Ambulance took me to the hospital

[dragonphlu]

Today I went out with some of my classmates into the field to get the last remaining plots done. While out there, I remembered that I was feeling light-headed and thirst. I made sure I keep drinking water to prevent dehydrating, but I've gone through 4 bottles of water and still feel light-headed. My legs were getting weaker and weaker and I was a bit delirious (is that the right word?) that you could have sworn that I was alittle cuckoo in my head. After finishing the last plot, I collapsed and passed out for awhile. I don't remember how long, but it wasn't long since it was still daylight and we all needed to get out before it gets dark. I couldn't get up and my legs were too weak. I had 2 walking sticks to help me as we walk back. I did get cold water poured down the back of my neck, which helped greatly. As the sun was setting, I felt a sharp pain around my right-side kidney area at my back...then it spread up and over to my right upper arm and I was in severe pain. One of my classmates was certified and told me that it was a cramp. I couldn't think straight. My head was still light-headed and all my classmates had to help me cross through several small creeks (fell halfway into one due to being stuck on mud), gave me lifts to cross over fallen logs and kept me from falling/losing balance. The cramp pain was gone after several minutes. It was dark and we couldn't see where we were going. Thankfully, another classmate came over and kept honking the car horn and whooting so that we can follow them. As we finally got out into the clearing, I fell again; this time I didn't pass out, but still out of breathing. I'm being told not to fall asleep while lying there as they brought the truck over to put me on the back. While riding back to the parking lot, I felt another cramp pain, this time, it was even worse. I was in tears and was bearing my teeth in agony. I felt like someone ripping the right back side of my body. When we got back to the parking lot, my classmates gave me some gatorade to get some electrolites in me while they called the ambulance. The paradmedics and others came and check on me. My classmates had called our teacher and my mom. My body was overheated and even the ice packs melted in a few minutes and I was still overheated. They checked my blood sugar (which was low, if I remember correctly), pulse and some other things. One guy was asking me questions to help get an idea what happened and to prevent me from passing out again or fall asleep.  I remember that I was crying a bit because I've never been hospitalized before and this is the first time so I was nervous; I also remember that my head was not focused all the way and had to pause to find the answer to the questions that I was being asked; I've noticed that I kept taking big, deep breathes constantly, feeling as if I didn't have enough oxygen in my body. After all the diagnoses and such, they put me into the ambulance to take me to the closest hospital near my apartment. During the ride, I had several ice packs put on me (which melted quickly, even the extreme icy, cold one behind my neck) and was asked more questions, which I try to answer while my head was still light-headed.  My sister called around 10PM and she was shocked that I was in the ambulance and going to the hospital. I arrived at the hospital and was still feeling weak and had to sit in a wheelchair and was waiting to see a nurse. I was feeling a little better due to being in an cool place and was a bit embarrassed since my body and clothes were all dirty from being out in the field. Mindy and Erin, two of my classmates, came several minutes later. I met with the nurse, answered some more questions and gave them my ID and health insurance. I was quite shocked when the receptionist that I was speaking with was asking me if I had made my will or not. She informed me that it's a required thing to ask everyone over 18 years old. But still, I was in a shock moment when she asked me that. Mindy, Erin, and I waited in the lobby for a doctor to come. We talked about the times we had on our previous classes and how we all have been through a lot of things today. I called my mom to give her an update and told her that I'll be find and should be back home late tonight. After few hours of waiting, we've realized that it was almost 1 AM. My body has returned to normal and I was able to walk again. We saw a lot of people waiting in the lobby and figured that I really didn't need to see the doctor since I'm feeling better and back to normal (after being cooled off with the AC. Erin and I grabbed some Sonics and she dropped me off back at my apartment. My car is currently back at the UF Plant City campus and is in a locked area. I ate my meal and get some sugar in me with the root beer before taking a shower. I have to wait until the water is drained out in my bathtub (I may have to call plumbing maintenance service one day). While waiting, I decided to write up this journal since my memory is still fresh. I know I need to rest. I looked up online and realized that I had heat exhaustion that lead to heat stroke. Thankfully, it wasn't a severe one and my body returned to normal while waiting in the hospital. I just need to rest my body and be in a cool place, like my apartment. I can still feel a little bit of aches, but that's from using my body out in the field. I felt so much better after the showing and feeling the fan and cooling off more. I know my body has a tendency to build up more heat than normal and I always prefer being in cool than hot places. After this event, I'm more convinced that I am meant to work indoors with AC running. I am very thankful that I didn't have the more severe symptoms of heat stroke (like coma, confusion, or seizure) that I've seen online. I've had maybe heat exhaustion before and was taken cared of quickly with ease, but never got a heat stroke until this evening. I'm not going through that again!

I believe God was watching over me and gave me enough strength and energy to make it through that night.