The background of the story is that I have had a stomach bug or food poisoning the last five days. Started Thursday morning around 4:00. in the morning. All the usual things that happen with a gastrointestinal issue happened with this virus. You know - pretty vomiting and diarrhea. I had to call in sick on Thursday morning. I dragged myself into work to bid for my shift and then back home - quickest time spent there. I had to drive Ted to the airport that night, because the next days flights to Tulsa, OK were not looking great and he was trying to get to a very important banquet in Joplin, MO. By Thursday night, I knew the next day was not going to be well enough to go into work. So I called in for Friday. Friday night, I felt like I was going to be doing well enough to go to work.
Saturday, my alarm went off at 5:15. I snoozed once. I snoozed twice. I snoozed a third time - which I never do - but, I knew food was not on my agenda for the morning. I was not feeling great, but I was feeling better. I figured if I could just get there and get started, I would be ok. I decided to park in the parking garage, so I didn't have to deal with the bus. It meant paying $16, but I didn't care at that point.
I worked my first flight with an adorable woman named Becca. My head was so fuzzy, I had to ask her help with stuff because I just didn't feel like my head was right. Her arm was hurt, so she couldn't open and close plane doors - so we joked that between the two of us, we made one whole agent. We made it through the flight and we ended up going to the next flight.
I went and sat down for about fifteen minutes before going to the next flight. When I got out there, I went and met the plane and opened the door. One of the red coats, Diana, came to help us with the flight. That was a god send. Before I started the boarding process, I felt just drained and a little woozy. Felt like if I could go and just stand in the cold jetway, I would feel so much better. We started the boarding process and within about five minutes, I thought I was going to pass out. Plus I was nauseated. I asked Diana if she could relieve me. She was busy for a minute and I thought I could wait. I ended up asking Rebecca if she would relieve me. I was sure I was either going to vomit or faint. I could have just sat there at the gate, but I was worried about vomiting, so I headed to the restroom. I almost got tunnel vision - I couldn't get my bearings. I finally made it to the stall and sat down, with my pants down, and went to the bathroom. By that time, my head was completely undone. I was so woozy and weak, I thought I was going to pass out. I put my head down. Whenever I would raise it, I was whoa, here I go. I started to have trouble breathing. I was gasping for air. I couldn't get any air. I started undoing my vest. That didn't help. I started undoing the top buttons of my shirt. I couldn't raise my head. My hands started to tingle. My arms were heavy. I had this horrible pain in between my shoulders. I was sure I was having a heart attack and that I was about to die.
I am dying. I am in the women's restroom. I can't raise my head without wanting to faint. I can't lift my arms. My pants are pulled down. My vest is undone. My shirt has started to come undone. I've thrown my purse on the floor because I couldn't stand it on me anymore. My phone is on the floor, too, because I couldn't hold onto it. That's the visual. I'm am dying.
I know I need to get through to someone, but I don't know who. The only phone number in my phone that I have is for my red coat Kristen - but, I don't know where in the airport she is. The only person who knows, kind of, what is going on with me, is Becca. So - I call the gate, because I know that she will answer. I am gasping for air, "it's Colleen, I'm in the bathroom and I can't breathe". I don't know how many time I said it. I don't know anything. I just know she'll get me help. She tells me she is getting me help. And for that, I am grateful.
I am in a locked stall with my pants down. I have to make myself get up and pull my pants up. I have to get the door unlocked. Help is on the way. I start forcing myself to breathe a little more deeply and I start to calm down.
Kristen comes in and find where I am and tells me paramedics are on the way. They bring me in a wheelchair and get me out of the stall. All I can say is, "I'm so sorry". There is a police officer there. The paramedics come in. They have to close the bathroom down. They take my blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, pulse. The paramedic tells me I'm breathing too fast. I'm thinking, "this ain't nothin', you should have seen me five minutes ago". I'm starting to get my breathing under control, but they are having a hell of a time getting a blood pressure. Verdict - my blood pressure is too low - due to no food for three days and not enough hydration and whatever I had possibly consumed coming back out of me in various ways. Which, in turn, caused a full blown panic attack.
The paramedics ask if I want to go to the hospital and my reply is, "hell no, I have crappy insurance". So they decide that I cannot walk to my car, I cannot drive and I definitely should not be at work. I'm feeling well enough at this point, that I can take selfies with the paramedics so I can send them to my out-of-town hubby and family.
I'm wheeled out of the bathroom to be met by an OSM (read supervisor) Griff and another red coat, Kirk making plans on how to get me home, etc. I am sure they saw much more of me than they ever wanted to - as my pants were still undone, my shirt and vest are undone and who knows what else is exposed. I'm sure it was not a pretty sight. Grif had to push my fat butt up the concourse and to my car in the parking garage. Then he had to drive me home in my car and we were followed so they could go back to the airport. I had today off as another day to recover.
I was so extraordinarily grateful for how much care I received from my co-workers. I really felt cared for. It was greatly appreciated.
Tomorrow I go back to work and face all these people I work with. Hopefully, they aren't too weirded out by me 😝😝😜😜 I am feeling 100% better than I was just yesterday and a 1000% better than I was Thursday.
I have NEVER in my life had a panic attack. Nothing like that. I am the person who doesn't panic. Especially at work. I am completely embarrassed and I never want to experience anything like that again. EVER.
Wow! That's the exact same thing that happened to me when I had my nervous breakdown over mom!!! I thought I was having a heart attack also! Poor Jen stayed on the phone with me til Jerry got home. He had to turn around and come home, he was headed to work. I think Jen called him I can't remember. I was running into walls!! I am glad you are ok. Panic attacks are vicious!!
ReplyDeleteI used to keep my xanax on hand cuz he would still get them. But now I have to take them every day and up my Zoloft from100 to 150. Jerry had a stroke about a month ago, and has had several in the past year or so. Never knew it. But I had started noticing him acting differently a month ago. His left Arm was curling up onto his belly and his hand was closed. He has an ever so slight dragging of his left leg. So I took him to,the doctor and he has been having strokes for a while now. The last one was more severe. But he never acted like the books say!! Until just before I took him. His arm works but barely. They don't think that will change. His leg is sometimes better. He can talk and think fairly clearly when he isn't tired. It was caused by high blood pressure and smoking. He refused for 2 years to go to the dr. So, now instead of going to the witch dr once a year so he could take 1 pill a day, he now gets to go to MANY witch drs and take 6 pills in the morning and 3 at night!!! I said so how's that working out for ya???!!!! (B****)
But I am glad you are doing well. Drink lots of water and Gatorade for the electrolytes. Or drink Pediatric-lite. Loves ya.
Glad you are feeling better!
ReplyDelete