Loss of Consciousness
I've had some fairly stable health for the past week or two. It is always nice when this happens and especially so when it is Christmastime. Today, however, my health hit its limit...
This evening, I awoke on the couch... laptop in my lap... still opened, still running, and still showing the model railroading page I was viewing... I was freezing... a bit groggier than usual after a nap... a nap? "Wait a minute... I didn't lay down for a nap yet!"
I looked at the clock... it was showing 4:30pm... last thing I remembered, it was about 2pm and I was researching some model railroading stuff on the laptop... laptop balancing on my legs... I "awoke" in the same exact position with the computer still sitting on my lap.
What is unusual about this is that because of my spinal issues, I never stay in the same position for more than ten or fifteen minutes because the pain is too uncomfortable. I'm constantly changing positions and rolling over whenever I sleep. This was a major clue to where those two and half hours went... If I don't change positions for about two and a half hours, it is because I have lost consciousness.
As I shook the cobwebs out of my head, I remembered actively researching some model railroading stuff on my laptop... I thought I was feeling pretty good... next thing I know, it is two and a half hours later and I am in the exact same position.
I slowly arose from the couch... still feeling a bit groggy... a bit weak... and, without even looking in a mirror, I could tell I was flushed because my face was burning like I had been in the hot sun all day long. I didn't connect all the dots until about an hour later.
Either I was abducted by aliens and lost two and a half hours out of my memory or I lost consciousness. Common sense was telling me I lost consciousness, again.
At that point, I started taking some emergency medications... I also took my usual dinnertime medications at this point since it was now dinnertime... and I have since taken two more doses of extra medications.
Sometimes this anaphylaxis comes on in an instant... suddenly... no warnings, no precursor symptoms as normally happens. Today was one of those instantaneous times.
Fortunately, my body recovered on its own... two and a half hours later, but on its own. That is a good thing... certainly better than not responding on its own.
I am still experiencing some residual problems of anaphylaxis but now I'm adding medications to counter the effects of anaphylaxis.
I'm hoping to rebound quickly... I am certain I will be pounding extra medications longer than I usually do at times like this. It is Christmastime and we have a rather full schedule.
In hindsight... even if Sheila had been here at the house, she probably would have just assumed I had fallen asleep since I was already on the couch. If she knew I had lost consciousness, she would administer some injections of epinephrine to get my blood pressure back up. In this situation, I don't think she would have realized that I was experiencing anaphylaxis.
Situations like this are dangerous... and unfortunately unavoidable in a life struggling with Systemic Mastocystosis. When anaphylaxis comes on this suddenly, I have no chance to counter the effects with injections of epinephrine nor add some extra emergency medications. I must simply hope that my body recovers on its own.
This evening, I'm left feeling drained... I'm still flushed (and can feel my face burning)... my mood is rather poor (a common result of anaphylaxis)... I'm dropping things... I'm weak... and I'm simply feeling quite lousy.
Fortunately, there isn't much more to accomplish here before Christmas... we are ready and enjoying this Christmas season already. All I need to do is find some energy to pack later in the week.
This evening, I awoke on the couch... laptop in my lap... still opened, still running, and still showing the model railroading page I was viewing... I was freezing... a bit groggier than usual after a nap... a nap? "Wait a minute... I didn't lay down for a nap yet!"
I looked at the clock... it was showing 4:30pm... last thing I remembered, it was about 2pm and I was researching some model railroading stuff on the laptop... laptop balancing on my legs... I "awoke" in the same exact position with the computer still sitting on my lap.
What is unusual about this is that because of my spinal issues, I never stay in the same position for more than ten or fifteen minutes because the pain is too uncomfortable. I'm constantly changing positions and rolling over whenever I sleep. This was a major clue to where those two and half hours went... If I don't change positions for about two and a half hours, it is because I have lost consciousness.
As I shook the cobwebs out of my head, I remembered actively researching some model railroading stuff on my laptop... I thought I was feeling pretty good... next thing I know, it is two and a half hours later and I am in the exact same position.
I slowly arose from the couch... still feeling a bit groggy... a bit weak... and, without even looking in a mirror, I could tell I was flushed because my face was burning like I had been in the hot sun all day long. I didn't connect all the dots until about an hour later.
Either I was abducted by aliens and lost two and a half hours out of my memory or I lost consciousness. Common sense was telling me I lost consciousness, again.
At that point, I started taking some emergency medications... I also took my usual dinnertime medications at this point since it was now dinnertime... and I have since taken two more doses of extra medications.
Sometimes this anaphylaxis comes on in an instant... suddenly... no warnings, no precursor symptoms as normally happens. Today was one of those instantaneous times.
Fortunately, my body recovered on its own... two and a half hours later, but on its own. That is a good thing... certainly better than not responding on its own.
I am still experiencing some residual problems of anaphylaxis but now I'm adding medications to counter the effects of anaphylaxis.
I'm hoping to rebound quickly... I am certain I will be pounding extra medications longer than I usually do at times like this. It is Christmastime and we have a rather full schedule.
In hindsight... even if Sheila had been here at the house, she probably would have just assumed I had fallen asleep since I was already on the couch. If she knew I had lost consciousness, she would administer some injections of epinephrine to get my blood pressure back up. In this situation, I don't think she would have realized that I was experiencing anaphylaxis.
Situations like this are dangerous... and unfortunately unavoidable in a life struggling with Systemic Mastocystosis. When anaphylaxis comes on this suddenly, I have no chance to counter the effects with injections of epinephrine nor add some extra emergency medications. I must simply hope that my body recovers on its own.
This evening, I'm left feeling drained... I'm still flushed (and can feel my face burning)... my mood is rather poor (a common result of anaphylaxis)... I'm dropping things... I'm weak... and I'm simply feeling quite lousy.
Fortunately, there isn't much more to accomplish here before Christmas... we are ready and enjoying this Christmas season already. All I need to do is find some energy to pack later in the week.
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