Hey family,
Mom asked me to update you on some stuff we have been going through with the Ab-meister. Abs of Steel. Abba-Dabba-Do. Gail.
Last Thursday, Carolyn and I were at a home swim meet watching Abby compete. Some of you may know that she has had some health problems, including 2 serious concussions. She has struggled a bit this year, but is still in a good position to compete in two individual events at State.
Anyway, Thursday she was swimming the finals of the 200 Individual Medley Relay. This is a race where you swim 50 yards of 4 different strokes. We were really excited when, after the backstroke, she was in 2nd and pushing for 1st place.
As she made the turn into the Breast Stroke, Carolyn and I immediatly noticed something was wrong. She almost stopped in the water. She continued to hack through the race, very jerky and wild, finishing almost 20 seconds behind everyone in last place. I ran down to the deck to see what was happening.
When I got there, she had been pulled out of the water and I lifted her up. She passed out twice in my arms as I carried her out into the hallway. She came to with a really bad headache, very detached, and feeling very strange. When she had her wits about her, she told us that while she was swimming, she couldn't feel her arms and hands, nor her tounge in her mouth. When she finished, she couldn't see, except for double and triple vision.
We called a good friend here who is a pediatrician, some of you will remember-Dave Larsen from Bountiful. He spent 2 hours with us that night running a battery of tests and working with her.
Before we left he ran and EKG on her heart, and noted that there seemed to be what they refer to as a "prolonged QT". It is an electrical time measurement of the ventrical in the heart. He told her to not swim until he had a cardiologist at Primary Children's Hospital read the EKG.
We found out when we spoke to Landon and Jason Beales, both doctors, that this condition is very serious and sometimes fatal. You have heard of healthy athletes dying on the spot after physical exertion, from something they never knew they had. Jason, who is usually a comic and very light, called Carolyn to let her know the seriousness of the possibility.
So, we waited over the weekend on pins and needles and got the Cardiologists' information yesterday. Things look OK , and he cleared her to swim this weekend. They will run another one next week, as well as a bunch of additional lab work. I think they want to check her for diabetis...
We found out some other good information that we think will help her.
Her Doctor beleives she has been suffering from migrane headaches for some time, and is treating her for acid reflux which sometimes keeps her for eating at the right time for her meets...
Anyway, lots of information, but the bottom line is that we think she is OK for now. We will work on her nutrition and other things, and thank Heavenly Father she is OK. More than a little unnerving.
We will keep you updated. Carolyn and I are traveling to St. George this weekend to watch her in two meets. Region is next, then State, and she can rest.
We love you all.
Brad
6 comments:
Thanks Brad. I am sure everyone will be glad to know what is going on with Abby. Good grief, what stress. Of course we will be praying for her always too. Pump her up for the coming week. I won't give my shaklee talk just now, but I think very strongly that she would benefit from some good supplemental nutrition. I have some information you might be interested in concerning top athletes and their nutritional protocal. Might be of interest to you. Give her hugs and kisses from her G.G. We love her! Keep some for yourself too. xoxoxo Mom
WHAT!!! i had no idea that this happened! nor that abby has suffered such major concussions. oh, and i am so grateful that she is doing OK. Oh, so grateful. we love, love, love you abs.
Love you abs! I hope that all goes well this next week. Take good care. We will keep her in our prayers too! Love you so much!
I'm so sorry Abs! Hope you're feeling ok... Brad, thanks for keeping us posted. Wowzers. How could you have known this otherwise?
Brad and Carolyn and Abby,
First of all, thanks for your concern about Jodi...she is feeling better all the time and dang it Abby...be careful. A couple of years ago, Jodi had a friend from high school who died from this disorder in the heart...when he was swimming in a triathalon...really sad deal...my age, had 4 kids..really hit home to me..but I agree with what Carolyns brother said, and I don't think you can minimize the seriousness of this thing...Man! I thought I had it bad...but will continue to implore Father in Heaven to bless us all...I guess we go along and sometimes don't think of how fragile life is, and how quickly it can be taken away. I must honestly say, that this week, I finally learned what real fear was...and that was that there might be something more serious under the surface.
Hang in there Abby! I am proud that you are so tough and kick butt at swimming! That is awesome! Keep it up!
oh, boy! wow! thank you for the detail...it's nice to have a place to read it all and get the info. we will continue to keep you in our pryaers...and hope that all continues to go well. Ab-love you to flippin' pieces and hope that you feel it!! please be careful(i know i don't have to say that...but i'll just say it anyway!!)!!
xoxoxoxoxo
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