Seriously? Just how comforting do you think this statement is FROM A NURSE WHO HAS JUST PUT A NEEDLE IN YOUR ARM????
Let’s just say, yesterday started out like a normal day. I was even feeling strong and energized having gone to the gym at 8:30. But things changed while I was on the phone with my mom about 10:30.
All of a sudden, I couldn’t see. One minute I was standing in my kitchen, just chatting away, and the next minute I was struggling to get my vision back. It was like I had crossed my eyes and they wouldn’t go back. I couldn’t focus on anything. Mom suggested I sit down and close my eyes…I did, but still couldn’t see. Her next directive was to hang up with her and call the doctor.
My vision cleared up after about 3 minutes, but my right eye still felt ‘heavy’….like there was something sitting on my eye socket and underneath. My concern was not only fear-based, but that I was in the house alone with my kids. The general consensus…meaning mom and dad and the doctor, was that I head to the ER, just in case.
When I explained my problem to the ER, they took me back right away and did a cat scan (thereby validating my concern) The good news….the cat scan was clear. The diagnosis: an ocular migraine.
Here’s the thing: I get headaches. I get them often. But they are usually focused in my temple or the base of my neck. I have never had anything behind my eyes. And I never did get a tremendous headache. They gave me a nasty ‘migraine cocktail’ of benedryl, toridol (sp?) and regalen (sp?) (This was the moment when the nurse, as she watched my blood coming back out through the IV needle, said, “I should probably have someone else check this….I hope that isn’t your artery. Your veins and arteries really are close together. No, it’s fine, the blood would be coming back out much more quickly.” Comforting. Truly.) I spent the next half hour fighting the urge to vomit and sweating like I’d run a marathon. The pressure around my eye has remained, though I did get some more sleep last night.
So, today, Delaney will learn to dial 911 in an emergency. And I will get a little extra sleep. And hope that never, ever happens again.
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