that whoever stole them must have needed them more than he did. Yeah, sure....