My Turn

I did say in a recent post that life can literally turn on a dime, a healthy today is not promised for tomorrow.

And so it was I went from going Beastmode on Wednesday to a visit to the Emergency Room this afternoon.

Sitting at the computer around 4:00 yesterday, the room suddenly began to rock and I got so lightheaded that I had to grab onto the edge of the table to steady myself.

EARTHQUAKE!, thought I.

Logging into the Earthquake Tracker, I found no such event.

Interesting, thought I.

When waves of lightheadedness, sort of a fade in/fade out sensation continued on/off remainder of the afternoon, I began to think I might be having mini strokes.

Waking up this morning, feeling my usual self, I decided not to push it — skip Zumba, stick with the regular Pain Cave workout.

Just as I opened the door to head to the Cave, I came face-to-face with Next Door Neighbor’s son as he opened their door to head out.

"Good morning" said I and asked "Is L____ back from the hospital?".

"Yes".

"How is she?".

"She’s okay".

Like mother, like son. She’s a private person and he’s must be the same as he was not giving away any more than he had to.

As I was driving out of the complex, I saw him standing just outside the gate having a smoke.

Ha! NDN is back, so there will be no more Hanky Panky, if that’s what it was, or smoking inside her unit.

Shortly after returning to the complex, that fade in/fade out sensation began again.

Along about 12:30, granddaughter called and when I tried to accept the call, the button on the phone would not work.

Before I could call her back, she called again.

Still, the button would not work, but I got through before she could try a third time.

She sounded relieved and said she’d been worried when I hadn’t answered because "I had a dream my mom called last night to tell me you died".

Well, shit! but here’s the thing ………… I don’t mind going, I just don’t want to go slow with a stroke. Prefer to just go all at once.

So, taking granddaughter's dream as a sign, I called the medical center appointment line, where I had to run the gauntlet of that which is known as the appointment nurse.

When I described my symptoms, instead of scheduling the next available appointment — sometime in June, she directed me to head to the ER.

Six hours later, I was back home fading in/fading out, no wiser as to what the problem is and not an ounce of faith the doctor knows either.

Upon arrival at the medical center, I was checked in rightaway, directed to the waiting room.

It was a short wait until I heard my name called, stood up, began walking towards the nurse, who looked at me, called my name again with a question mark.

I signaled yes as her eyes and voice questioned if I was the correct Shirley.

While escorting me to the room, she said, "I was expecting an 80-year-old. I questioned it because you look 60".

Cool. I’ll take it.

As she was setting up a chart, she went on to say, "I’m 54. I hope I look as good as you when I’m 80. Do you still drive?"

ROFLMAO!

"Yes, so rest assured you will be able to drive when you’re 80".

The compliments did not help my symptoms as I continued to fade in/fade out.

I declared "IMPOSSIBLE!" when my BP registered 177 over I don’t remember.

The nurse took it three more times ………… Once while I was lying down, once sitting up, once standing. The best she could get was 169/80.

On the surface, the ER doctor seemed thorough and professional as he asked the appropriate questions, ran me through several tasks, said my dexterity and brain function were normal ………… not a series of mini strokes.

That was a relief as fading in/fading out arrived in waves while I was in the ER.

Doc ordered the usual lab work and said I should talk to my doctor about effectiveness of the BP medication.

Sure, I’ll do that just as soon as I can ……… which will be Tuesday, June 11.

Saying my heartbeat was "faint" he also ordered an EKG.

After the EKG, I was directed to go to the Lab for work, return to the ER after.

Once back in the ER, I was told there would be a 45 minute to an hour wait for the test results to come in, whereupon I’d be ushered back into the doc’s office.

Up until then, because of my symptoms when I'd arrived at the ER around 2:00, I'd immediately been put on the fast track ……… it took not much time to get checked in, see the nurse, the doctor, run through the questions/tasks, the EKG and lab work. So let’s say it was now around 3:30/4:00.

From there, I waited and waited and waited and waited and waited — I guess for the doc to tell me his findings.

I used the time to read a few more chapters of The Old Gays Guide to the Good Life until, along around 5:00, I began to question why bother.

They've made money off me running their little tests and procedures, not gonna find a damn thing, figure out or, like always, solve the actual problem. It's not a stroke, which was my main concern, so why stick around? I’ll give them until 6:00.

At 6:00 on the dot, I got up, walked out, headed home.

Phone rings at 6:12. It was my personal physician’s office.

I pull over but couldn’t answer because …… the button.

My personal physician's office called two more times and, on that third time, the button worked.

I apologized for not answering the previous calls, explained my phone isn’t working properly.

"That’s okay" says the assistant. "Are you still in the ER?"

Who told? How’d did that office know?

"No. I got tired of waiting and since they won’t figure out what’s wrong anyway, I left".

"Oh! Okay. I’ll put that in the notes".

Then the ER doctor called.

I couldn’t answer.

He called again, left a voice message "I have a few things to discuss with you".

He should have left a direct number for me to call him back, because when I tried, I ended up at the appointment line.

Whatever he had to discuss, I’m sure it’s not what I want to hear which is an answer as to why I continue to fade in/fade out ……… even as I’m typing this.