Complete and utter panic

"Hi, Lisa, not to alarm you, but we think Ava may have had a seizure at daycare."

...

That was the phone call I got around noon today. As expected, my stomach instantly dropped, I actually felt my blood inside my body and my heart skipped about five beats. Everything around me slowed to a snail's pace and I kind of wanted to throw up.

I tried to listen, but I was obviously panicking.

"...put her on the changing table... clenched and shaking... just happened... call your pediatrician..."

As my head and body tried to align, I squeaked out a few questions. Yes, she's okay now. No, it didn't last long. Right now, she's eating a cracker.

I called Ava's doctor and talked to a nurse who asked me more questions I didn't have the answers to. So, in addition to being terrified, I was now also useless because, obviously, I wasn't there.

With my limited information, the nurse couldn't say whether it was a seizure or not. (AKA, go to the ER versus go to the pediatrician versus go calm yourself because it was nothing.) So I requested a same-day appointment just to be safe. They told me they had a 12:30 or a 3pm. It was currently 12:18.

"Be there in 10 minutes," I lied.

I flew out of the office, grabbed my girl and sped to the pediatrician. I barely remember the drive, but I know for a fact that I yelled at 60% of the cars in my way. We were 15 minutes late and seen immediately.

Did I mention it's a solo-parenting week for me? Dave is in Berlin right now, though he was two seconds away from flying home when I called to let him know what was going on. No, Dave, let's see what the doctor says first.

The doctor assessed Ava and asked more questions that, this time, I was prepared to answer. (Even in my haste to pick Ava up from daycare, I grilled them on what happened.) She did clench and shake, but her eyes did not roll back in her head; in fact, she looked directly at the teacher when it happened. It lasted several seconds, not minutes. Afterwards, she seemed fine and not dazed/sleepy. These signs all pointed to NOT SEIZURE.

Relief is an understatement.

Did daycare overreact? Maybe. But that's not a chance I was going to take, and I'm glad they didn't either. Within an hour of me picking Ava up, I had already dropped her back off and returned to work. She was fine the rest of the day -- played with her best friend, Ainsley -- and was a happy, sweet girl the rest of the evening after I picked her up again.

And now here I am, sitting down with multiple glasses of wine, a peacefully sleeping baby and a newfound appreciation for my healthy child.

Hug your kids, friends. Tightly.