Faint…..

Having been told I had a bloodshot eye one evening, I foolishly looked at it first thing next day.  Even more foolishly, I then thought about it – I am very squeamish about eyes….. I then thought that I was feeling sick……  Next thing I couldn’t work out what way up I was or where I was!  I realised I was on the bathroom floor…..

Having sorted that out I got myself back to bed, having vaguely noticed that there was blood on the knob at the bottom of the radiator.  When I had rested a bit I turned over – and noticed there was blood on my pillowcase…… I then had to consider what to do, as I was still a bit groggy.  I decided to phone my friend K, who has my key and is a nurse (even though she no longer does everyday nursing).  She was concerned enough to come over.  She looked at me and mopped up the blood which was on my shoulder just below my neck – not on my head, which would have bled a lot more.  She also phoned the doctors, who said that a doctor would phone back.  Meanwhile I had some breakfast and K had a drink.  When the doctor phoned back she decided she ought to see me, so made an appointment for 12.00.

K went home and I washed and rested and pottered a bit until K picked me up and took me to the doctor, who looked at me and asked me questions – like had I knocked myself out?  How would I know? I would not have been conscious whether I had fainted or knocked myself out and I had no idea how long I was on the floor.  She took my blood pressure and decided I ought to have an ECG, so we had to wait until a nurse could do that.  The eventual result was fine, but my pulse was low as is my blood pressure – but not as low as when I had my health check earlier in the year.  The doctor also thought I should have an X-ray of my neck in case I had cracked a bone in it!  That had to be done at the hospital and not until late afternoon.  K took me home again and I found someone else to take me up to the hospital – I was very grateful to K but she had already done a lot and was also trying to sort out her mother who was moving into a care-home.

About 3.30 the friend picked me up and she knew where we had to go for the X-ray.  There is sometimes a long queue, but it wasn’t too bad and moved quite fast, so they took 3 photos at different angles and said I would be told if there was any problem.  Then I was taken home again.

I had been feeling a bit groggy for part of the day, but by the evening I decided I was well enough to walk to the polling station and vote – not that it made much difference in this constituency.  I decided that I was back to normal by the next day – but avoided looking at my eye!  I also removed the dressing from my shoulder/neck as it was not bleeding and was better with the air at it.  I think I probably knocked my head on the radiator as there was a sore bit when I washed my hair next day, but I am glad I wasn’t aware of that before or it would have been hours in A & E!

A week later I bought 2 lots of flowers and delivered them to my friends as a thank you for taking care of me and giving me lifts to doctors and hospitals.

The scabs on my shoulder/neck came off but it is still quite itchy where they were.

So?  Must remember not to look if people tell me there is something wrong with my eye – they can tell me when it is better or if I should take it to the doctor!  I suppose I could look if I am sure there are only soft things to fall on…..

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