ER Trip

So yesterday was a...um...fun day? I started the day with a bad night sleep wise I had a lot of issues with reflux Friday night so when I was showering I felt weak and light headed, I managed to get out of the shower and to my couch before passing out. I was out for maybe 5-15 minutes hard to say exactly because living with only my dog didn't have anyone to tell me. My puppy is not giving me the time, I think time has no meaning to dogs. Felt like crap when i came to everything was foggy and in the distance somewhere. Kind of like Star Wars far far away....I drank lots of water thinking it was a hydration thing and got to feeling better not good mind you but better and figured I needed to go to work and could manage to make it through the day so I went in. STUPID move on my part. Made it through maybe 20 minutes and had to leave. Actually leave is wrong I told CP I needed to go home I was in tears ( for those of you who don't know me tears are something I just don't do) I must have looked pretty bad from what one person told me I looked like death warmed over. CP asked and then told me he was taking me to the ER. I felt bad enough and was scared enough that I didn't fight him on it. So he drove me and dropped me off at the ER on the drive I got a "lecture" about my stupidity in coming into work at all. It is tough when you have lived on your own and been without health insurance as much as I have to not see things like calling into work as weakness. I wasn't dead and I wasn't bleeding so to work I go. Later on the ER doctor would say that he thought loss of consciousness fit in there somewhere too. I felt silly, like I was wasting the ER peoples time when I first got there. I was certain they would discover I was anemic or dehydrated and send me on my way after hours of being there. What actually occurred was way different. I was triaged n actually pretty quick time ( there were two others in the waiting room when I got there but within minutes the room was full). During the triage they asked about what happened and also about shortness of breath and chest pains. I hadn't had any chest pains but definitely had experienced shortness of breath but had not had any colds or congestion. Those answers led to a "quick EKG" and blood work (of course the normal panels were done) and the insertion of an IV. right before I was taken back to triage my home teacher and Bishop got there to give me a priesthood blessing for healing. They stayed for a bit but I sent them on their way. After the EKG I was sent back to the waiting room for a bit to await the doctor then I get called thinking it was the doctor I am surprised when it is for chest x-rays after the x-rays were done it is back to the waiting room. There I met a really funny lady who was there with her sister. She and her sister had gone out dancing the night before and her sister fell and hurt her wrist. I am not a doctor but that wrist didn't look like a wrist anymore. That helped the time to pass a little bit faster along with phone calls text messages and listening to music on my phone. I get called back to my ER exam room where I would get to spend the next 3 hours. The nurse that took me back did vitals and set my heart monitor. While waiting for the ER doc the triage guy came in and drew more blood this time a "sterile draw" I asked what it was for and after finding out the doctor hadn't been in yet he said to test for bacterias and infections. while he was in there doing the draw the doctor showed up. He was a nice man. He told me my x-rays showed spots in my left lung (pneumonia) and he wanted to be sure that was what caused me to pass out. He was going to have them start an iv of saline to hydrate me and also an iv of antibiotics. He let me know at this point that I may be spending the night so they could monitor my heart. I was SHOCKED to say the least by all of this information. I mean I guess I wasn't being silly going to the ER. As I am waiting I turn on the tv and watch "what not to wear". They come in again to get me to go to get a ct scan. I got to have all kinds of tests I never had before and NEVER want again. They did a contrast scan. Kind of a weird feeling when the contrast was going in the IV. Soon after I got back from the scan the Relief Society president came to stay with me and then shortly after that the primary president ( children's Sunday school organization) got there. The only reason the doctor released me was because they were there stating they would not let me over due it again. He was adamant that I rest and not try to go back to work today I told him my boss had already told me not to worry about work today which I think relieved him a bit too. BUT in all seriousness it was the two ladies being there saying they would take care of me that got him to not admit me to the hospital. Even though this may not look like a "blessing" in some ways it was. I really learned a lot about the people around me about who is truly a friend to me. Mostly I learned though I may have been alone most of the day I wasn't alone. I also learned that I need to pay better attention to my body and not ignore things too long again. I am evidently very like my mom in that I just keep plowing through life till my body makes me stop. Thankfully I didn't end up in the hospital for a week to learn my lesson. though if I am not good and give my body a chance to heal I still could. So, here's to me being good and not seeing the healing process as weakness but letting myself heal.