Last night, I fainted in my dearest love’s arms. My 14-year-old-self would have been very, very pleased to know that would be in store for her one day. However, my 32-year-old-self found it a little less enjoyable. Predominantly from the thought of what the heck I could have gotten another concussion.
But getting back to it- it happened as I got out of bed- Matt randomly walked up and hugged me and that very second I fainted. Convenient, eh? Unfortunately, while my 14-year-old-self would have imagined me, the heroine, wiping back her golden locks from her languid eyes as she slowly regained her consciousness in the most fabulous feminine manner possible while also wearing a magnificent dress, I’m pretty sure I just looked like a frightened squirrel. I didn’t know where I was, how I got there or if I was actually just in a dream. I was panicking really, but just for a few seconds as my mind began to clear up a bit, The I was just very, very relieved that Matt had been there.
For the next 18 hours I basically played “the floor is lava” from how little I got up- I was terrified of falling and hitting my head. Anyway. The doctor. I went to the doctor today, who, by the way, casually asked me if I was doing marijuana (?!?!? I wasn’t even wearing my hippie clothes! [don’t hate her, she’s great]) who tentatively diagnosed me with orthostatic hypotension. She further explained (I had already visited Dr. Google and had diagnosed myself with the same condition, so I already knew what it meant) that when I sit or lie down, the blood pools in my legs and doesn’t quite make it quickly enough to my brain when I stand up, thus causing lightheadedness and potentially fainting. (I am so grossed out by the term “pooling blood” that I’m considering having my legs removed.)
I’ve actually had the problem of getting lightheaded and my vision blacking out when standing for years- it has just recently been getting progressively stronger. So, I have to stand very slowly now and count to five before moving, ten if I was lying down, super fun.
In addition, it actually could have happened from my “super healthy diet” whereof I’ve spurned all added sugars, grains and processed foods. My doctor pointed out that I probably wasn’t getting enough salt with my kale.
I’m also seeing a cardiologist and my neurologist and have had quite a lot of blood work done to rule out anything else.