Blue-Flashing-Light-Special at the Clinic
Since the h1n1 scare is over, we were told that we once again require valid dr. excuses for our absences due to illness. I left class Tuesday, all hot and sweaty and feeling ill. Wednesday I missed my internship and Thursday woke in a feverish haze. The 3/4 pot of coffee had no impact on my eyelids staying open. I felt drugged and rereading the assignment due for class that day had still not left an imprint on my brain. Knowing the new policy, I called Student Health Services. They wanted me to come in.
When I got there, they took my temp, checked my blood pressure and all that fun stuff. Noticing that I was weak, shaky and hazy, they gave me some juice to try to help. They wanted blood work, so I assumed I looked too sick to move on to the next patient. I have had tons of blood work taken in the past 10 years or so. I am no newbie to that and usually have no problem remaining vertical throughout the process. Today was an exception. She took the blood, brought it over to the counter, put my information on the computer and was continuing with her stuff. Perhaps 3 minutes after the retrieval of my blood, things started to look fuzzy. I asked her if I could go sit in the waiting room but she said no. I think I would have been fine. Needless to say, I passed out. When the fuzz dissipated, a cute young fireman paramedic was trying to put an oxygen mask on me, shortly thereafter, a couple of ambulance drivers showed up and then I noticed a police officer standing there.
After I regained my composure, I declined the ambulance ride. They wanted me to go to the hospital for further tests, but would not allow me to do so on my own. One of the clinic nurses and I rode in the police car to the hospital where I eventually checked out fine with a diagnosis of an upper respiratory viral infection (a cold?) complicated with a fainting episode.
They said I should be over the viral infection within the next week. The embarrassment of a 911 response to my passing out could take a while longer to recover from.
