Part 2 Of My Mystery Medical Condition

  I'm trying not to let the constant black outs slow me down, but it is. They're impossible to ignore, they're starting to get in my way. Twice just this week I've either almost been kicked out or was kicked out of some type of fun activity. Which sucks by the way, especially for the people I go with. My brother loves sky zone. And so do I. It's like this warehouse just full of wall to wall trampolines, and foam pits, and dodge ball, it's pretty much one giant trigger for me I've discovered. Any ways, I noticed the symptoms of a black out coming on. I got myself off of the trampolines and sat down on the ground, now that's the last thing I remember, but apparently the story gets better. From what I was told when I woke up is that I sat down on the ground where I wasn't supposed to and the manager asked me to move down to the benches. Apparently I began arguing with her and didn't move. I guess while she was checking on the game of dodge ball I blacked out on the ground. They left me there.. which is exactly what you're not supposed to do by the way. But, they did get my brother who surprisingly knew what to do. I guess I came back about two minutes later. None of them were phased and they gave me a free water (which my brother drank -_-) and they said if this happens again I would have to leave. Which sucks because that means my brother would have to leave too, and he love Sky Zone. Well that was the last of that day's black outs. Then my best friend and I went to Wet 'N Wild for a day in the sun. All was going surprisingly really well. I hadn't gotten dizzy, I was able to keep up with her we were having an awesome time, and then everything went to poop. And I mean that in the worst possible way. We were standing in a line waiting for a tube when I turned to her and said flat out "I'm about to black out." She's seen in happen before, she's used to it, but since it's been happening so frequently we decided to go to first aid. We made it, I kid you not, just. in. time. They sat me down on the cot and called for an EMT, no one was able to respond as they thought I was a minor case and they had a guy who had just had a low blood sugar that caused him to pass out. What they didn't realize was the same thing was about to happen to me. There was an EMT there who had just gotten off and he started freaking out. This is where I lost it. He had me on the finger pulse reader thing, and started asking me questions that I just couldn't answer. My friend was trying to explain what was happening and what was about to happen, and what I needed. I don't remember anything after this, but this is what my friend told me: the EMT then started assessing the situation and taking my vitals. They took my blood sugar which was 108 I think. I took me a while to respond to simple directions. They put me on O2 when I started to take a turn for the worst. They ripped off my bracelet to call my mom, I'm so thankful I had it on. But she didn't answer. Apparently at this point they were just trying to keep me awake and then I fell forward. I will forever thank them for this because that would have resulted in a concussion, but they caught me before I fell over and onto my face. Apparently I was out for about 15 seconds and I had a record come back time. They took my blood sugar again and apparently it raised concern. Apparently I had all the signs of seizing soon, so they called it. They were going to have me transported. A few seconds after this decision I came back completely. But it was to late they had called 911. Which was fine by me, my parents weren't going to be to happy about it, but in a way I was happy they did. Maybe now, my parents will believe me. Any ways, they started to look for a new contact number. My friend still not freaking out, gotta love her, started calling my father, who said he was on his way. When the fire department arrived I was fully aware and had been getting caught up on what had happened. The main captain was awesome while they were putting me on a full heart monitor and taking my BP and blood sugar he said maybe a water park wasn't the best idea until I was fully diagnosed and had it under control because what if I blacked out under water? I giggled. He rolled his eyes knowing full well that it has happened before. They weren't able to do an EEG on site but they did get a mini EKG in. And I guess my heart would triple beat, he used a more scientific word, but that too raised concerns so it's back to the cardiologist I go. But, they were able to tell my father the glorious words, "she really did have what looks to be a seizure, we recommend we transport her for further observation as this raises a lot of concern." My father said no, but he heard it from a real live fire man that it actually happened. They still had me on O2 when he arrived which also made him believe just a little bit more. They did indeed make me go home because apparently I was a liability to keep on property which I understand completely. So we headed home. My friend drove and I road shut gun. I feel really bad that because of me she had to leave early. But she was awesome the entire time telling them my medical history, all my medications I'm taking (which was cool to know she knows that) and trying to calm the EMT's down, because I guess they weren't expecting to have to call 911 for me. I enjoy scaring the living daylights out of Wet 'N Wild staff, because this is the second time this has happened there. I sent them a thank you card for dealing with me and for their quick response. The lesson I learned from this experience is to ask for help they're there to do just that. I'm glad my friend was there to relay information and I'm glad they didn't hesitate to call 911 it just sucks I had to leave.

Keep your head up and just keep swimming,
Ellie <3

Part 1 Of My Mystery Medical Condition

     This post starts a few weeks back, and the story is still evolving but I'm ready to share so here goes.

The group I went to NYG with. :)

     A few weeks ago I was given to opportunity to San Antonio with my church to the National Youth Gathering. Let me put this in perspective. I was going to San Antonio with out my parentals, there was 25,000 other teens who were also in attendance. I was excited, nervous, but excited. A few days in we were sitting in a group waiting for our chaperons to come back from a meeting when all of a sudden I was surrounded by paramedics. Apparently I blacked out at some point. No warning, no symptoms, nothing. I was told that I was all sorts of disoriented. Which makes it all the more fun to explain that this happens a lot when I finally came around. The gathering had a safety team which was dispatched, but there was nothing they could really do. The gathering also had EMT's on call at both the convention center and the Alamo Dome, they were called. By the time they responded and I was taken back to first aid I had became fully aware. They took my vitals, and incident report, all that jazz and I was free to go. That's what I thought was the last of it... I was a little to hopeful. Yes, I indeed blacked out at least twice a day.. every day the rest of the week. Almost with out fail. My parents were called every time and at one point I was sent to the clinic. I was not allowed to participate in daily activities with the rest of my group and I was banished to the hotel unless we were at the mass event or dinner. It sucked. And it most definitely wasn't fair. I understand my chaperons didn't know what was going on with me, and that they were just looking out for my best interests, but it happened at the hotel too, when I was alone. It's not fun to wake up on the bathroom floor of an unfamiliar place knowing exactly what happened, but not having any recollection of what happened. I became the outcast of the group. Only one of the girls would really make conversation with me, and I was on a first name basis with the EMT's and the head of the safety team. It sucked. I was hoping it was all a freak thing and when I got back home and in my routine it would stop. It didn't. I had a check-up appointment with my neurologist the next Tuesday after I got back. My mom had never actually seen a black out episode so when it happened right in front of her she didn't really know what to do. I was sitting in the examine room with her in the chair next to me waiting for the doctor. I'm sure I was rubbing my finger tips together like I normally do right before it happens, but she's never seen an episode so this probably didn't raise any red flags. But apparently I fell over onto her. She thought I was just screwing around and was really confused when I told her I had no recollection of what she was talking about, or where I was. Well she can check seeing an episode off of her list I guess. The doctor had nothing to say except order a 24hr EEG and send me to a cardiologist... for the third time. <-- this information will come in hand for part two of this mystery. And for now I'm supposed to just consider myself epileptic. But then, a few days after my appointment they went back down to maybe one or two a week. I'm really confused, my parents have given up and are pretty much considering me a hypochondriac even though they've both now seen an episode in person. I'm just up a creek with out a paddle and once again fighting.. alone. Even though I had a crappy time in San Antonio (besides all the cool parts of it) I miss having the EMT's who knew me and actually tried to help instead of shutting me out and kind of leaving me for dead.  I guess I need to just take my own advice: Keep my head up. :)

On the left was the head of the safety team at NYG. And on the right
was one of the EMT's. It's sad we all wanted a good bye picture before I left because we became such good friends.

Keep your head up and keep smiling, 

Ellie <3