Well, Crap...

I've been taking my time working on a couple light-hearted entries about the brief road trip I took to Colorado the first week of June. Those are still coming, but in my slowness, some events happened that changed the scope of my reflections.

Namely, I had another seizure.

(If you're reading this and thinking, "Wait! What? Another seizure?" see my post Seized by Opportunities.)

It happened a week ago Tuesday, seven months after the last one, and exactly a month after I was officially given the All Clear. The irony is not wasted on me.

It was a beautiful day and I was out on a run. Nearing then end of a loop around Stephens Lake Park, I suddenly felt very nauseous. Convinced the stomach bug I'd had the week before was making a return, I slowed to a walk and focused on all my thoughts on not throwing up and just getting home. I remember staring at the restrooms in the distance.

The next thing I know, I'm coming to in the ER. A nurse was bandaging my left hand and I was trying to stop her. She was very patient in preventing my efforts. Hospital staff told me they suspected I had another seizure and that my parents were on their way. Confused, I wanted to know how the hospital knew my parents. I also didn't understand how they even knew who I was.

As I understand it now, an older gentleman found me lying unconscious and called 911. He also stopped a park employee who was passing by. The park employee accessed the In Case of Emergency list on my cell phone, calling first my sister, who was unable to answer, but found success with the fabulous Olga. She then took charge of contacting my parents and everyone else. Additionally, an off-duty EMT noticed the action and came to the scene. He was the first to suggest that I'd had a seizure.

I, of course, have no memory of any of this, and acknowledge that I still don't have it 100% straight.

Thanks to my phone's fitness app, I was able to figure
 out the seizure happened around 3:45.
(I'd been running intervals).

Later, at the hospital, I eventually because coherent enough to grasp the situation. My right arm had several scrapes from the fall, and I had bruise on my hip. I could tell my the pilling on my running pants that they'd prevented my legs from getting tore up. By some miracle I managed to avoid hitting my head. I suspect my Buff headband played a role in that.

I was soon admitted to a room and my parents arrived moments later. They told me the story of how they found out, and I slowly started to understand how the chain of communication took place. (I really had a hard time with this). Assured that I was in good hands, and equipped with a list of things to retrieve from my house, they left for their hotel.

After an uneventful night, I got a text from my mom saying that my roommate was still home. The previous evening, when I'd texted her to tell her my folks would be stopping by, she'd said that she would gone by 9 am. This did not happen. Apparently sleeping in, she didn't respond to my parents' knocks or shouts or any of my texts. The result was my parents having the awkward experience of sneaking into the occupied home of a person they'd never met. She was oblivious to all of this. My parents hope they never repeat the discomfort of that situation. It also triggered their most noble Mama and Papa Bear responses. I respect them for resisting the urge to move me out of that house immediately.

While they were having that adventure, I was taken for an EEG. The results again confirmed that I don't have epilepsy or other type of seizure disorder. This neurologist showed a lot more enthusiasm in considering  possible causes than my previous one. Since I'd been running on both occasions, he suggested considering problems with electrolytes and other issues. With this idea in mind, I was given a fancy heart monitor to wear for the next 30 days and discharged.

Looking hospital-fabulous with post-EEG hair.

So, where does that leave me?

The short answer is I'm still figuring that out. Goal number one is to get more stable. Stable income, stable living situation, and stable health. I was already actively seeking steadier work, but the majority of my submitted applications were for jobs that are >80% travel. Losing driving privileges again eliminates me from pretty much all of those. I am finding some good alternatives, most of which will allow me to continue doing the occasional project HMH. My biggest problem is that my post-seizure brain jumble is making cover letters and the like extra difficult.

Also, I will be moving out of my current situation by the end of July. I'll either be getting an apartment here in Columbia, going back to St. Louis, or stay some place near my parents. It all depends upon what kind of doctoring I end up needing and what kind of job I find.

As for health, some wise and insightful friends have given good suggestions on things to consider and look into. I feel better equipped to ask better questions.

That's pretty much it. Overall, I'm sadder and angrier this time around. The first seizure had a novelty to it. This time it's more, "wow...this is my life now..."

Still, I am very lucky. If I can survive the heart monitor startling me out of sleep every other night because I knocked an electrode loose, I'll be alright.