10.31.2018

halloween past and present

On the eve of this Halloween we woke to a nightmare; Calvin had one of his night terror-pain episodes—an hour or so of screaming and writhing in what seems is excruciating pain. Not knowing the source of his misery, I first gave him an acetaminophen suppository. When that didn't work, half an hour later I gave him ten milligrams of Palmetto Harmony CBD cannabis oil rectally. I crawled in bed with him expecting him to continue writhing, but he fell right to sleep, his arms wrapped tightly around my neck.

Twelve years ago, on Calvin's second Halloween ever, he underwent a circumcision, with the hope of stopping the urinary tract infections that had triggered his first two grand mal seizures. We called that one—not endearingly—Halloweenie.

We've spent a couple-few other Halloweens in the hospital enduring 72-hour EEGs, and on others we spent upstairs nursing Calvin after seizures.

It has only been in the past three years that we've taken Calvin door to door trick-or-treating, and even then we only go to five or six nearby houses. Calvin is totally unaware of the holiday, cannot hold a bag, can't unwrap the candies, doesn't anticipate or delight in dressing up. If he is doing well enough, we take him nonetheless, just to feel some semblance of normalcy. We selfishly do it for our own benefit and because we think the neighbors enjoy seeing him.

Tonight, in light rain, we hit three homes around five o'clock; our other neighbors were still at work. Calvin rocked his manwitch (wizard) costume, on which I didn't spend a dime. He fared better, probably, than any trick-or-treat outing yet, though became weary quickly, probably from the nightmare on the eve of Halloween.

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1 comment:

  1. I bet Calvin is more aware than you imagine. I think our children are incredibly perceptive to energy -- if you have fun, he does as well. Love to you and here's to no more seizures!

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