SOLSC - What A Difference A Day Makes

 It's March - Time for the month long Slice of Life challenge thanks to Two Writing Teachers.

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday at this time I was in the ER. What?!?! Don't worry. I am here to write about it so everything must have turned out OK, right?

I awoke about 2 am with a migraine. This is not unusual for me. I took the magic pills, went downstairs to be in an upright position, and waited for the pain to go away. At about 2:30 I started feeling funny - really funny. I then knew I was on the path to passing out. As the body chills began to overtake my body something I read this summer went through my mind. 

She told of her heart attack and it started much like this. Fortunately for her she has a background in medicine and knew to call 911 right away. Just after she did she blacked out and the responders had to break down her door to get to her. 

As this flashed through my mind I thought I should probably get upstairs and tell my husband something was up. (Yelling crossed my mind, but with the AC on - and his ability to sleep soundly - he wouldn't have heard me.) I did make it up the stairs, deliver the message, and (very proud of myself) laid down on the floor and fell asleep.

He must have fell asleep too because I woke up to a dark room and sleeping husband. I felt better and went back downstairs with a mixture of thoughts storming my brain.

• I live in Saudi Arabia. I can't just call 911.
• I live in Saudi Arabia. I can't drive so I would have to have my husband take me.
• My daughter is sleeping and she can't be left alone.
• Who could I call at this hour?
• I don't want to inconvenience anyone, especially in the middle of the night - and I'm sure it is nothing. I feel fine now.

My thoughts continued in this type of pattern, but as I would have occasional heart palpitations I also thought, "What if it IS something? Should I allow my want to not bother anyone possibly lead to my daughter and husband having to live the consequences of my choice?" While these new thoughts added to the torrent in my mind I thought that 5 am would be a first reasonably-unreasonable time to wake someone.

At 4:45 I made my daughter's lunch, packed her backpack, made her a 'to-go' breakfast, gathered her medicine and sun screen so that at five I could call someone and start heading to the ER. I had been thinking about who to call. After weighing many options I had two options I was willing to go with. I let my husband in on my last couple hours of thoughts and made a call.

No answer.

I called the landline, thinking it might rouse them from a sound sleep enough to hear their phone vibrating. No answer. I called the mobile again. No answer.

On to the next option. They answered on the third ring and said they would be right over. I threw on some sweats and answered the door.

One advantage to all of us living in the same compound is that all units have basically the same layout so saying, "Make yourself at home!" pretty much covers everything. I showed them what I had laid out, gave them timeline of usual, but noting that the only thing that really mattered was the medicine, put on my abaya and went out the door.

As my husband drove to the best ER in town (which really isn't saying much) we shared our thoughts and feelings and prayers. Upon arrival at an empty ER I was quickly seen, monitored, and tested. Blood work, EKG, and chest x-ray all came out normal. BP was high, but came down and they sent me off.

I would have expected my reaction to the non-results to be closer to, "See! It was nothing." That isn't the case. I probably should have woken people earlier. I would want someone to wake me, no matter what time. I would be beyond frustrated (and at times pissed off) if my husband let medical signs go, without taking action, and it resulted in more than being monitored for 2 hours and sent on his way.

I am thankful that everything is fine.
I am thankful for friends.
I am thankful for this day.
What a difference a day makes.