Oh Doh! Two simple words, one simple phrase, and about the best thing I've probably ever heard Elliana say. Sure, Elliana has said this a million times when trying to say "Oh, no!". She also says more than this and continues to learn more and more words, but the reason this phrase is so important isn't because of what it means, it is because of one time she said it.
Let's take a step back a couple days, and maybe it will all make sense. The day, Saturday, March 6, 2010 was just about the most beautiful day of the year to that point. Sun shining, blue sky, warm air. It was a weekend and we were spending our usual time as a family. What better way to spend the day than to go to the park and go for a walk? So we ran some errands in the morning, had some lunch, and headed out to the park.
We took a walk, over 5 miles, while Elliana took a nap in her stroller. We rode the swings, walked around the lake, and soaked in some sun. Truthfully, it was the perfect day. That is before it went perfectly wrong.
On the way home from the park, our little chatter box in the back seat got a little quiet. Interesting, I thought, she had already taken a nap. I glance in the rearview, which reflects off the mirror for the car seat which puts Elliana in my view. Not sleeping, but certainly quite. Ashley takes a look; yep, not sleeping. "Hey Elliana, everything alright?": no response. Unusual. Hmmm. "Elliana?" Nothing. Something's wrong.
Ashely began to investigate. We can hear her breathing, but she isn't responding. Urgency begins to creep into mind, but really it hasn't settled in. Ashely crawls to the backseat, I'm driving 70 MPH. Ashley confirms something is really wrong. Elliana isn't responding, she isn't moving, she is staring into nothingness, and isn't getting any better.
Details of what follow aren't critical, but in summary it means a 911 call, paramedics, ambulance, emergency room, and home: yes, we all came home, thank God.
When we reached the emergency room, Elliana was moving but still hadn't spoken or made a noise, and certainly had lost every bit of her personality we had come to love. We began asking if this is how she would be FOREVER. We were reassured it was temporary, but we had our doubts.
We were told Elliana had suffered a febrile seizure. SEIZURE? Yes, SEIZURE. They told us how this is fairly common and this type of seizure is caused by a spike in body temperature (fever) in infants and toddlers. It was something I had never known of and will never forget.
We sat impatiently waiting for something to happen with Elliana. She still would't talk to us, didn't cry, didn't laugh, and honestly the worst thoughts and possibilities came to my mind. Then it happened. The pacifier she had been holding fell to the floor and a little voice that followed, "Oh Doh!", instantly brought tears of joy to Ashley and I. That is our little girl, she is "coming back to life". Nothing could have made me happier in that moment. As time passed, everything we know Elliana can say and do came back and we were given our little girl back. Yes, our little girl was back and we could stop to be grateful.
She has been home for a couple days and we have been keeping her fever under control as much as we can. They tell us this seizure will have no long terms effects but Elliana could be prone to it happening again.
So now you can see why two little words, one little phrase can mean so much. Seeing your child staring blankly, emotionless, immobile is something I could never wish upon anyone. And after seeing such a thing, those first words, "Oh Doh!" mean the world to Ashley and I on a day we will never forget.
