Good morning my friends.  I hope this entry finds you all feeling well.

I'm muddling through my life lately.  Most of the time not knowing which way is up or which way is down.

Lupus has been playing havoc with my body.  Mostly my brain.  I was in the hospital last week for a few days because I have been experiencing dizzy spells.

This hospitalization started out pretty funny because I got sick when I was right outside of the hospital on my way to visit the pain management doctor.  I had parked my car in the lot and attempted to walk up the hill to the hospital.  I couldn't make it and started to become dizzy.  I managed to get to about 100 feet from the door when I lost my breath and started to feel faint.  I sat down thinking that I could rest a bit and then go on.  I couldn't.  I called 911.  This is the funny part.

911 Operator:  What is your emergency?

Me:  I need help.

911:  What is wrong?

Me:  I am very dizzy and cannot breathe (I was gasping)

911:  Where are you?

Me:  About 100 feet from the entrance of SVMC SI.

911:  What street are you on?

Me:  (Gasping and crying at this point)  I'm on Bard.

911:  What are the cross streets?

Me:  I have no clue

911:  Look at the street signs.

Me:   I'm sitting about 100 feet from the hospital.

911:  Can you get someone to help you?

Me:  That is why I am calling you.

911:  What is the cross street?

Me:  Click, I hung up

By this point the security guard had spotted me and brought over a wheel chair for me.  He brought me to the ER.

I was seen right away.  They have this triage thing that they do.  One moment and you will be taken in.  Okay.  My head is spinning and beginning to feel as if was going to explode.

My cell phone rings.  This is EMS, where are you? 

Me:  I am in SVMC ER.

EMS:  You didn't wait for the ambulance?  (was this a question or not, I couldn't figure out).

Me:  911 said they couldn't send an ambulance.  So I got help elsewhere.

EMS:  okay

Me:   CLICK

I hear my name.  And, attempt to wheel myself in the direction of the voice calling my name.  But, I am going in circles.  The nice security guard comes to my aid.  He goes in and finds out that they didn't call my name.

I wait a few more moments and hear my name again.  He brings me in.

All the while I am trying to keep from vomiting because me head is hurting so much.

They do their stuff.  EKG, blood, neuro exam.  I fail the neuro exam.   Of course, I can't keep my head up and am very weak by this time.

The ER doc said my INR level was too high.  I'm being admitted.

I fall asleep.

Wake up to see I am being wheeled to go for a CAT Scan and Chest XRay.

It was as pleasant as an ER experience could be.  I ask for pain meds, I get it.  A big shot in my IV.  If I still have a headache, I don't care now.

I got in my room quickly and went back to sleep.  A nurse wakes me up.  She has a lot of papers and another big shot.

I was there from Tuesday morning to Friday afternoon.  My neurologist's associates come in and out visiting often.  My pain management doc makes a few appearances.  I'm treated well.

It ends up that I have been having increased seizure activity.  My seizure meds are increased.  I need to follow up with my neuro and they will do an MRI.  (They have their own MRI facility attached to their office.)

I am home, very tired.  With a faint headache.  They held my coumadin (jantoven) while I was there.  My levels are too low now.  I have to follow up with the coumadin center.

Hints for a pleasant hospital experience......

Send your nurse flowers while you are still in the hospital.  You become their favorite patient and they do stuff for you.

DON'T CALL 911 WHEN YOU ARE RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL, IT MAKES THE 911 OPERATOR CONFUSED.