Post by Kasey on Nov 10, 2013 21:01:12 GMT -8
I really don't want this to sound self-serving. Things were never as serious as they may have been seemed. Not to discredit my best friend and sister. There was a lot of speculation for a while.
But let me start at the beginning.
I have been corresponding with an aunt of mine who has lost contact with my family. I took it upon myself to do so for the sake of her daughter, who I got to know very well on my high school graduation present trip to my grandparents. I adore the young girl and while she is not interested in reconnecting with her mother at this time, I want to give her that opportunity in the event she should ever change her mind. Also, I feel there is nothing I cannot do.
To preface, none of what happened to me is on my aunt or my cousin. As we had agreed, my aunt and I were to have a video chat conversation Monday night at 8 p.m. my time. We had that chat, which went very well.
After making some notes regarding the chat, I grabbed a cup of tea and sat down to go over some lecture notes from Monday's classes. I remember getting to page three of my notes from one of my history classes and grabbing a pen to add to them. The next thing I remember is literally being tapped on my cheek by my roommate, Julie, and hearing her repeatedly ask, "What happened? Are you okay? What happened?" I felt half asleep at the time. The next thing I remember is Julie and one of our neighbors walking me to her car. I remember trying to talk, but couldn't understand even what I was saying.
I don't much remember anything until I was being placed into a bed at the hospital. someone who I thought was an emergency room doctor telling me I had had two minor episodes and they didn't know whether they were just feinting spells or something more severe. They were going to examine me and determine which. Julie would tell me later that the two episodes occurred at my desk and in her car on the way to the hospital and at least the second had included some of what she called "serious shaking."
What I figure to be about 10 minutes after my brief conversation with the ER doctor, I felt myself shaking again. I awoke again as hospital staff were asking if I was all right and how I was feeling. They stabilized me. Shortly thereafter, they told me my sister had arrived, as had my brother. Julie had called them. I had absolutely no idea what was going on.
A physician whom I've consulted in regards to my anemia (a mild form of iron deficiency) eventually came to see me. He told me that a neurologist was being assigned and that a CAT scan and other tests had already been ordered.
I kind of dozed in and out until early in the morning when I heard the familiar voices of my parents, who had been notified and had flown down to the Bay.
I'll make no bones about this; I can be stubborn. More than stubborn. By 11 a.m. Tuesday, I was tired, but declaring I was ready to go home. Both parents, my oldest brother, my next oldest sister, my best friend and my boyfriend all put that declaration to rest. I would be held for observation for another night or two.
There were multiple tests taken with most of the results not being known until Wednesday morning. I would wait.
Wednesday morning did, indeed, come and my first question was about when I could leave the hospital. The neurologist said the previous tests looked really good. They were looking for things like an aneurysm or tumors (two words that scared me nearly to death). He said he didn't expect to find any such thing, but they had to run the tests to be sure. He said there were a couple of follow up tests and that if they showed no lasting trauma, he would release me that afternoon.
As you know by now, the tests went fine and I came home mid-afternoon on Wednesday.
They're calling what happened "Repeated Extreme Exhaustion." We discussed this with both doctors. After telling them of my every day life and all the things on my plate, my neurologist drew me a graph. It was like a line graph with peaks and valleys. He drew about 15 different lines slanting up and down at various intervals. These different lines were to represent the many things I have going on in my life.
Most of you know how driven and determined I am. Well, apparently that can be to a fault. He offered a supposition and showed me this on the right side of the page when all those lines met at once. He literally told me I got all my wires crossed. Actually, more accurately, told me that I had crossed my own wires.
There were other aspects such as sleeping patterns and such. My diet is already filled with fruits, veggies and other good foods, and I rarely overindulge. In fact, Julie often chides me for saying "Let's get pizza. Pizza sounds great;" then eating just one slice when it comes. I am also still running five miles, five days a week. My heart is strong and my respiratory system is strong. Basically, I am a healthy girl.
What my doctors, family and I have been talking about is two-fold. The first is to not take everything on myself. The second is to develop better sleeping patterns.
I've taken the first step by backing off from a couple things. Obviously, family considerations and my studies take precedence over everything. For the sake of example, let's say I've got 15 major lines from that graph going on in my life. I have or will soon have eliminated about four of those.
The second part is easier. I have never slept well; not in my entire life. It is extremely rare that I enter deep sleep. I've talked in the past with Julie about this and she mentioned it in the other thread. I generally toss and turn, and it's extremely rare that I actually sleep deep enough to reach a dream state. My doctor and I are going to work on this; whether it comes down to medication or sleep therapy of some kind, we're going to figure this out. For starters, I am establishing a bed time for most nights a week. Growing up, my parents never really did this (I don't fault them for it). From now on, I will go to bed by 10 p.m. or earlier on nights preceding class days. Additionally, I will be taking a nap of no less than one hour during the day; likely after my last class. Usually at that time I study. Now, I will study when I wake up.
This sounds like basic stuff. The thing is, I need to get into a routine. That's what I intend to do.
As I mentioned in the other thread on this forum, I greatly appreciate everyone's prayers, well wishes and concern. Believe me when I say, I plan on being even better than just fine.
Thank you.
~ MKM
In Kassandra's Words began on the Blazers Blogger Network and continues here on this site. Relocating this blog will allow me to include Blazers blogs, but to also expand it to other sports and teams as well.
But let me start at the beginning.
I have been corresponding with an aunt of mine who has lost contact with my family. I took it upon myself to do so for the sake of her daughter, who I got to know very well on my high school graduation present trip to my grandparents. I adore the young girl and while she is not interested in reconnecting with her mother at this time, I want to give her that opportunity in the event she should ever change her mind. Also, I feel there is nothing I cannot do.
To preface, none of what happened to me is on my aunt or my cousin. As we had agreed, my aunt and I were to have a video chat conversation Monday night at 8 p.m. my time. We had that chat, which went very well.
After making some notes regarding the chat, I grabbed a cup of tea and sat down to go over some lecture notes from Monday's classes. I remember getting to page three of my notes from one of my history classes and grabbing a pen to add to them. The next thing I remember is literally being tapped on my cheek by my roommate, Julie, and hearing her repeatedly ask, "What happened? Are you okay? What happened?" I felt half asleep at the time. The next thing I remember is Julie and one of our neighbors walking me to her car. I remember trying to talk, but couldn't understand even what I was saying.
I don't much remember anything until I was being placed into a bed at the hospital. someone who I thought was an emergency room doctor telling me I had had two minor episodes and they didn't know whether they were just feinting spells or something more severe. They were going to examine me and determine which. Julie would tell me later that the two episodes occurred at my desk and in her car on the way to the hospital and at least the second had included some of what she called "serious shaking."
What I figure to be about 10 minutes after my brief conversation with the ER doctor, I felt myself shaking again. I awoke again as hospital staff were asking if I was all right and how I was feeling. They stabilized me. Shortly thereafter, they told me my sister had arrived, as had my brother. Julie had called them. I had absolutely no idea what was going on.
A physician whom I've consulted in regards to my anemia (a mild form of iron deficiency) eventually came to see me. He told me that a neurologist was being assigned and that a CAT scan and other tests had already been ordered.
I kind of dozed in and out until early in the morning when I heard the familiar voices of my parents, who had been notified and had flown down to the Bay.
I'll make no bones about this; I can be stubborn. More than stubborn. By 11 a.m. Tuesday, I was tired, but declaring I was ready to go home. Both parents, my oldest brother, my next oldest sister, my best friend and my boyfriend all put that declaration to rest. I would be held for observation for another night or two.
There were multiple tests taken with most of the results not being known until Wednesday morning. I would wait.
Wednesday morning did, indeed, come and my first question was about when I could leave the hospital. The neurologist said the previous tests looked really good. They were looking for things like an aneurysm or tumors (two words that scared me nearly to death). He said he didn't expect to find any such thing, but they had to run the tests to be sure. He said there were a couple of follow up tests and that if they showed no lasting trauma, he would release me that afternoon.
As you know by now, the tests went fine and I came home mid-afternoon on Wednesday.
They're calling what happened "Repeated Extreme Exhaustion." We discussed this with both doctors. After telling them of my every day life and all the things on my plate, my neurologist drew me a graph. It was like a line graph with peaks and valleys. He drew about 15 different lines slanting up and down at various intervals. These different lines were to represent the many things I have going on in my life.
Most of you know how driven and determined I am. Well, apparently that can be to a fault. He offered a supposition and showed me this on the right side of the page when all those lines met at once. He literally told me I got all my wires crossed. Actually, more accurately, told me that I had crossed my own wires.
There were other aspects such as sleeping patterns and such. My diet is already filled with fruits, veggies and other good foods, and I rarely overindulge. In fact, Julie often chides me for saying "Let's get pizza. Pizza sounds great;" then eating just one slice when it comes. I am also still running five miles, five days a week. My heart is strong and my respiratory system is strong. Basically, I am a healthy girl.
What my doctors, family and I have been talking about is two-fold. The first is to not take everything on myself. The second is to develop better sleeping patterns.
I've taken the first step by backing off from a couple things. Obviously, family considerations and my studies take precedence over everything. For the sake of example, let's say I've got 15 major lines from that graph going on in my life. I have or will soon have eliminated about four of those.
The second part is easier. I have never slept well; not in my entire life. It is extremely rare that I enter deep sleep. I've talked in the past with Julie about this and she mentioned it in the other thread. I generally toss and turn, and it's extremely rare that I actually sleep deep enough to reach a dream state. My doctor and I are going to work on this; whether it comes down to medication or sleep therapy of some kind, we're going to figure this out. For starters, I am establishing a bed time for most nights a week. Growing up, my parents never really did this (I don't fault them for it). From now on, I will go to bed by 10 p.m. or earlier on nights preceding class days. Additionally, I will be taking a nap of no less than one hour during the day; likely after my last class. Usually at that time I study. Now, I will study when I wake up.
This sounds like basic stuff. The thing is, I need to get into a routine. That's what I intend to do.
As I mentioned in the other thread on this forum, I greatly appreciate everyone's prayers, well wishes and concern. Believe me when I say, I plan on being even better than just fine.
Thank you.
~ MKM
In Kassandra's Words began on the Blazers Blogger Network and continues here on this site. Relocating this blog will allow me to include Blazers blogs, but to also expand it to other sports and teams as well.