Pulse nightclub shooting

Thinking of those caught up or affected by the multiple shootings in Orlando. Horrific as it is, hold a thought also for those in other parts of the world who are victims of similar outrages on an almost daily basis.

A week of it

It’s been one of those weeks where it has made itself very present in my life. In fact it has been intruding somewhat more frequently than normal over the last month or so.

At the beginning of the week (or was it the weekend? Timelines are rather vague things when it is around), I went out for a short evening stroll of ten to fifteen minutes only to return home five hours later, shortly after midnight.  Obviously it had plans I’m not aware of. I have no idea where it lead me, but judging by the wear on my sandals and the pain in my leg muscles the next day, I walked nonstop for the entire time.

Then mid-week, I took the car to our garage for its six-monthly WoF (Warrant of Fitness). As I was handing over the keys, I felt that odd out of body sensation that I sometimes get before it makes an appearance. Fortunately there’s a supermarket next door to the garage, so I decided to head there and buy an isotonic drink in case it was being triggered by dehydration.

I remember walking through the supermarket carpark (parking lot), but have no recollection of entering the store. As best I can work out, a friend saw me staggering about in the town square over an hour later.

Apparently others had seen me but assumed I was intoxicated and did nothing to assist me. However she knew enough about it to get me safely home.

By Friday my wife was concerned that it had been around almost continuously for a week and showing no signs of leaving. She managed to get an appointment at short notice at the medical centre. Apparently the doctor took one look at me and promptly ordered an ambulance.

I have no recollection of visiting the medical centre or of the trip to hospital. I do have a vague recollection of having a fascination with a stream of lights, which were probably passing ceiling lights as I was wheeled down corridors.

The first clear recollection I have is being told that I would be going for a CT scan shortly. I had the scan at about 2:00 am on Saturday morning.

It seemed to have abandoned me by midday Saturday, and I was informed that I would be discharged later in the day provided I could show I could walk steadily. Finally I was given my discharge form mid afternoon, and an hour later I was home.

Has it left me for the time being? It doesn’t seem so. It had taken up residence again by the time I woke up this morning (Sunday). It is just being a minor nuisance at the moment – a mild pulsating headache and a misjudgment of clearances between objects on my right and and various parts of my anatomy (and I have the bruises to prove it). I am hoping it will soon get bored and leave me alone for a while. Time will tell.

I notice that it has been given a new name. On previous discharge forms it was either not given a first name, or was given a first name of “atypical”. This time it had been given a new first name of “hemiplegic”. It‘s last name hasn’t changed. That’s still “migraine”.

Hello hemiplegic migraine. I can’t say I’m pleased to know you.