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It was Sunday. I was trying to finish a book which is the second edition of my poetry. At the same time I was learning the new format of book publishing which was quite tedious. I had already started studying it days before. I was so glad that I finished everything right on time that day apart from editing, writing an assignment, composing my music ... etc. What seemed to be like an hour long on the computer, I actually had been sitting in front of the computer for more than four hours straight. Not to mention the days and nights I spent in front of the computer for more than six months. Then instead of turning the computer off, I left it on hoping to come back again later to finish up with some other details. It was time to prepare for dinner. So, I went right away to the kitchen.
I turned on the gas stove and the oven. Then all of a sudden I felt my head began to sway and immediately I knew something worse was going to happen to me. I closed my eyes as it hurt to see around me. I felt like being pushed without me being able to control it. I walked almost like falling but still managed to turn off the gas stove, and I just threw myself on the chair by the dining table. I put my head flat on the table. The whole table was like being turned vertically to the right and left. It went on for few minutes. I tried to call someone but I was so weak and there was no one there. I thought it would go away and I continued to lay my head down on the table, still with my eyes closed. When I heard the door opened, I couldn’t even lift my head to see who it was. I just murmured, “who’s there?”
Next, I heard more people coming into the kitchen and began crowding me. I heard commotion and them questioning me. Then they asked if I wanted to lie down on the couch or call the 911. Before I could decide which I couldn’t, they had already called them. Within minutes the paramedics arrived and rushed in. There were four or five of them. They started asking me my name, where I was at and what year I was in as they usually do in such situation. They asked if I could walk to the door while assuring me they would catch me if I fall. I only opened my eyes a little, got up and walked to the door but trying to find my way. They guarded me around and pointed the way out. I heard them saying, “No one is coming!” I felt like I was left to myself without anyone I know around me and had to trust complete strangers to look after me. I saw the stretcher was ready and I knew I had to lie down on it. They immediately wrapped me with blanket and fastened the straps on me and they put a cover mask on my face. I was too dizzy to open my eyes. But all I knew was that I was pushed and lifted up to the EMS ambulance. Then the ambulance carried me further and further away from home.
While inside the ambulance, a paramedic tried to talk to me and ask questions about how I was doing. He put a pill in my mouth which dissolves on the tongue to prevent nausea. I couldn’t tell if the same paramedic or another one wired my arm, finger and chest to the heart monitor. I tried to make sense what was going on. It could be them checking my blood pressure, pricking my finger for blood test and checking my heartbeats.
We finally arrived at the nearby hospital. I wasn’t admitted to the ER right away. We had to wait outside. I was then transferred from the stretcher to a wheelchair. A paramedic kept me covered with a blanket. Even with that I was shaking all over because of the cold air and perhaps I was trembling a little. I was kind of shocked and puzzled. I also heard one of them trying to get hold of the hospital to wait for the ER space availability. Later, when the door was opened, the paramedic who took care of me pushed me inside the hall. I felt uncomfortable seeing staff and few other patients standing there. Never had I experienced this before, being pushed on a wheelchair to the ER. But as I was led to an empty bed in the corner with curtain around it, I felt calmer. It was cozy and I felt more like in an inn rather than in a hospital.
“Here’s your bed,” the paramedic told me gladly. I climbed the bed immediately after thanking him. I couldn’t wait to let my head rest on the pillow as I was still feeling wavy. I felt like a little kid being covered with the blanket. I just thought of sleeping without interruption but I was awakened more than several times by the doctor(s), nurses and medical personnels. They came back and forth asking me questions. I was relieved to know that they had my ID with them as I didn’t have anything else with me to get myself identified. Thanks to those in the house.
A head nurse came and gave me a hospital gown to wear which I didn’t understand how because of the weird pattern. I was feeling quite weak and dizzy to wear it on my own and had to be helped. He immediately checked my temperature by putting a thermometer in my mouth. My temperature was fine and I didn’t have any fever. Then I recalled them wrapping my arm to check my blood pressure. I also had to be accompanied to the restroom for urine test. After getting back to the bed, a nurse came and started sticking electrode patches on my chest and arms and within minutes I was wired to the ECG machine.
A nurse practitioner came with a portable machine similar to the ECG machine and did the same thing but this time pasting the patches on my legs as well. He was kind of nervous but thanked me for being his first patient that evening. I heard him receiving some instructions from a senior and it was like he was jotting down some reports. Another nurse came and pricked needle syringe on my left arm to get some blood out for test. Later another personnel came with a portable X-ray machine and took an X-ray of my chest by sliding the X-ray plate behind my back. Then, for a little while I wasn’t interrupted and had a good sleep.
But towards midnight, a personnel came to tell me that I needed to go through a CT scan. I was kind of reluctant and a little scared. I had no choice but to sign the paper. Again I was pushed on a wheelchair towards the CT scan room. I opened wide my eyes and I saw myself in the glass mirror of the wall. I looked so sick. As I was lying down on the CT scan bed and being scanned for few minutes, I prayed that everything would be fine, clear and clean with the results. Then I was pushed back to ER bed. I became intensely worried about what the outcome would be: what if I have to go through a surgery or stay longer in the hospital. Then the doctor came.
“Good news! Everything is fine. You can go home now.”
“I can leave now?!” I couldn’t believe it.
I almost forgot my dizziness. I still felt heavy on my head. Part of me would like to continue sleeping without interruption in the ER. But I was so relieved that I immediately took off the hospital gown and put on my shirt. So, they dialed home for me as I didn’t have my cellphone. The chief nurse, actually I wasn’t sure of his position but he was the one who took care of me from the beginning, showed me the way out and I was picked up home around 2:30 a.m.
After the incident, I decided to change my schedule pattern. It probably is going to slow down my work progress but I need to put my health as priority. It’s like I’ve been given a second chance to live my life and I want to use my given moments to the fullest. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to look back and to look forward for better tomorrows. My treatment didn't end there but I have to continue seeing my primary doctor every six months. I hope to move forward and continue to better serve humanity and the world around me through my works.
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