Life can be so freaking unpredictable. It can be beautiful. We can be happy. We can live without fear.
And then… everything can change. Without signs. Without warning.
After fighting so much shit with health, there was definitely fear on my husband’s side. He never knew when I might have a seizure. What if I don’t hear the phone? What if I don’t pick up? What if I had a seizure and I’m lying on the floor… breathing? Or not?
When I go somewhere by car, he can never be 100% sure everything will be alright.
I never really knew this kind of fear.
He does.
He knows how to react when something happens, and he is always beside me. Sometimes I think destiny knew I needed a man who works in health care... someone who knows what to do in moments like this. So yes, something positive came out of all this too.
But I never, ever imagined…
What if one day the roles change?
What if something happens to him?
How would I react?
And then… yesterday… everything turned.
We were watching TV, just a normal evening. Suddenly he went to the toilet. Nothing strangewe all go to the toilet before sleep, right? Otherwise I will wake up in the middle of the night for sure 😊
It was already midnight, and he had work in the morning, so I went to the bedroom to wait for him. I started closing my eyes. Then I thought: What the hell is he doing so long?
One minute later, I heard a crash.
A very loud crash.
I jumped out of bed and ran. In the middle of the kitchen, my husband was lying on the floor, eyes closed. I started screaming his name. After about 10 seconds he opened his eyes and very quietly asked me: “I’m not in bed? I thought I was in bed, sleeping.”
He said that four or five times.
His face was completely white. Actually, his whole body was white. He was sweating like crazy. I tried to turn him onto his back and lift his legs above heart level, but he couldn’t...he was in so much pain. He had fallen directly on his face.
I checked his pulse. I told him to calm down and breathe slowly. After a few minutes, he was fully conscious and told me what happened.
He was on the toilet, had very strong cramps, started sweating, and called my name. But I couldn’t hear him...the bathroom is on the other side of the apartment and the doors were closed. Almost impossible to hear anything, especially if you call very quietly.
He tried to make a few steps… and then total darkness.
He thought he made it to the bed.
Of course, I wanted to call an ambulance...he fell on his face, and I was afraid of concussion. But he didn’t vomit, his head didn’t hurt, only his face from the fall. The cramps were still there but weaker. Slowly, color came back to his face, his pulse slowed down. I put cold compresses on his head, then tried to slowly lift him and get him to the bed, but he couldn’t sit up, so we stayed in the kitchen for about 20 minutes while he recovered. He was lying on the ground, and then carefully sat up. No dizziness.
The first thing he asked me? “Are my teeth okay?”
Yes. They are. I mean… they were not cheap 😉
Then I checked his whole body to be sure nothing was broken. Luckily, nothing...just terrible pain on the right side of his body and his nose hurting the most. Eventually, we made it to the bed. I kept holding cold compresses on his face.
He spoke normally. The cramps stopped.
We stayed awake until 4 in the morning. Both of us.
I didn’t dare fall asleep until he did.
I thought I knew fear before.
I was wrong.
Finding my husband on the floor was the most frightening thing I have ever experienced. I am thankful that working in health care gave me knowledge...especially because every two years we renew first aid training.
The first thing we did in the morning was go to the doctor. The most important examination was an EKG...to check his heart. While he was inside, I was freaking out.
Luckily, his heart is okay. And that is what matters most.
He is fine now. But the doctor said if this happens again, I must call medical help immediately.
So… what was it?
Most likely, this was a fainting episode caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure. This can happen with strong pain, stomach problems, diarrhea, dehydration, or standing up too fast.
The body can overreact to pain or stress. The heart rate and blood pressure suddenly drop, and for a short moment, not enough blood goes to the brain. When that happens, a person can faint. The confusion after waking up is very common.
It looks terrifying, but in many cases it is not dangerous...especially if the person wakes up quickly and feels fine afterward. The biggest risk is injury from the fall.
What to do if this happens?
• Help the person lie down flat
• If possible, raise their legs
• Stay calm and talk to them
• Don’t let them stand up too fast
• After they wake up, give small sips of water
• Let them rest
Get medical help immediately if...
• The person doesn’t wake up within one minute
• There is chest pain or trouble breathing
• There is shaking like a seizure
• Confusion lasts a long time
• There is a strong headache
• This happens often
• They hit their head badly
In our case, my husband was fine the next day, which tells us this was a temporary faint related to pain and low blood pressure...not a stroke or seizure. It was terrifying, but hopefully now you know how to react if something like this ever happens to you.
Be healthy 🤍
P.S. He is now a king, and I am his servant. He deserves it. After seeing me go through seizures so many times, I finally understand his fear. And I hope with my whole heart this never happens again.
So now… I’m going to cook for my honey. Everything he wants 😊
(Only while he is in pain. Then this royal service will stop. No more “Tina, bring me this and this.” But for now… full allowance 😉)
