Big events coming up, What am I going to wear on The Red Carpet? Which celebrities will I get to interview? Dr Maya Angelou, Pastor Paula White, Tyler Perry, Joc, Danny Glover ,(he was one of my favorite interviews) Also looking back at some of the photos from previous interviews. Not this time. Instead , my life played out right before me:
If you've ever seen a wrecking ball drop down on cars at a junk yard to demolish them. Well it felt like that ball was raised as high as it could go, and then dropped down onto my head., and the lightning bolts steadily hitting me every five minutes. Lord please don't let it be a stroke, I don't want to be paralyzed or worse. I thought that the stiff neck, pain in my right eye that felt like my eye was going to pop out, well I convinced myself every time these symptoms would occur were sinus related that's all.
In 2010 my life came to screeching halt! I remember vividly feeling like I could barely move my legs, and that is when I decided that this horrible headache was not going to go away, no matter what medication I take. Call 911 call 911 is what I should have done, but the stubborn me is still trying not to call. A friend named Marie who was at my home advised me with fear in her eyes, that I should go to the hospital. Well everyone that knows me know, I am not going to the hospital without taking a bath (lol). Maybe the hot water will make my head stop hurting, well it didn't and at that point I am struggling to breath, so I get dressed and call 911 is what I decide to do. Conversation with the operator," this is the 911 operator how may I help you? I'm 49 years old my head is hurting really bad and I think I'm having a stroke. OK ma'am stay on the phone help is on the way. Can you open your door for me? OK I say, but I barely had the strength to do it. She reassures me that she is with me and she was determined to get me to open that door. I can't stand the light in my eyes anymore. Some how I did manage to get the door opened and I was so weak that I had to lay on the floor, and help arrived. Operator says OK hang up now, I know that the paramedics are there". Lord have mercy, they scooped me up and before I knew it I was in the ambulance. Marie is in the front seat of the ambulance. My arm starts to burn and itch from the tourniquet, I didn't think to say, I'm allergic to latex, but then who would with a headache like mine. She immediately changes to one that is safe. The lady wasn't sure about sticking my vein, so the driver who turned out to be from my hometown, took over and he got it the first time. IV in place and ready for Life saving drugs, on my way to the hospital. They hook me up to all kinds of things in that ambulance, I'm begging them to Dim the lights, but of course they need to see what they are doing, so she gave me a towel to put over my face. I can't answer the questions very well, but I'm trying. That driver was driving so fast that it felt like we were in the air. The nausea turned into vomiting. I'm glad my IV in place and ready for Life saving drugs. Initially I had one nurse, then the doctor. He orders a CAT SCAN. Then when I returned to the room, he wants me to sign papers giving approval for a lumbar puncture because he says he is looking for blood and the scan doesn't show it all of the time. I said no, but then remembered that my son as a small child was brave when he had to have one. Doctor gets paged from imaging while I was about to sign the papers. All of the sudden I heard what sounded like a herd of horses running towards the room that I was in. I almost peed my pants when I realized how many of them it was. You know its serious when there are about ten nurses and doctors working on you at the same time ( I feel like I am going to black out, and my whole body was shaking out of pain and fear) Ma'am a lot is going to be happening right now, so let us work. I don't have to do the spinal, your scan says that your head is filled with blood. There is not a Neurologist in the building, so I have to send you to another hospital this is the only way we can try to save your life, this is very a serious situation he says to me, with a stern but compassionate tone! Poor Marie is scared and concerned for me, I think she took a cab back to my place. Towel still over my head, because I can't stand the light, and the morphine never kicked in to stop the pain, I'm sure because of my fear and emotions I was fighting it. The nurses were so awesome, they were working as a team to do their job, and they were as good to me as they be. My initial nurse was on her game. She was very protective of me, an example of this, is when the ambulance came to transfer me to the other hospital. She let them know not to try to take my towel from over my head, She yelled, " the light hurts her eyes and no she can't slide over we are all going to lift her DAMIT"!!! Once they had me on the stretcher, she said I am giving you more medicine so you can rest. We were on our way to the other hospital, I fell asleep and woke up because of the sound the ambulance made when it was in reverse. Thank you Lord, I'm still alive, I think to myself!
The cutes little Doogie Houser greets me and peek under my towel that is covering my head, and says he will do everything in his power to help me. Thank you Lord! To be continued.....
