Where should mom start the story that was the scariest week of our lives. Kyla went to spend the night at a friend's house on Thursday, and then left for Washington, DC at 500am on Friday morning. On Friday, she was texting lots of pictures and had a great day seeing the monuments. Saturday was another day of sightseeing, and Kyla called us around 530pm before the ghost tour and had been having a spectacularly fun day. Around 800pm, we got a call from Jen Donovan, a chaperone and guidance counselor, that Kyla was not feeling well and was really shaky. We thought she was just tired and had not had enough to drink, so we asked the chaperone to grab her a gatorade, and to give it about 15-20 minutes to see if she was better. Tara Landis, her art teacher, had her son's service dog with her and had Rio hang out with Kyla. We got a call back that she was sleeping with Rio, and was going to spend the night in the chaperone's room with Amy Filc & Mrs Rhinesmith. She called in the morning and said she was really tired, but felt better and was going to go on the tour of the monuments. Mom texted Kyla at 900am and all was good. Still tired, but enjoying the monuments.
At 10:37am, we received a call that Kyla was shaking uncontrollably, couldn't breathe, and was unresponsive. They had called a medic squad to take her to Children's National Hospital in Washington, DC. There are no words to describe the feeling of hearing that news and being 8 hours away. We immediately started throwing items in a suitcase and looked up airline tickets. The fastest flight could not get us in until 1030pm, but if we drove, we could be there at around 800pm. We started the long drive and got updates throughout. Tom Lubbe, her principal, and Amy Filc, her English teacher rode in the ambulance with her, and spent 9 hours with her until we were able to arrive. When she first arrived, she was having trouble breathing and was going in and out of consciousness, so she received a band that just said Acute Arkansas with a DoB of 1/1/1922. Her principal never left her side. Her English teacher told her that she was now her kid until we arrived and spent 9 hours just talking with her about nothing and everything to take her mind off a terrible and traumatic situation.
She was in such bad shape when she arrived, they had to cut off her lanyard and sweatshirt.
When we arrived, she was not quite herself. She had two IVs in which they only do if someone is in serious condition. Mom might have cried a little (or a lot).
She was admitted to the hospital, because they thought she was having seizures. She just slept and Ken and I spent the night in her room.
She seemed to be doing better
But was still listed as Arkansas
Testing brainwaves for seizures
She had electrodes all in her hair
She was doing better and then had another attack after talking with with a couple of psych students. It was the scariest thing I have ever seen. We later found out, they are called Hashimoto Attacks. Basically, they are a worse version of a panic attack caused by massive thyroid fluctuations. They think a combination of her period, caffeine, sugar, the abnormal heat, and exhaustion caused her thyroid levels to fluctuate heavily which triggered the attacks.
After a night in the hospital, we got to go home and spend a week there recovering. She will go back to school on Tuesday.
So thankful for how well the school staff handled everything and that she is home safe and sound.
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