Saturday, April 23, 2011

Babies and Drugs don't mix!

It has been far too long since we have posted something on here. We have been preoccupied with a lot of things going on. Last night was a nice break. It was a lovely night filled with lazyness. We went to dinner and then just laid in bed watching netfilx. We quite enjoyed it though so I don't feel bad for the unproductiveness. So an update on what has been happening with the Howell's. We finally filled and sent our taxes in. It only took trying 3 times electronically and having it rejected and then just resorting to sending it via regular mail. We should get our refund in the next 2 weeks. I am of course incredibly  impatient and can not wait for it to come. We have a list of exactly what the money is going towards. We will have some put in savings, some to make an extra car payment, and the rest we are using to finish up Noah's room and baby proof the house.

Two weeks ago I went with my family to the zoo. Sadly Sean couldn't make it due to work. Lame! I know. The whole family went but we didn't get a picture with everyone. Its hard to get us all to stand still in one place for long, haha.


So the heading of the post has got to have you wondering....Well this is a very sad story to start out with but then it has a very happy ending so don't worry. On Wednesday the 20th I went to my mom's house to hang out while Sean went on a man date with Corey (my brother in law) to the hockey game. My mom was watching Cortney till Amanda got off work at 6:30pm. Mom and I decided to go to Costco and have Dad and Justin watch Cortney. While we were out Mom got the worst phone call. Dad told her to get home now and that Cortney had gotten to Justin's meds. Justin has Asperger’s Syndrome and has medication he has to take daily. We rushed home and saw a very scary scene. Amanda had rushed to the house and was in the middle of the street holding Cortney surrounded by the paramedics taking her vitals. Cortney was completely passed out. She was wide awake when Mom and I had left 20 min prior. Mom went into the house to count the pills in the pill box and see what was missing. Dad and Justin gave Cortney a priesthood blessing before putting her in the ambulance and going to the hospital. I stayed home with Justin to calm him down. The poor guy was beside himself saying it was his fault because it was his meds she got to. It was no ones fault. It was just something that happened that could have happened to anyone. It was a very scary next 2 days. We are very blessed and happy to say that Cortney is 100% better now and recovered. She got to leave the PICU Friday morning.  I had to let you know there was a happy ending first before just telling the story because when dealing with children and the possibility of death I like to get the good news out first.
Dad and Justin were in the living room and Cortney was going back and forth between the living room and the kitchen as she does every day. She tries to get into the dogs water and food and we say no she comes back in. It’s a cute little game for her. Well she didn’t come right back in like usual so dad told Justin to go get her. He found Cortney sitting on the floor with his med box beside her and the pills spread across the floor. He quickly grabbed out a pill that was still in her mouth and yelled for Dad. Then the other actions took place of calling mom and Amanda all of us coming home and rushing to the hospital. After counting the pills Mom discovered there were 5 pills missing. She had taken 2 Clonidine, 1 Zyprexa, and a vitamin E pill and Justin had grabbed out another Zyprexa. The vitamin E pill was nothing to worry about but the other two are very hard drugs. One is an anti-psychotic and the other is for ADD. We were told that common symptoms of overdose on those drugs were: Convulsions, Drowsiness, Coma, Decreased breathing, Cardiac Arrest, Loss of Life.  Cortney was admitted into Cardon’s Children Hospital in the PICU. She had a really low heartbeat, slow breathing and was unconscious for many hours. Then finally she started to wake up and would scream for a bit and then go back to sleep. This went on for the rest of that day. Thursday things started to look more positive. She pooped gross black stuff, (they gave her charcoal to bind everything up and prevent the drugs from absorbing anymore) , she woke up and stayed awake for an hour or two at a time, and she was eating and drinking. Her heartbeat got back up to normal and her breathing was normal too by the the end of the day. Needless to say it was a miracle and God watches over His little ones. Sean and I went to the hospital Thursday night and spent most of the night there with the family. Finally Friday morning Cortney was released from the hospital and got to go home. Amanda says that she is back to her normal smiling silly self. It was really tough for Amanda and Corey to see their little girl like that. Only 15 months old and going through all of that. Heavenly Father gave them the strength that they needed to get through. 
This is her the first day knocked out still. 

happy mama to have her baby girl finally wake up
Healthy, Happy and Home!

The lesson: No one can watch a baby at all times and things like this sometimes happen. We don’t like it and do everything we can to prevent tragic things from happening but even to the best of parents things happen. All we can do it be the best we can and have faith in God that when things happen He will take care of us. I am so grateful for the Priesthood and for the power it has. Also I am grateful for family and friends. We all came together when Amanda, Corey and Cortney needed us and we helped each other cope through it. I just love love <3

4 comments:

  1. It's so wonderful that they noticed so quickly. The best part is that she's doing well :)

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  2. Yes its very good they got her to the hospital so quickly after her digesting the meds. Its a huge blessing that she is right back to her normal silly baby self.

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  3. Thank goodness shes alright, how scary!

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  4. Oh my gosh! That is horribly scary. I am SOOO happy to hear that she is alright. Your dad and Justin did the most perfect thing giving her a priesthood blessing.

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