Wow! My worst "episode" ever!

Last night I was sitting at our kitchen table working on an email. I got up to check a date on my calender and it hit. My head tingled and I heard only a swishing sound in my ears, kind of like the sound you hear during an ultrasound. I was super dizzy and my body, from the neck down, both sides, went weak, numb and tingly. I kept thinking "ok, it's going to be done soon, just hang on and be strong...just breathe". But it only continued in intensity. It was like being in an earth quake and you keep thinking "It's has to stop soon" yet the ground continues to shake. That's exactly what I can equate this to. All I could do is carefully walk to the living room and lay down. I always remember the stroke doctor saying "Heart attach = sit them up, stroke = lay them down flat". This is to help equalize the blood pressure and get blood flowing to the brain more quickly. So I laid down. I must have laid on the floor for about 10 minutes before I could even think about getting up. Bruce and the kids were in the basement playing Super Mario Bros Wii and I wanted to yell down to them but they'd never hear me over the noise of the game, so I just laid there. I slowly sat myself up on the floor, and I was a little dizzy and disoriented, my vision was good, but I could see some grey or dark areas in my lower vision. After sitting a few more minutes I stood up. I was weak and my arms and shoulders felt slightly heavy, as did my head on my neck.

I finally asked Bruce to come upstairs and told him what happened. He did all the stroke tests and I was able to do them all, no problem. We don't know if it was a TIA or just a really bad head rush, but he is leaning towards the head rush. I laid down on the couch for a few minutes and watched a little TV downstairs. After about an hour I felt much better, almost normal.

I didn't sleep well last night at all. When something like this happens I always have fear that if I fall asleep something will happen and I won't wake up. All my Neurologists have told me not to be afraid of sleep as it's the best way for your body to repair and replenish itself. They also said if anything was going to happen it would whether I was awake or asleep. When I did fall asleep I had dreams about huge toads and salamanders being all over my house (we saw them at the zoo that day) and dreams of being in our motor home and I wake up thinking we are in the motor home until I finally realize I am at home. I always make extra checks on the kids when I am awake at night and say many extra prayers for us all.

This morning I am tired and I have a headache. I've actually had a headache since last Thursday, on and off. I'm guessing it's this cruddy, rainy weather we're having now affecting my sinuses and allergies. Hopefully the weather will improve soon. I don't like all this rain, but it sure beats snow!