summer 2011

summer 2011

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012
family

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

oh dear!

 Yesterday was going well.  I went to the pool, went to the bank ATM, then to buy a small grill from Marketplace.  (Coleman Roadtrip, looked rather clean, and I really liked the lady selling it.  We got along like old friends.  She couldn't get it folded up, neither could I, but we agreed our husbands would get it figured in a jiffy!  She was a nice lady.)

Then, a quick stop into the Mennonite store, because I was in the neighborhood, and that's where I buy my clear vanilla for baking.  I behaved and didn't come home with a cartload, but I did get some whole milk chocolate milk for the girls.  

Home...I unloaded the grill, brought in the milk, used the bathroom, and left for the small city to pick up some coffee I had ordered, it gets roasted upon ordering.  Then, all by my lonesome, Walmart.  I needed a new grill brush, the other one disappeared in the yard.  Grandchildren?  Anyway.  I want a thicker mattress pad, like three inches of gel foam, for the camper, but they were expensive in there, and it's not exactly a need, it's just a Princess and The Pea thing.  I found some clearances candy, and got a gallon of milk and some pepperoni, then stopped at a local coffee drive through, and got an iced Americano.  Ahh, nice drive home, excellent coffee.

If this is riveting, I'm sorry, some of us just have super exciting lives.  

The problem started with my vision going just a little bit off, and I knew a migraine was brewing.  Then the zig zag at my peripheral started, and I just had to wait it out.  The girls got home from work early, and wanted to go to Target or someplace, did I want to go?  Sure, why not?  

I got ready to go, and felt just so off.  My vision had gotten better, but my ears felt clogged, I had a funny taste in my mouth, and everything even smelled off.  Then I tried to put my two cents in about where to go, and the words just weren't coming.  I felt tingly and strange.  I went anyway, and when we got into Walmart, Kathryn was coming out of Walmart, but seeing her there, I felt like she was far away, can't explain it.  I decided to ride with her, my house is on the way home from her's.  The girls went off to look for the pumpkin creamer they wanted, and we went home.

I started to feel better, and could articulate all I had felt.  I went home, and had some liquid IV, and started reading about migraine symptoms, just to make sure it wasn't a TIA (transient ischemic attack, or mini stroke).  I didn't have weakness on one side of the body, so there's that.  I read that there's a thing called Alice in Wonderland Syndrome that can happen, and that happened.  It seemed like migraine aura.  I only had a low grade headache after, but behind my eyes ached, and I felt tired and nauseous and no appetite, which never happens to me.  

I called Emily, and we reasoned together:  I just had an echocardiogram which did not indicate any troubles or blockages.  My blood pressure is reasonably low.  I had blood work recently which didn't raise any red flags.  I know, a stroke could still happen.  But.  if I were to call the dr., he would want to see me, and rule things out, which means tests and appointments, and my knee surgery would be postponed...all for what is most likely a migraine.  Em said migraines are known to be more like seizures now, than headaches, and that's almost what this felt like.  My brain was low-grade short circuiting.

Of course the next step was to sleuth out what triggered it.  Stress is a very likely culprit, and I did get a phone call from Jolene at the Ortho office yesterday, and we chose a tentative surgery date of September 30.  This could have been it.  Or, that I had cake on Sunday night then fasted all day yesterday with just coffee, like I usually do, but the sugar?  I don' t know.  

The fact is, it shook me.  It shook my confidence to make plans, because if I were driving?  

It's like you get older, and your body becomes less reliable.  When you're younger, you don't even think about your body, you just live your days.  

The bottom line though, is that every single thing is weighed and measured for me, and God has numbered the very hairs of my head.  I will take good care of myself, as my body is a gift, life is a gift, but to be worried and weighed down is really unbelief that God sends what's best for me.  

So that's my battle for today, not to color the future black with what-ifs, and I'm going to eat a good heathy lunch, and get ready for going camping on Friday.  

You all have a really good day now!

14 comments:

~Pam~ said...

Oh Della, that sounds so frightening. I am so glad you are ok now. I know as I get older and things happen to my body, I just have to remember God is in control. Thank you for that reminder. Have good day. Bless you!

Mari said...

You're right, things happen that are much more stressful when we're a little older. Glad you're doing better today! I'm blessed in not having to deal with migraine headaches but I do get occular migraines occasionally and those vision disturbances are crazy. I hope you don't have to deal with this again for a long time!

Anonymous said...

How scary for you, Della! I'm glad you have your daughter to bounce symptoms off of. What does Paul say? I hope it was migraine symptoms and not stroke, but so sorry that happened at all:( Take care of yourself!
Valerie

Terri D said...

Wishing you and yours a lovely camping get-away, with no further migraines! Relax, don't stress, and let God get it all done for you. Sending a hug and prayers being lifted. xo

Anonymous said...

Della, as an epileptic I had auras. I had all those same things you mentioned. Not saying that's what happened to you tho! My right temporal lobectomy was in 2014. I would normally look at someone and say the exact same thing before a seizure. And I do know what you mean what if you were driving. Indiana has a main interstate known as 465. I had a seizure one night and drove off it down an embankment. The zigzag of your eyesight makes me thankful I'm not prone to migraines. And how wonderful it must be to be able to have Emily's help! Take care of yourself so you can enjoy all those grands!

Maureen said...

Saying a prayer for you - though we know our days are numbered - what you experienced is scary. Your ability to put it into perspective is so beautiful.

Kanadiangirl said...

That is SO scary for you. But yes, our bodies just start breaking down as we age and it is just so sad!

Kristine from Kanada

16 blessings'mom said...

Oh that must have been terrifying, thankfully you were okay. I did read about the epileptic auras, and they differ in that the zig zag and visual disturbances tend to be more colorful, ect. But wow, our brains are full of surprises.

16 blessings'mom said...

Keyboard sleuthing: strokes tend to land more suddenly, all those things happening at once, even with a TIA. This unrolled in slow motion, first the vision just a tiny bit whacky, then the zigs at the peripheral, then the other weird things....so I'm mostly sure it was a migraine aura. You guys are so nice to me, though, with all the kind comments, thank you!

Anonymous said...

Hi Della!

Scary for you! Oh my goodness! I hope that never happens again. How are you feeling now? I can’t stop thinking about how scary that was.
On the bright side you are going camping! Hopefully the weather is wonderful and the smoke is not there. It will be lovely. ☺️

Marilyn from Canada 🇨🇦

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad whatever it was that it seems to have passed and crossing my fingers it's nothing more serious than it seems. Take care of yourself!! Very glad you have an army of nurses in your family..

Joybells said...

Wow Della, what a scary experience. I hope you are feeling better today. Praying for you. :)

Joy from Salem

Billie Jo said...

Hope you are feeling better, sweet friend! And you won my drawing!!!! Contact me on my contact form on my blog so I can get you your prize!!!

16 blessings'mom said...

Thank you, Billie Jo, I am still a bit shaken and hope it never happens again! But I am feeling fine now! Thank you!