Sunday, February 17, 2008

How I spent my Saturday night

No BritComs or knitting for me!!!

Since Patrick had 24 hour duty yesterday, Ashley and her kids came over and had dinner with us. She cooked shrimp fried rice for us and the kids had chicken nuggets. They left our house around 8:00, I got my kids in bed and sat down on the couch to pay bills. While sitting, I started feeling dizzy. Around 8:20, it got really bad. I could barely focus my eyes, the room was spinning around me. I called Ash to see if she was feeling bad, thinking we'd eaten some dodgy shrimp. Nope, she was fine. I decided to have a lie down on the couch and see if I felt better. Around 9:20, I thought maybe I was just tired, that I'd get up to pee, go walk the dog, and then head to bed. I tried to sit up and immediately fell back down on the couch. There was no way in hell I was moving. I called Liudwih. "What are you doing?" She said "Getting drunk, why?" She was joking - she and V were at dinner and she'd just ordered a glass of wine. I said "I don't fell well. I can't sit up because I'm so dizzy." We discussed it a few more seconds and she said "Hon, if you can't get up, you NEED to go to the hospital. We're on our way to you." They live about 20 miles from me but they voluntarily had their dinner wrapped and left the restaurant to start the drive to my house. I called Ashley again, called my dad, called Steve's sister. Then I realized the front door was locked and I couldn't move! Kids were sound asleep. Arrgh. It hit me that my neighbor's have a key to my house so I called them to come open the door so Liudwih, V, and our friend Svan could get in. My neighbor came and then Liudwih called from my exit at the highway to tell me they were almost here and I should call the paramedics. (yes, 911!) I did as instructed. By this time, my hands and body were shaking uncontrollably and I was freezing cold - in addition to being dizzy. Everyone seemed to arrive all at once. Svan was first, then the paramedics (about 10 men with ambulance AND fire truck), then Liudwih and V. Svan and V stayed with the kids, walked the dog, etc. while Liudwih rode with me in the ambulance and took care of me at the hospital.

As all ERs go, the wait was long...we arrived there around 10:40 and didn't see the doctor until almost midnight. She got some fluids in me and an anti-nausea medicine and I started feeling better. I could move my head again without feeling like the world was dropping out from under me. Then the doctor added an anti-dizziness medicine and I was completely fine after that. I was able to walk to the bathroom and they discharged me with 2 prescriptions and a diagnosis of vertigo. The doctor did mention that there is a viral ear infection going around right now and that was probably the cause of my situation. Great.

We got my meds filled at Walgreens and were back to the house around 3:30 this morning. Kids were up at 7:45. V, Liudwih, and Svan all spent the night and helped me with the kids this morning before they headed home. I can't explain how safe and protected I felt last night, knowing that all of these friends rushed to my side to help me. A year ago we were strangers and now we are like family. It is simply amazing.

Today, Ash came over and got my kids so I could sleep for a bit...I gave her money to treat her kids and mine to happy meals from Burger King, so they did that and then she took them back to her house to play. I have been told that Delaney wants to make chicken soup and bring it to me in bed. How sweet is that?!

So...it's 4:00 now. My neighbors ran to the grocery store to get milk and a rotisserie chicken for us for dinner. They are going to walk the dog for me later, too. I'm still feeling a little woozy but I think I will be almost 100% tomorrow if I can get a good night of sleep tonight. I really do not have time to be flat out right now. So there you have it. My big Saturday night fun.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad they were there for you. That is so scary. Hope you get better soon.