| General Fiction posted January 27, 2025 | Chapters: |
...10 11 -12- 14... 
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A Christmas morning seizure seen through the eyes of a child
A chapter in the book I Survived
Kylie's Christmas Survival Story
by davisr (Rhonda)
| Background This book is designed for people on FanStory to tell their survival stories. I've written several chapters, myself, mostly to update my husband's condition. Please feel free to add your own experience |
Hi, my name is Kylie. I turned 4-years-old just a few days before Christmas. It was a pretty sad birthday as my pawpaw I live with had a stroke a few weeks earlier, and just wasn't himself. Mamaw said we were lucky because it could have been worse.
I wasn't sure how much worse it could have been... until it got that way.
It was Christmas morning and I had just finished opening most of my presents. I knew I had to wait on my last few gifts until the rest of the family showed up for our traditional Christmas morning breakfast. I was so excited.
While I played in the living room with my new things, Pawpaw cooked food in the kitchen. It was his thing. Mamaw cleaned up our early morning mess and prepared for the party. That was her thing.
Suddenly, I heard Pawpaw call out to Mamaw, and then watched as she headed into the kitchen. I guessed he needed her help. He said he would let her know if there was anything she could do.
There was something about the way she went in, though. She was moving fast, kind of like there was something really urgent he needed her for.
And then she called out, "Hey, Kylie, bring me a chair. Hurry. Pawpaw's having a seizure."
I didn't know what a seizure was, but it sounded bad. I ran into the kitchen and saw she had a knee underneath his bottom and had him pressed against the cabinet. His head hung over the sink. He wasn't moving at all.
"Is he dead?" I asked, tearfully. I knew what dead meant because my granny had passed away a few months earlier. She used to live with us and I really missed her, especially right then.
"No, Sweetie," Mamaw said. "He's just unconscious, but he's breathing. Please bring me a chair to sit him in."
I ran into the dining room and tried to drag in a chair, but it was big and I was scared. Why was something bad happening to him again?
I ran back to Mamaw. "I can't get it in here."
"That's okay. Go wake up Uncle Karl."
Uncle Karl was a big man. He had spent Christmas Eve with us. He was asleep because I woke up super early and got everyone up. I knocked on the guest room door, and I told him Mamaw wanted him. He told me, no.
I ran back to the kitchen where Mamaw was losing the battle to hold onto Pawpaw. She told me she couldn't let him fall to the floor because he was on blood thinners, whatever that was, and he would bleed if he hurt himself.
"Mamaw," I said, "Uncle Karl says, he's sleeping."
Mamaw's voice got loud. "Tell him Mamaw says to come now that it's an emergency."
I ran off and banged really hard on Uncle Karl's door and repeated what she said.
Uncle Karl came running. He said he could tell I was serious this time. He helped Mamaw put Pawpaw in a chair where they leaned him forward so he wouldn't choke.
An ambulance came and took him away. Last time, they took him in a helicopter. I saw that, too.
Uncle Karl had to go back home and everyone else was busy with their own celebrations. Mamaw had no choice but to take me with her to the hospital in downtown Dallas. We had no time to change clothes, so I wore my Christmas pajamas. I was pretty happy about that part.
She did take time to let me load my new toys in my backpack, adding in snackies for when I got hungry. We set off to find my pawpaw.
Mamaw said she knew the way there because it was the same hospital he was in when he had the stroke. She seemed very nervous, though, so I don't think she liked driving in the big city. We live on a farm.
Anyway, we got there safely. I walked down the hall of the hospital with all the confidence I could muster. I pulled my backpack behind me on its wheels, greeting many people, and wishing them Merry Christmas. They all smiled and responded in kind.
The following day, Mamaw took me to Aunt Christy and Uncle Mike's house. I had fun, but I was really worried about my grandfather and it just wasn't the same without Mamaw.
Pawpaw is better now, but I'm still worried about him. The other day we saw a pack of cigarettes on a window sill when we were walking in town. Pawpaw acted like he was going to pick them up, and I went all bezerk on him.
I told him, Those are not for you, Pawpaw. You can't talk right, you can't stay awake, you can't eat, you can't drink, you can't think, and you can't smoke!
I narrowed my eyes, and folded my arms across my chest so he could see how serious I was. Oh yes, I survived. It wasn't easy and it wasn't fun. I've been through a lot over the last 3 months, but I'm still here and so are my mamaw and pawpaw.
Thank you for listening to my survival story. Mamaw promised to post it.
 Recognized |
This is a true story, written through the eyes and words of my granddaughter we are raising.
As many of you know, my husband, Wayne, had a massive stroke October 23rd of 2024. He's done well, much better anything I could have imagined, but a stroke is a stroke and it takes its toll.
Christmas morning, he had a seizure that landed him back in the hospital for a week. He's had a pretty rough time with headaches and fatigue, since, but he's still fighting the good fight.
I've gone back to work part-time and we're trying to patiently wait for his recovery.
The rant Kylie went on when Wayne acted like he was going to pick up a box of cigarettes was real. She absolutely told him what was on her mind!
Thank you all for your prayers and support. They have been invaluable, just as you are.
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. As many of you know, my husband, Wayne, had a massive stroke October 23rd of 2024. He's done well, much better anything I could have imagined, but a stroke is a stroke and it takes its toll.
Christmas morning, he had a seizure that landed him back in the hospital for a week. He's had a pretty rough time with headaches and fatigue, since, but he's still fighting the good fight.
I've gone back to work part-time and we're trying to patiently wait for his recovery.
The rant Kylie went on when Wayne acted like he was going to pick up a box of cigarettes was real. She absolutely told him what was on her mind!
Thank you all for your prayers and support. They have been invaluable, just as you are.
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© Copyright 2025. davisr (Rhonda) All rights reserved.
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