Blackout

[vaneramos]

I have an ugly gash on my forehead. Maybe later I will post a photo, but for now, here is what happened. Late Wednesday evening, while sitting at my computer, I felt I was going to pass out. I knew I should put my head between my knees, so I turned my chair, but that's all I remember. I must have stood up and walked into the living room instead, because I ended up falling into the kitchen. On the way down I hit my head on the door frame. I woke up with my hand on the gash, covered in blood. I went to the bathroom, started to wash up. It was running down my face and falling everywhere. I passed out a second time.

I managed to get an appointment with my new g.p. yesterday. Coincidentally I had had my first appointment with her on Monday. Doctor T is super, early 30s, energetic, warm and healthy looking. She checked reflexes and coordination, listened to my heart and sent me for blood tests, but in all likelihood there's nothing wrong with my heart or brain.

Wednesday had been a bad one. I spent the entire day playing Civilization III. Apparently I didn't eat well enough, and a glass of wine in the evening probably dehydrated me. So far I'm ascribing it to that, and stress, a wakeup call to look after myself better. Usually I do, but with things the way they are, some days devolve into total avoidance.

Now I will have an ugly scar to remind me. Yesterday I felt migranous, and there's some whiplash.

I also went for a practice interview, which turned out better than expected. This morning I've met my study buddy at the public library. I'm going to knit for a while.

Comments

[poetbear.livejournal.com]

hope you heal well and speedily. take
care of yourself!~paul

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Paul. I will.

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

how scary! i'm glad you have a good new doctor to look out for you and make sure there's nothing serious going on.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

The scariest part was being alone, and realizing how much worse it could have been if I'd hit my head differently. That's probably the worst of it, but we'll check everything out. It is a relief, at last, to have a doctor who is competent, attentive, pleasant and nearby.

[hickbear.livejournal.com]

Owwwwww. Please take care of yourself. Don't make me come out to Guelph and have to go Daddy On Your Ass. ;-}}}}

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

If I ever need incentive to misbehave, that would be it. ;-)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Ah, special Brunorepublic Bandaids are appropriate!

[quirkstreet.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, honey. I'm glad you're relatively okay.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Me too. It was more scary and upsetting than anything, it seems nothing serious.

[e-musings.livejournal.com]

Oh my! Do you have stitches?

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

No. All things considered, I decided not to go to the hospital that night. The doctor said I should have, of course, but they probably would only have taped the wound. I clot very easily, so the bleeding had almost stopped by the time I recovered from the second fainting spell. I covered the cut with two Bandaids.

[jwg.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're OK.

Next time (if there is one) you should really get to a hospital. They could check you BP and other signs to help rule out worse causes and deal with them in case they are.

My own passing out experience was more complex:
My syncope: Several years ago I got up early in the morning to take a piss and I passed out in the bathroom floor on the way back - it was at dance camp. Someone else saw me - I came to quite rapidly but my speech was slurred, even though I claimed I was OK. A trip to the local emergency room revealed a concussion which explained the slurring. I was OK and went back to dance camp and was fine except for occasional head spinning when I was lying down or sitting in a draft which went away the next day. Various other tests later revealed heart OK and no signs of stroke. The BP medication I had been taking did give my hypotension when getting up; I'd noticed light headedness sometimes when getting up from lying down or sitting a while - urination can enhance that because of the loss of fluid. I changed to a different variant of the BP medication and I've had no lightheadedness since then.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

During my teens and early twenties I fainted several times for no apparent reason. Once it happened after a flight to Calgary, probably due to jet lag and the change in altitude. My blood pressure has always been on the low side, which might explain it.

A few years ago routine blood tests revealed mild anemia, which I corrected easily with diet. Lately I've been eliminating red meat for environmental reasons, but maybe it's not a good option. Tonight for dinner I indulged in an old favourite: liver.

[bixie.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad that your new doctor is good and that you had that resource in place before this happened.

I'm also glad to see such a lovely photo, and jealous of your morning frost!

I hope the transition through autumn gets a bit easier.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks. The weather has been gorgeous the past couple of days, and I'm in a good mood.

[eloquentwthrage.livejournal.com]

Scars are sexy! Well, after you make up butch-sounding stories about them.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I guess stupidity and self-neglect can be kinda butch.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Or I could say I defended a room full of knitting lesbians from an axe murderer. No wait....

[eloquentwthrage.livejournal.com]

Uh, yeah... you're liable to offend a lot of knitters with a line like that.

[missprune.livejournal.com]

oh no! What an odd thing to happen, scary too. Good for you re the interview, though!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

It hasn't happened in many years, but I had occasional fainting spells in my late teens and early twenties. So after I thought about it, it didn't seem so strange. My blood pressure has always been on the low side, which might be a factor. Next time that feeling comes I must remember not to stand up.

[wonderboynj.livejournal.com]

Oh no Van, please take care of yourself up there.

Please contact me if you ever need to talk, or just to contact me :)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks sweetie, it would be nice to chat sometime, not necessarily about the crap.

[djjo.livejournal.com]

Holy crap! I hope you are better love. I haven't checked on LJ since Thursday. Big hugs and hope you heal without too much of a scar.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks Love, it has been a nice weekend so far. I was missing people this afternoon, but the visit and turkey dinner with Sylvie and Sarah cheered me up. It was nice to hear your voice mail when I got home. Will probably go for a walk with Sylvie tomorrow, but otherwise I'll be home.