Just when we thought this year couldn’t get any worse, it did! We had gifted our son and his family a trip to Las Vegas. They planned to spend Thanksgiving with his brother in Arizona before heading to our timeshare back in Vegas.
A couple of days before Jacob’s tribe was to leave, some of them had a bit of a cold and cough. Before they left on their trip, they were tested for COVID just to be sure. Jacob expected to receive the results after leaving Utah. Their plan was to stay in Vegas one night at the Trump Tower before heading to Arizona to spend Thanksgiving with Rob and family.
We were all excited for them to have this time together as a family.
While they were at the Trump Tower, they received the results of Zion’s coronavirus test. They all tested positive except for Jakey boy!! They were all saddened that they had to turn around and head back home, but knew that they must. Zion didn’t get very ill, but they were all very disappointed they wouldn’t get to see their cousins in Arizona.
Once they returned home, Jacob’s family had to quarantine in their home for 14 days. One by one, they lost their sense of smell, got chills, fever, coughs, and body aches, including Jakey. I sent several messages to him asking how he was feeling. He always answered that he was fine and resting in his blanket bubble. Actually, he wasn’t fine at all! He had a fever for quite a while and was lethargic. I think he just didn’t want to bother his parents since they were not feeling well either.
Our son, Big Jacob got worse and ended up in the ER where he had a battery of tests. He had a serious cough and it was suspected that he might have blood clots in his lungs which could be very dangerous. They ruled out blood clots, but gave him a diagnosis of COVID pneumonia. The physicians gave him the proper medication and he started on his road to recovery. Mandy was still quite sick but Zion and Bella had recovered.
Just as our son Jacob was recovering, Jakey (our grandson) became worse. They took him to the ER where they did another COVID test which came back positive (so the earlier test was a false
positive). Doctors suspected that he had the inflammatory syndrome many children get with COVID. He went through a bunch of tests and his illness was attributed to COVID. Only one parent who had COVID also could stay with him in the hospital. His father was still recovering but stayed with Jakey to help him in the hospital. Jakey was sent home to recuperate after a couple of days. Unfortunately, it was too soon for him to leave the hospital!
Jakey Tupou wasn’t recovering and slept most of the time. One evening, he climbed the long flight of stairs up from the basement. After he sat down, he had a bad seizure. It was the first time this had happened to him. His father said that it was the scariest thing he had ever witnessed. Jakey seized so bad that he bit his tongue and it was bleeding.
Liana, our daughter who is a DNP (Doctorate Nurse Practitioner), told Jacob to take him back to Primary Children’s Hospital, but since Jakey continued to have small seizures, they called an ambulance. Jakey was incoherent and flailing about. The seizures continued in the hospital where they did neurological tests. They also did a spinal tap on Jakey to check for meningitis. He continued having seizures in the hospital and when he would recover
from one, he became very confused. They placed leads all over his head and monitored him closely. We were all so worried and praying for a miracle.
Every day on the news, statistics were reported of positive cases of COVID and how many deaths were attributed to it. This was disconcerting and as a grandma, I cried every time I heard the name of the virus thinking about Jakey. We had two other grandchildren who had frequented hospitals due to urinary tract-related issues and spina bifida. It is always hard to watch children suffer no matter how serious it is.
We felt helpless since we couldn’t go with them to the hospital and we also couldn’t go in their house due to quarantine. The most that we could do was take them food, leave it on the porch, and pray for them. Mandy sent updates on Marco Polo. The family prayed and fasted and tried to keep it together. Jakey was exhausted from the seizures. This went on for some time until he was put on anti-seizure medication finally giving him some relief.
At one time in the hospital, Mandy reported that Jakey had awoken and made a little joke (which is his normal personality). She felt that all the praying and fasting, together with the treatment he was getting helped Jakey. It was indeed a
miracle! Over time he become more coherent. He did not remember most of the experience after his climb up the steps. His case was deemed as very rare and that it may be in a future coronavirus study.
Jakey continued to improve until the doctors felt they could not do any more for him and he was released from Primary Children’s Hospital. He still had to rest most of the time, drink, and eat, even though he didn’t have much of an appetite. Slowly, he improved. Jakey missed so much school and he was worried that he couldn’t catch up. His high school sent him some flowers when he was in the hospital.
As Mandy put it (Jakey’s mother): “kids are dangerous! They are your heart running around outside of your body! When something happens there’s no preparing for that unbearable hurt worry sorrow”.
We are so grateful for the Lord’s tender mercies on Jacob and Jakey’s behalf.
Thank you to all who expressed concern, prayed, brought food, and donated to help cover the medical costs.
