Okay, so now it’s Wednesday the 24th of June. I get up and get dressed to do some errands. Running errands are one of my most favorite things in life. It’s mostly just shopping around trying to find something to buy. Okay, okay, but I only buy things I really, really need. Yea right whatever!
I was in the store when I noticed a little dizziness, then the knees were a little weak and shaking, but I forged ahead. By the time I got to the bank, I knew ‘SOMETHING” was going on. Moved very gingerly and got myself back home.
Then I started to notice a little tingling of pain in my joints. WOW, this is a new pain. Took some Aleve and sat very, very quiet. I didn’t feel better, so I went to bed early. Little did I know I was going to get my first visit on a Bull ride with my new best friend Darth Vader.
I call this scary sci-fi movie, “Night of the IGUANA”.
Let’s see how descriptive and how many visuals I can give you about this ride with Darth Vader. The pain kept slowly increasing as though it was traveling throughout my body. Oh let’s see, come to think of it, yes that’s EXACTLY what it was doing. Like a dam had broken inside me and rivers of let’s see maybe some toxic fluids were running wild ATTACKING each and every nerve ending in my body, so it could light a firecracker next to each one.
Yea, that’s about it. I felt like I was walking through hell barefoot and naked and Darth Vader and TAZ were leading the way and both were having a gay old time.
EVERYTHING ON AND IN MY BODY WAS SCREAMING, EVERYTHING including my HAIR!
I thought this must be my preview to HELL! This is it, I’m going to die this night. Funny now, but really scary that night.
I was determined to go to sleep because I was convinced that it would all go away while I slept. Isn’t that what happens in Care Bear Land?
I’m sure there were moments I lost consciousness from the pain. I recall I was trying to talk to GOD, but I wasn’t sure what I was saying, because my brain wouldn’t make any sense. Remember it was on FIRE!
The sensation of all this liquid flowing through you feels like a rushing dam burst at 100 miles an hour and evidently it causes a serious hum in the ear drums because I thought I was in a rocket ship on my way to the moon. This liquid flowed to my finger tips, my toes, my arms, legs, chest, face, brain, it was EVERYWHERE! Rushing and burning and setting off firecrackers like the 4th of July.
Okay, all I can think of now is, “how do I get out of this creepy movie?” What in the world was going to make this pain stop?
I remember in the past, filling out various forms that kept referring to pain levels from 1 to 10 and I don’t EVER recall going beyond 3 or 4. I’ve had 2 children and a hysterectomy with minimal pain. Oh lucky me huh? Well that night, I think I went to a level 13.
I literally thought I was done. I was taking Aleve like they were gummy vitamins. Eventually the pain started to slow up although I’m not sure how long it took. But by the time daylight came I was NOT ready for my next dip and turn on this trip through Hell on a Mechanical Bull
The following morning I see a little sunshine stream through my window so I thought, oh great, I’m still alive. I have no idea how I made it through the night GOING in and out of consciousness.
I got out of bed because I was starting to feel nauseous. I carefully placed a bucket between my legs and sat on the floor with my back braced against my bed to PREPARE to vomit. Sorry folks, but this calls for very specific descriptions. Well guess what, there was nothing coming up, but that didn’t stop me from trying, oh no, I was going to up chuck something no matter what it took because I was convinced once I did, this nightmare movie would be over. Dry heaves anyone?
The next thing I realize I’m on my back looking up at the ceiling trying to figure out where the heck I am. Oh, that’s right, maybe I’m still stuck in HELL! I lie very quiet because I’m perspiring big time. Then I noticed my night stand lamp is knocked over, and I’m trying to figure out how in the world did that happened. I think I must still be in this wild and crazy creepy movie nightmare, but how come everything feels so REAL!
In the mist of all this joy riding, I can’t take any meds because I can’t swallow to get anything down! Oh Boy!
I feel weak, nauseous, dizzy you name it, and it finally dawns on me that I have just COMPLETELY blacked out! WH-A-A-T the Bleep!
Now I’m really nervous, what was happening? I just lie there trying to put everything together. What the bleep? I tried to get back in the bed, but I blacked out AGAIN! I won’t bore you with the details. Not a pretty site, but I’ll let you plug in your own visuals. I didn’t have the where with all to call anyone at that moment so I guess I just passed out AGAIN! REALLY PEOPLE?
When I finally woke up again later that morning, the pain had subsided a little bit, but it was still brutal. I was shaking like a leaf, but in my CARE BEAR wisdom, I thought if I just sit nice and quiet, all of this will pass and I’ll be fine.
However, all sorts of terrible sceneries began to ran through my mind. What was I going to do from here? Obviously I couldn’t be alone like this after each treatment. I was either going to have someone come in or I was going to have to stay with someone. Oh Lord!!
By then I notice these terrible bruises on the inside of “BOTH” of my thighs and another bruise just below my right eye. OKAY, OKAY, time to get real here. I mean I kinda got it, but I didn’t “GET IT” if you know what I mean.
This was serious, it scared the beejeezas out of me and right out of CARE BEAR LAND and back into the reality of what this was really all about. These are the moments everyone is always talking about. They make Care Bear Land a distant memory.
So WHO did I call you ask? You got it, the commander in chief! Again she never missed a beat. She asked me about my meds, did I take them all, of course not I was too busy running around as though I had just left the hospital with a “booboo” that they put a band aid on. She asked if I had drank enough fluids. Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot to read that part on the sheet of instructions they give you on how to “AVOID” taking a trip to the moon. Drink PLENTY of water! Dah, I was too busy running errands.
She asked all the right questions. I had all the wrong answers! WOW!!
How do children get so much smarter then the parents. She explained about my being dehydrated and that’s why I passed out. She assured me I would be okay until she could come pick me up to stay with her. Then she asked me please not to be frightened and said “Ma, We Got This”. What a trouper. Did I actually raise this kid?
Time to draw up a REAL Post Treatment PLAN!
Right away she called my Advocate & Angel in change girlfriend Carol, down the street from me, and explained what happened and you guessed it operation command post was called into action. Everyone had their duties with my care, even family members 300 miles away.
My mother was notified, my BFF in charge was notified, my son was notified, my brother was notified, my BMF was notified and I’m pretty sure the White House was also put on alert. I’m lucky she didn’t call the local Police and Fire department to send an ambulance to pick me up until she could come get me.
White House on alert !
EVERYONE was called to action! This would “NEVER” happen again.
However stayed tuned, TAZ was not going to go quietly into the night! We didn’t fool proof the plan so quickly!
“True compassion means not only feeling another’s pain but also being moved to help relieve it”
Daniel Goleman
I’ve been moved!
Another fantastic blog.
Oh my I had no idea what you went through! God bless!
Keep up the good work, but always remember your health comes first.