Friday 12 October 2012

Dear Alice...


Dear Alice,

On your 18 month birthday we went out. Our ride, a yellow truck with colorful lights on top, came to pick us up right at our doorstep. This activity came as a surprise...the reason why I found myself outside, in gray sweatpants, without underwear!

Our drivers, two gentlemen, comfortably installed you in your car seat (attached to a stretcher) and drove across town...to one of Montreal's finest children hospital where we bypassed pretty much every little patients at the ER.

Alice, my love, next time that you get frightened (crazy loud fire drill in our building) could you please keep breathing normally. The sight of your unconsciousness body on the bedroom floor, your pale skin, your blue lips, your little mouth opened, your eyes rolled upwards...I was sure that I had lost you forever.

As I was talking to 911, your body slowly regained postural tone and you looked at me. At the same time, your dad came back home as he was walking the dog when all that drama happened.

After many tests including an electrocardiogram (so many wires on such a little creature), the doctors told us that you had a fucking-scary-for-the-parents-yet-not-dangerous-for-the-child condition called a breath-holding spell (involuntary pause in breathing).

Without a cry, you suddenly had a syncope and in less than two hours you were back on your feet acting all adorable for the hospital staff. Your parents, on the other hand, were drained and still processing what just happened.

Next on my mom agenda, teaching you the word breath.

Love you so much.
Your mom
xox    

12 comments:

Shannah said...

How absolutely frightening!!! Glad to know everything is ok now. Alice sure knows how to have an adventure:)

We have had only one incident similar to this and I froze while Bruce had to take care of everything.

Rebecca said...

Oh Caudia! Can't imagine what that was like, so glad all is well now. But so scary!

alyson said...

wow, so scary, Claudia! I would have flipped out. hopefully you were able to remain calm all aside.

shine little light* said...

Dear god! How terrifying. My husband had that when he was a kid right up unitl about the age of 12. Hope you are feeling okay and have ahd a big cup of tea and something stronger. xsx

dear olive said...

Oh my GOODNESS. Sounds absolutely terrifying. Glad she's ok. Breathe, Alice, breathe! Kellie xx

Little Gray Pixel said...

So very scary. I can imagine how horrified you still are. Glad that everything is fine with Alice.

luke and pamela said...

oh claudia! how frightening! ruby did the same thing, except it was from a tantrum! she turned blue, eyes rolled back and was lifeless. it is so terrifying! i'm sorry, and hoping for both of us that it was a one - time thing for our little girls!

Di said...

Claudia - I am so glad that Alice is ok and hope that you and your husband start to recover soon!

Lin said...

Oh what a scare for you all! Glad that she's ok! I've heard of children doing this during a tanty but not otherwise. Take care!

Ali said...

Scary stuff - well handled Mum!

PJ said...

My heart is pounding just from reading about your experience! How scary -- but kudos to you for staying calm and brave. I'm so glad that she is OK.

jamie said...

OMG HOW TERRIFYING.

sigh.

<3