Finally Home

50. Tyler

"Oh, sweetheart," I said, sympathetically.

"What happened?" Jenna asked.

"Sam had a seizure this morning," I said, covering the mouthpiece of the phone.

"Is she okay? How long was it?"

"How long was it, Sam?"

"A minute and 42 seconds," she said.

"One minute 42 seconds?  That's not too long. Can I talk to Uncle B?"

There was the sound of the phone being passed over.

"Yo, Ty," Brendon said.

"Is Sam okay?  Did she hurt herself or anything?"

"She's alright. Upset that she had a seizure, but otherwise okay. It was only a minute 42, she didn't throw up or anything after, and she slept it off for about a half an hour."

"So now she's just feeling upset? She's not hurt or anything?"

"She's not. I moved the chair she was sitting on and the table so she couldn't hit anything, and I sat with her while she had the seizure. I moved her to the couch once it was obvious she was done."

"Okay, good. Can I talk to her again?"

"Of course," he said passing the phone back to Sam.

"Dad?" Sam's sad voice came down the line.

"Hey there baby cakes. How're you feeling?"

"Upset. I haven't had a seizure since last August. I was hoping I was done with them."

"I know baby, I know. But it sounds like Uncle B and Aunt Sarah have everything under control. Did you hurt yourself?"

"I think I banged my shoulder when I fell out of my chair. But otherwise I think I'm okay.  I didn't want to have a seizure though."

"I don't think anyone wants to have a seizure, ever," I reasoned. "What do you think triggered it?"

"I don't know. We got home pretty late last night and then walked the dogs, and then Bogart woke me up at, like, eight."

"So maybe all the excitement and a bit too little sleep?"

"Maybe," she said quietly. "But, Dad?"

"Yeah hon?"

"What if I have another one?  What if I have one when we go to Disney? Or later today when we go to Santa Monica?"

"Brendon and Sarah know what to do. But it's rare you'd have more than one seizure in one day. I don't think you ever have. I think maybe you just need to relax a little, maybe take a short nap, and maybe go to bed early tonight?"

"Maybe," she said.

"Do you want to come home?" I asked. Wondering if that's what she was getting at but didn't want to say.

"No. I just don't want to have a seizure."

"Well, we can't predict those. I know it sucks, but I also know you're in good hands with Brendon and Sarah. But if you change your mind, just call, okay?"

"Okay, Dad."

"Rosie says hi. Can you hear her?"

In the background, Rosie was shouting 'Hi Sammy!'

"I hear her," Sam said. I could hear the smile in her voice. "Tell her I say hi, too. And Mom, as well."

"Will do. You're okay now?" 

"Yeah. I'm okay," she said. Sounding a little brighter.

"Lay low for a little while, make sure you feel okay and then, as you do, carry on. Okay? And you can call us later if you want. What's the plan for today?"

"Santa Monica with Uncle Pete and Uncle Patrick, and Uncle Pete invited us for dinner."

"Sounds like fun. Be good and have fun," I said.

"I will. Love you, Dad."

"Love you, too, kiddo. Say hi to Pete and Patrick for me."

"Okay," she said.

We hung up.

"She's okay?" Jenna asked.

"She is. It was a short one. Probably because of the excitement from yesterday, and Bogart woke her up earlier than maybe she should have been up. But Brendon and Sarah had it under control. She's just upset that she had a seizure since she hasn't had one since she got home from England last August."

"Yeah, it's been over a year. I'd worry if we didn't know that between her two brain injuries, she's at a higher risk. And B and Sarah are great. They'll make sure she rests appropriately before they go out anywhere. And tomorrow is Christmas, so I'm sure they're staying in for a good part of the day."

"Probably," I smiled.

I looked over at our tree. We had gifts for Sam, of course. She'd open those when she got home from LA. Rosie, on the other hand, would be in Christmas heaven in the morning. And, since she's only two, it's unlikely she'll wake us up too early in the morning.

"I'm going to miss having her here in the morning," Jenna said. "But knowing she's having a great time with Brendon and Sarah, kind of takes the sting away."

I smiled and agreed.

"Thing is, she'd be up early and Rosie will let us sleep in a little," I laughed.

Jenna did, too.

"Sammy home?" Rosie asked.

"Not yet, Peanut," I said to Rosie. "Not until Sunday."

"Sammy home now!" Rosie frowned. I laughed.

"Rosie, Sammy will be home soon. After Christmas."

"No! I want Sammy," Rosie argued.

"Mama and Daddy aren't enough? You get both of us all to yourself."

"I want Sammy," Rosie said.

"Maybe we can video call her later, okay?"

Rosie frowned, but seemed to accept she wasn't getting Samantha today.

We went about the rest of our day, and while Sam's seizure weighed in the back of my mind a little, I knew she was safe and in good hands.