The Hospital.

If you've been following the blog, you know that I just got back from New York City. On Friday, March 16th, i wound up in the hospital, and i didn't want to make a huge blog even longer.

Friday morning, i left darling room 807 (to be blogged about later) and the wentworth boy and headed to Grand Central to get on the train to Flushing Queens. I never grabbed breakfast, but had an apple and figured i'd eat it on the way or grab something when we got back in to the city. The weather was disgusting. That sleet and "wintery mix" did not make for fun walking. I got on the train and headed out to Queens to meet up with friends and drop off my suitcase. The stop was at the end of the line. I walked out of the station and i thought for a moment that i had gotten out at the wrong place because it looked so much like Chinatown. I found the car, dropped off the suit case and we were on our way. Of course we stopped for a bubble tea and this doughy-dumpling-esque thing, then got on the train.

Marian and i headed to the St. John's Insurance Library. The walk was disgusting. Major puddles and sleet hitting you in the face like rocks. Thankfully i was wearing my golashes, poor Marian was not. We left the library around 12 or so and headed towards Mid-town for lunch. We exited at 34th, right next to the Gap. As we walked up the stairs, the woman infront of me hit me with her umbrella and i smacked my knee on the steel step. It hurt like nothing i've felt before. I got my bearings, and began to walk. I turned to Marian and said, wow, this pain makes me nauseous and dizzy.

Then i syncopated. I fainted, right there in Times Square. Marian had to hold me. I don't remember much of this, most i know from what was told to me. A few folks here and there helped and then traffic cops, then NYPD and then the ambulance was called and there were EMTs. I remember the traffic cops wore orange and were friendly and kind. The NYPD guys were rough and kept asking if i did drugs and that they wouldn't yell if i did do them, they just needed to know and the EMT guys were excellent. It was eventually decided i would go to the hospital, not because i fainted, but because my knee could be severely injured.

The ambulance took the 4 of us to the hospital. Robert was able to turn on the heat because my clothes were soaked to the bone. We're talking, down to my underwear, soaking wet. It was Robert's highlight. On the way, the EMT noted that my heart rate was irregular and my blood pressure was low. I was put in the pediatric ER (for ages newborn to 25). I was given a johnny and told to leave it open in front for an ekg and given 3 blankets. They took my vitals, a glucose test and did an ekg. It all showed showed low blood pressure, low blood sugar and that yes, an irregular heartbeat. A CT scan was then ordered. When i finally saw my doctor (oh that's right, i had only seen a nurse up to now) we talked about the topomax (my new migraine medication) and my knee (finally took care of that, and ordered an x-ray).

I was taken to radiology for the x ray and then left in the hall for about 45 minutes then brought to CT Scan and left again in the hallway for about 30 minutes. When in the hall, i was put in front of the Department of Corrections. That wasn't the only experience with behaviorally challenged folks however. I was then returned to the ER. Once there, i was witness to a 10 year old who was having a breakdown, and had to be held down and sedated. He then had a cop assigned to him. Every 10 minutes or so another cop would come in, scream out a name and cuff someone to the bed.

Around 5pm i was "released" and i called Marian to come and meet me. I was told that the topomax dropped my blood pressure. When i hit my knee, my already low pressure, dropped even further causing what the body calls a positive reaction (things like insulin are a negative reaction). My CT scan however, was not so good. It had evidence of an empty sella. Empty sella syndrome is a condition in which the bones (sella turcica) that surround part of the pituitary gland shrink or become flattened. For more information go here. This is not life threatening, however, i need to seek out my doctor here in Boston for what to do from here. (Who i've been calling all day and doesn't seem concerned).

Continuing on, my doctor was insistent that i didn't go any where in wet clothes. So he called social work to get me clothes. In the mean time, Marian was on her way, or rather was trying to get to me. It took 2 hours for her to get from Midtown to Belleview, which isn't too far, i mean its not close, but, with the weather it took everyone 2 hours to get there. Thankfully, everyone arrived, with clean and dry clothes. And i left that damn hospital.

Then we ate mac and cheese.