The tables get turned

I have been writing about the well being of so many I love. I noticed after I woke up kinda late today (second wake up) today that I dont like to write too much about me. There's a reason. Writers prefer to be the invisible notetakers and history recorders. I don't like my photo taken ever and certainly do not like writing about myself unless I am connected to some piece of a story about someone I love or care about.
So three nights ago I was sitting in the ER with daughter's BF...that story is a recent blog. Last night, of all the unexpected winks there I was myself, in the same ER bed, with the same efficient and caring MD and nursing staff. Color me fortunate. Getting there however was problematic.
I will be brief. I need a sleep study to get to the root cause of a three year old stint of sleeping troubles: insomnia, snoring, apnea and other mix and match bad for you isms. It started a couple years ago when I had two back to back knee surgeries on the same knee followed soon after by foot surgery followed by the diagnosis of a hernia under my right rib. Three surgeries in two years (nothing done yet for the hernia) - all put a slow the pony way down on my former walking walking walking religion. I despise exercise in most forms but love to walk. I stopped walking but didnt adjust any other part of my life and therefore...put on quite a few pounds. Quite a few. Extra weight is bad and carrying upper stomach weight is bad and more facial and neck skin (sorry if this is too gross or too much information) is bad; not walking is bad; a hiatal hernia is bad. Add all this up and it equals last night's wake up call.
I woke up from a deep "nap" on the sofa about 2 a.m. I tossed on the night gown, washed the face and then brushed the teeth. I went to bed and realized I could not swallow and it was hard to get air. I got up, took some drinks of water and nothing. I woke up James and said to do something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He called 911. They asked him 40 questions and he said are you sending an ambulance or not? The lady dispatcher continued to ask questions. He told me to throw on my shoes he would drive me to the nearby (and dreaded) hospital. I finally did. He hung up and we were flying the 8 city blocks to the ER. The mean spirited dispatcher called James back. He was driving like crazyman and giving her a piece of his mind. They were not going to dispatch until they knew my allergies, age, what I ate and more. I truly could have been dead by the time they got through with all the screening. At the ER the nurse, nice as they were, they were also treating me like I was OK. I WAS NOT OK. Dizzy, seriously gasping for air and could not swallow. They were irritating me and the older one was showing I was doing the same for her. FINALLY....the MD came, looked down my throat and said, "very swollen throat and uvula--the horseshoe shaped back of the throat thing." Airway was closing due to the mass (and no woman, man or thinking animal with friends and family wants to admit this) snoring. But it's so. The horrible sensation called up the feeling I had years ago as a 20 year old in the ICU in Walla Walla with a horrible case of polio. The student-nurse had put the feeding tube in my nose and down my throat and into my lungs instead of my stomach. Drowning...I felt the same horrible way for a horrible 25 minutes last night. So the kind and efficient lady MD immediately had them put in an IV, give me two types of cortisone to help with immediate reduction of swelling of the throat and then drink something to totally numb my throat (GI cocktail she called it...thats a new one...) and a shot of something sleepy and happy to get the body relaxed and thinking of sleep.
Will have a follow up with the familyMD this week ASAP and get a referral to for a sleep study. Whoa...all that scary adventuring at 2-3 in the morning on Sat. Slept from 3-6 then got up for a short bit, then back to bed until noon...All ill thoughts of James' clothing I have been picking up rather than walk over went away. All ill thoughts of the local hospital (in this one case) went away. Many negative thoughts about the centralized 911 system came into play. We are going to use the local police number because it will more directly link our calls to the local ambulance. But I was scared then and I am scared now...needing to go to sleep and scared - I admit it. So doing what I can to get tired, prop up the pillows and hope for a restful night's sleep. James says he is going to guard me...but he has to get up in the am and head to Walla Walla for a follow up appt with his VA MD. Enough! Getting old is a dam lot of work. Don't let anyone tell you any different. I have so much yet to do, so this has to be dealt with. Thanks for good thoughts.
Other than the misadventure, a good weekend.