Duncan's Trip to Singapore

Duncan treated me to an all expenses paid 2 1/2 week trip, just the two of us, to Singapore!!!  We stayed in the beautiful Regent Hotel and Mount Elizabeth Hospital.  We enjoyed many activities such as a Muslim Night Market, Super Trees in the Gardens by the Bay, an art exhibit "Ghost Nets of the Oceans", movies, swimming, an MRI, Spinal Tap and Physical Therapy.  

You may be wondering how it came to be that Duncan treated me to this fabulous get away. . .well. . . I'll tell you.

Clear back in May Grahm started throwing up.  Interestingly it was only a one time thing in the morning for four days straight.  It was enough to keep him home from school.  His first day back to school Duncan had thrown up through the night.  Here we go again, right?  Wrong!  That was it for him, but over the weekend he developed a fever, huh, this was new.  Sunday he had a HUGE headache, he was crying out in pain the entire day.  Pain killers weren't any help!  

The next day the headache and fever were gone, oh good this must be over, nope.  The next week was spent with a fever that would leave but when it came back it was stronger.  Duncan basically slept that whole week without eating much.

Monday, June 5th, I got him up to take him to the embassy dr.  (I should mention here that Lane had left the day before for a week long traveling business trip.)  Even though we took the shuttle to the Embassy the trip wore Duncan out.  It took us another half hour to go from the drop off point to the Med Center, with many breaks.  

The doctor looked Duncan over, took some tests and thought.  Each idea he came up with was ruled out by the next test he did.  He told me to come back at 11 am for the blood test results.  At 10:30 am he called me into his office and basically said that enough tests came back and showed that it would be necessary for us to see a doctor in Singapore and that we needed to leave right now!  I asked if I could reach out to my husband and he told me "no".  I needed to get right on this, get my tickets and then I could call Lane.  

While purchasing my tickets I found I didn't have some critical information with me.  I went in search of someone who could help me find that information.  As soon as I walked out the door I saw a gentleman from church heading in the same direction.  I said, "hello" and the thought popped into my head, "this isn't a coincidence, he isn't right before you for no reason, ask him for help."  Which I did.  Moments later I was headed back with the information I needed that this "angel" was able to get for me.  Another tidbit, his wife is the Relief Society President.  (She gave me a call the moment I walked in my door to give her help!)

At each point that I need something, someone would be right there and give me that needed item.  It was amazing how quickly I was helped from neighbors to Branch members.

Lane cancelled his trip, hopped on a train and was minutes from our apartment when Duncan and I jumped in our taxi heading to the airport.

First doctors appointment in Singapore came on Tuesday, where we learned that Duncan was now seeing double.  He had been unsteady on his feet for days and always went to the right.  Now he couldn't really stand for long with out assistance.  At this point everyone is thinking it is a virus.  The doctor mentioned we could do a spinal tap but it wouldn't change the treatment just give us a good idea.  No thank you!

Second doctors appointment on Wednesday, this time with the embassy doc (stationed in Singapore), he gave Duncan a look over and escorted us himself right to the emergency room!  There we met our third doctor, a Pediatric Neurologist who ordered an immediate MRI and informed us there would be a Spinal Tap the next day.

There were two "bright" spots on his brain indicating that there was possible inflammation.  It was explained to me that in the zest of fighting off the virus Duncan's antibodies were attacking his brain making is hard for it to work normally.  His spinal tap drained more than double the normal amount of fluid in the brain.  No more headaches!  

This whole thing was a slow process.  I found it a tender mercy for this slow process.  When the first doctor mentioned "spinal tap" I wasn't ready for it, by the time it was performed I was looking forward to it due to Duncan's lack of abilities.  Duncan went from being a bit unsteady, to needing help walking to having to hold onto me (both arms wrapped around me) just to stand to no longer being able to walk.  His eyes were visibly cross eyed and he had a hard time focusing.  Plus he lost a lot of weight.  

Three hours after the tap he was able to start a steroid treatment which basically helped protect his brain so it could heal.  A day later he was able to see normally, following day to walk with some help.  Just as gradually as he had lost his abilities they started to come back.  

A few days later physical therapy began.  A total of three sessions each with improvement.  I wasn't too worried in this department, I knew that he would work on this area himself once he felt able to do these types of tasks.  The last task they had him do was a jump.  Wow!  It was too much for him.  It made me think of when he was 10 months old and tried so hard to jump with both feet.  The cutest thing!  He would squat all the way down and with his head tilted all the way back spring up with arms raised over his head and one leg bent up, but the other was firmly where it was to begin with!  We got it on tape (yes a video tape!).

Before and after shots.

While staying in the hospital I received a phone call from a cousin of mine informing me that he would be flying up to see us for a few hours.  He lives in Perth, Australia.  This cousin had a packed Sunday schedule, overnight flight to Singapore visited with us until the early afternoon then hurried back to the airport to catch his flight back home so that he could go to work the following day!!!!!  He brought a gift for Duncan and treated us to lunch, Duncan's first outing in weeks!  How can I say thank you enough?  No matter what I say it wouldn't even convey the love I feel towards him and his family and his sacrifices!!!  

Thank you angel cousin!!!!!!!!!!

We also had some members of the ward in Singapore reaching out to us.  One brought Duncan Krispy Kreme doughnuts, not once but twice!!!!

On with the story.  Duncan finally was allowed to leave the hospital, so back to our hotel we went.  He still needed a wheelchair anytime we left the hotel.  I did have him walk inside, like down to breakfast.

We were scheduled to fly back home two weeks after we arrived, but then Duncan started having headaches and became more tired.  One day we needed to use the wheelchair to go down to breakfast.  Luckily we already had our dr appointment set up.  Back on the steroids Duncan went and our flight was extended another week.  Since then he has been steadily improving.  I couldn't keep him full as he quickly gained weight.  He started walking on our outings outside the hotel, we even turned the wheelchair back in days before coming home.  Wonderful progress!

We received our last "oks" from two doctors and flew home Saturday, just in time to celebrate Drake's 3rd birthday!