Sunday, March 25, 2012

ER - and Sharktooth shawl

I've thought about it, whether I should say something about this or not, but it was such a scary experience, I have to get it off my chest.
There's another thing I can chalk of a list of things I never wanted to do.
ER as a patient!
Obviously, since I'm writing this here, I'm fine, no worries! But I scared the heck out of my son, and myself Thursday night, early Friday morning.

If you know me at all, you know that I don't go to the doctor easily, agreeing to go to the ER was something I'd never thought I would do.

This is what happened. I was in bed reading for about an hour, when I turned over, and suddenly was very dizzy, and felt nauseated. I had to sit up, and spend the next hours sitting, and trying hard not to vomit. I could not close my eyes, or try to lie down, because it made things worse. After several hours of this, I gave in, and the thought of vomiting promised relieve, so I did. Boy did I ever! I haven't done that in over a decade.
My son was concerned, the dogs were freaking out, and I got really scared. I got the relieve for about a minute, and then it all started over again, even worse, because by then I was so incredible tired as well, that my eyes fell shut, but I had to keep them open. Vicious circle.
By then it was 3AM and I agreed to go to the ER. I thought I had eaten something bad, and didn't want to leave this beautiful world, because of Salmonella or some such. Secretly I blamed my home made mayonnaise, but I didn't say anything, because my son ate it too, and I didn't want to scare him even more!

Well, we arrived shortly after 4:30AM, and while sitting there, focusing on one point, trying to get my nausea under control, time went by, and they finally called me in at 7:45AM.

By then I was feeling better already, and I'd joked that waiting another hour I could go home cured.

Anyway, long story short, the Doctor said I have BENIGN PAROXYSMAL POSITIONAL VERTIGO. Never heard of it? Me neither.

When he explained to me what's going on, I actually said, "That's it?"
I still felt slightly dizzy, and nauseated the next day, but as of this morning, I'm my old self again.
Phew!
PS Say nothing about my home made mayonnaise! It was delicious!

***

Have I shown you my Sharktooth shawl yet? It's been so long that I've knit it, and it's been on Ravelry for a while, it's hard to keep up with myself. :o)

Sharktooth shawl by Stephen West

Sharktooth shawl by Stephen West

Sharktooth shawl by Stephen West

Sharktooth shawl by Stephen West

Sharktooth shawl by Stephen West

This got to be the smallest shawl I've ever knit. If I were to do it again, I would use DK or worsted weight yarn, with larger needles. But I like the look of it.

pattern: Sharktooth, Westknits Shawl Club December 2011

yarn: Wandering Cat Yarns Slinky Cat fingering, colorway "Sterling", I love this color.

needles: 3.5mm

I didn't block it excessively, just because I didn't fancy all those picots. I just gave it a bath, and smoothed it out, and let it dry.

28 comments:

Teresa C said...

Could you walk straignt? When my sister kept walking to the wall, we gave up and took her to the ER also
Rotating her head down, back over and down, fixed it, and she hasn't been bothered again, almost 15 years later.
Scary though.
Teresa

Wanderingcatstudio said...

Wow! Glad it wasn't anything too serious - be definitely scary!

erin said...

I'm glad you're feeling better! that sounds like a crazy experience.

I love the color of the Sharktooth shawl - so simple and classic =)

momsue84 said...

My father had this condition, Monika, and lived with it for several years. As long as he didn't change levels too fast, i.e. laying to sitting, sitting to standing, he was just fine. His started the same way, with dizziness, nausea and vomiting. So glad you are ok. Just take it easy, and keep making that mayo!

Grammy Braxton said...

I knew immediately what was going with you. My Mom has vertigo and her symptoms are the same as yours. I'm glad you feel better. Mom had to the spend the night in the hospital the first time she had vertigo. Good luck. I really enjoy your site.

Madam Butterfly said...

I am sorry to hear about your vertigo. It sure is no fun! I hope you'll feel better soon. There should be some pills and some exercise that can help with that.

Your shawl is very cool! Love all the sharp details!

LaurieM said...

I have heard of it. My mother in law had it a while back. Did they give you a drug or the exercises? Once dealt with, it stayed gone. I hope it does for you too.

Walden said...

I am glad you are good now!

The shawl is lovely!

Beverly said...

I'm so glad I have this pattern. Your color choice is so pretty.

Susan said...

I'm sorry you had to go to the ER. It's never a fun (or fast) trip. Do you think the dizziness is a one-off sort of thing or will you have to deal with it again in the future?

knitomi said...

Oh Monika, so glad to hear that you are o.k. now, this must have been an incredibly scary night for you and your family!

Thank you for sharing this experience, while I hope this will not happen to us, at least we will be a bit wiser and calmer if we get similar symptoms - I certainly have never heard of BPP Vertigo.

One cannot explain what is going on to small children and pets when scary things happen, they just know that things are not right and get so frightened!

Wishing you and the pups calm and sunny days ahead,
Ingrid

Päivi, Lankakomero said...

The shawl is beautiful! By the way, I know that BPP vertigo, had it about ten years ago and it's awful! It came to my mind right away, when I started to read your story. Hope you feel ok now!

tea said...

I suffered from almost constant nausea all last spring and summer... not strong but constantly a little seasick. Couldn't for example enjoy cooking at all... which for me is a big thing!
And then I started doing the exercises!!! Relief in just a few days!!! I have spread the word since then... a friends mother in Estonia had stopped 'living' because of the nausea, she didn't even venture outside the house anymore, and then I sent her the exercises and she's perfect!
For once the cure is easy... and knowing about it has made it possible to help others... =) We live and learn.
LOVE the Sharktooth... is on my list of things to do...

Crochet with Raymond said...

oh my goodness, so glad to hear that you are allright and also that the mayonaise was not to blame!
take care of your lovely self, and loving the beautiful new shawl, you must have one for every day of the year! Excellent! My goal in life: to have a pair of hand knitted socks for every day of the year ;O)
XXX

cauchy09 said...

yikes, i hope you're feeling better now! and i hope this isn't going to happen again.

gorgeous knitting, as always!

2paw said...

Oh, I am so glad you are well, and that it was not your mayonnaise!! You can enjoy it every day now. How strange that tiny rocks in your ears can cause so much pain and anguish. I certainly hope you are feeling better now, Peri and Gilly send very gentle tail ways to help you recover.
Going to Emergency is very confronting but if you are really sick, you're just happy to see the doctors and nurses!! They do a great job.

Diana said...

Sorry to hear you felt dizzy Monica. It is so so familiar to me. I have been affected by motion sickness since i was a child. I was not diagnosed with this syndrome, but experience similar symptoms every so often. Just this morning I rose up too fast from my bed and felt dizzy. Motion sickness pills I tried make me feel really horrible the next day, so I just suffer through an episode when I have one. I hope it was just an isolated incident for you and wish you well.
The shawl is gorgeous. I love the edging a lot. So original.

Karen S, Lykkefanten said...

What a scary experience. I am glad to hear that you are ok again.
It is a really beautiful shawl!

Bea said...

hmhm - ich hab von der Diagnose nur den Schwindel übersetzen können.

Ich hoffe, dir geht es wieder gut und die Prognose lautet so, dass das nicht öfters kommt.

Ist das vielleicht dieser Schwindel, den man mit einer plötzlichen Hinleg-Aktion beseitigen kann? Kam neulich im Fernsehen. Irgendwelche Ablagerungen im Innenohr, die durch das plötzliche Seitneigen rausfallen und dann ist man wieder gesund.
Ich hab allerdings den ersten Teil deiner Diagnose nicht übersetzt bekommen. Wahrscheinlich ist es was ganz anderes.

Mitfühlende Grüße,
die Bea

Marissa said...

That IS scary! Glad to hear you're feeling yourself again- and I'm very thankful it wasn't something that would affect your knitting and spinning!!

Rhonda said...

Holey crap. I'm glad you're feeling better, you must have been out of your mind with worry. Your son too.

Mr. Puffy said...

Oh no. That must have been soooo scary for you!!!! You are so lucky you had your son there to take you to the hospital. I asked Steve and he said if it was viral related it should only last about a week. I hope it passes quickly and am so relieved it wasn't something more serious. And before I forget, that's a beautiful shawl ~ perfect to wrap yourself in as you recover from your ordeal!!! xoxo

Beverly said...

What a crummy night at the ER! Glad to know you are okay though and it wasn't food poisoning. Hopefully you won't have a fit of vertigo again. Yuck! Your Shark Tooth is lovely!

Pat said...

Gorgeous shawl of course!
I've had a lower level of the same thing - several times - lasts a day or 2 then goes away - weird!

Sharon said...

I'm glad you're feeling better. Thank goodness it was vertigo and not your home made mayonnaise!

I have vertigo myself, and I think it's my body's way of reminding me that I'm less of a Spring chicken and more of an Autumn Chicken. (It's OK because I like Autumn's colors better!)

bobbingal said...

Na da erschrickt doch jeder, wenn man die Symptome hört.
Gut, dass es dir wieder besser geht!

Das Tuch ist wunderschön.

LG
Brigitte

My Five Sons said...

Oh Westknits,be still my knitters heart!

Bev said...

Beautiful shawl, but $20 for a pattern? Am I reading that correctly? Sheesh! I think designers should be paid for their designs, but that's pretty steep.