Her little one was lying on her back, laughing, when her eyes rolled upward and her tiny body started shaking. For a moment, Lucy's heart stopped. She called her name, trying to calm her, but nothing worked. She put her in the recovery position as she had learned at the academy and dialed 9-1-1, her hand still on her daughter, the phone on speaker. They asked questions, and she answered. Five minutes later, help arrived, but it felt like an eternity. Lucy gave the medics space and tried not to interrupt them. One of them injected her daughter with a pediatric dose of lorazepam, and her little body stopped shaking almost instantly. Her oxygen levels weren't sufficient for her to breathe on her own, so they gave her some oxygen and noticed small movements. They finally placed her on a gurney and explained everything to Lucy, who was silently crying. After a few words, she followed them into the ambulance to St. Stephen's Pediatric ER.
Tim was unreachable, and she needed him. What if something happened, and he wasn't there in time? Lucy sat alone in the waiting area, far from her daughter, waiting for news. It was killing her. Ellie was alone, vulnerable, sick, maybe hurt, and Lucy was powerless. She couldn't even hold her hand. She kept trying to call Tim, over and over. Still unreachable. A nurse came with an update: her baby was getting a head scan, and the doctors needed confirmation. Alone in the cold waiting room, she tried calling him again. She couldn't do this alone; she needed him. So she dialed another number.
"Lucy? Can I call you later? I'm in the middle of something and—"
"No, Angela, please. I need you to find Tim. I don't care if I'm ruining the op he's working on, but I need him now. His daughter needs him. Tell him we're at St. Stephen's Pediatric ER."
"Do you need me to come?"
"Just find him. Please."
"I will. Call me if you need anything."
Lucy hung up when she saw the doctor approaching. She took a deep breath. Was she ready to hear what he had to say?
"Ms. Bradford?"
"Yes..."
"Please, follow me."
She did. When they take you to a separate room to give news, it's never good. He invited her to sit.
"Do you want to wait for your husband?"
"He's unreachable for now. What happened?"
"Your daughter had an epileptic seizure. She had another, stronger one here in the ER and a smaller one during the scan. Has she had seizures before?"
"No, this is the first time. Did I do something wrong? We were playing, she was laughing..."
"No, not at all. You didn't do anything wrong."
"So, what? She was fine until 11 a.m., and then suddenly, she has seizures? Does that mean she has epilepsy? Is that what we're talking about?"
"Yes, it's possible. The seizures, the scan results, and her response to the medication all suggest epilepsy. But we need more tests."
"And?"
"We'll know more soon. Epilepsy is manageable, but we need to identify the type. Will it only happen when she's tired? Or when she switches between light and dark, or cold and warm? Once we know, we can determine if she'll need daily treatment or just emergency medication."
"Can I see her?"
"Of course. She's in the PICU now. We've given her something stronger to prevent more seizures and help her sleep. She's under observation, with machines monitoring her head, heart, and oxygen. A nurse will perform an EEG and ECG later, but it won't hurt her. She might sleep for a while, but don't worry—she needs the rest. You can talk to her, touch her. If you have any questions, just ask the nurses. Come, follow me."
Once again, she followed him. Baby Ellie was peacefully asleep, surrounded by machines. It was overwhelming. Lucy sat next to her, holding her hand. She wished she could take her place. As she watched her daughter, she knew a new battle was beginning—one different from her last.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Two years ago.
After months of trying, and a year with no results, Tim and Lucy consulted a doctor. Tests revealed Lucy had fertility issues. It would be difficult for them to conceive naturally. Her body had failed her, and it was hard to accept. She wanted to be a mother, wanted Tim to be a father. IVF seemed their only option, but it was expensive. After a tough discussion, they decided to try. If their savings could give them a baby, it would be worth it.
They attended countless appointments—blood tests, sperm analysis, scans, therapy. Lucy spent a lot of time in the hospital, often without Tim because of his work. Being surrounded by pregnant women was difficult when she wasn't one of them. She started hormone injections, every evening at 8 p.m. Sometimes she did it herself, sometimes Tim helped. He was her rock. She cried on his shoulder more than she wanted to. She loved him deeply, and he showed his love every day.
The first insemination failed. Fifteen days later, a negative test crushed her. Her body had failed again. And Tim was there, as always.
Her hopes for the second attempt were low. She didn't even want to take a test. But Tim bought two and brought them home on the 20th day. The next morning, they waited together. Finally, two pink lines appeared. Nine months later, a beautiful little girl entered their lives.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lucy had fallen asleep, her head resting on her daughter's bed, when Tim entered the hospital room. Seeing his little hurricane surrounded by machines was a shock. He kissed his daughter's forehead gently, waking Lucy.
"You're here."
And he hugged her. She cried silently in his arms. She wasn't alone anymore.
"I'm sorry."
"I know."
"What happened? Why the PICU?"
Lucy told him everything—about the first seizure, the waiting, the diagnosis.
"Will she be okay?"
"Yes, she just needs more tests... but she'll be okay."
"She's just sleeping?"
"Yes, because of the medication."
"Okay, that makes sense."
"It was the scariest thing I've ever experienced. She was... I... "
"I know. Come here."
He hugged her tightly and sat beside her, brushing his daughter's small hand. Ellie woke up the next morning. They went home five days later, but she slept in their bedroom for a while—Lucy was too scared to let her sleep in another room. Tim was too, though he wouldn't admit it.
Not everything was under control, but step by step, they figured it out. One thing they didn't expect: Kojo, their dog, barking before each of Ellie's seizures. He became her fierce protector.
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07.10.24 : Hello Guys. Hope you're ok. First i might made mistake with all the medical stuff, i tried to remember what i learned but i'm not a doctor, so sorry for that. Then I hope you enjoyed it :) ! Take care of you. Please vote and comment. It helps. xX
