Karlee's health (seizures, pneumonia, etc)

I haven’t posted pictures since Easter because life has been a little crazy at the Rodgers house. I’ll try to keep this brief and to the point, and we ask for your prayers! Karlee and Gunner get the normal sniffles form time to time like every other toddler, so when Karlee started occasionally running a fever for the past month, we first blamed it on a typical cold. After a week she went to the doctor and we realized she had an ear infection, so antibiotics were prescribed. A week later she was still running a fever, so we went back to the doctor to find out she had sores in the back of her throat that mimicked strep throat, but the strep test came back negative, so we were told she had a virus (basically you’re typical cold) and there really wasn’t a treatment for it, it would go away on it’s own. A week later she was STILL running a fever on and off (more on than off), and she had another seizure on Sunday…but this seizure seemed to come at a time when she was NOT running a fever, which is a MAJOR reason for us to be concerned. (We already know she has Febrile Seizures…this is a seizure caused by a rapid fever coming on, but truly is not a BAD seizure…if there is such a thing as a ‘good seizure’ this would be it. Basically febrile seizures protect the body, and help the high fever come down). BUT, if Karlee’s seizure this past weekend was NOT caused by a high fever, we need to figure out WHY it happened.

Fast-forward to earlier this week. I called the doctor Monday to tell them Karlee had had a seizure on Sunday, but I was concerned because she didn’t seem to be running a fever. Her doctor said that she would send her to a specialist to have an EEG and an MRI. Then later Monday Karlee’s school called and said that she was running a fever of 104.6…YES, 104.6 is SUPER high…dangerously high. So I had them strip her down, give her Tylenol, and keep her as cool as possible until I got there. I then rushed to the school and took her to the doctor to find out why my poor girl had had a fever for the past 3 weeks. After a BUNCH of tests and a bunch of needles it was determined that she has PNEUMONIA. No wonder the poor girl has been running a fever! Needless to say she got a couple more shots and is now on antibiotics.

BUT, we still have to deal with her having a seizure, possibly caused by something other than a fever. SO, tomorrow morning (Friday, April 24, 2009) Karlee has to be in Plano, Texas at 7:30 am (Plano is near Dallas) for her sleep-deprived EEG. (yes, just found out that she can’t have more than 4 hours sleep ALL night…tell me how I’m supposed to keep a 1 year old awake all night, then drive to Dallas (me staying awake!) and keeping her awake the ENTIRE way (prayers needed for a safe and conscious trip please!) Following the EEG we will have an appointment with the neurologist, and then Saturday we have to be back in Dallas for an MRI, where they will put her under for the procedure.

We ask that you keep us in your thoughts and prayers, and please pray that there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with Karlee.

I will post an update as soon as I know something. Thanks for taking the time to read this LONG post!