Sarah’s Turn at the ER

Made my third trip to the ER in 6 months today.  Instead of accompanying Norma or Nick though, this time it was me checking in.  I wish I had some fabulous glory story to tell about what happened… alas, it was merely my klutzy-ness that got me into trouble once again.  Here’s a rundown of my experience at the ER:

At 4 PM I was heading into Friendship Home with Rachel to go play with the kids.  I was walking up three little steps to the front door when somehow the toe of my shoe got caught on the step and I began to pitch forward.  I managed to brace my hand against the door to stop myself, but my head went crashing into the big antique iron door handle.  OUCH.  Things were spinning a bit but I am happy to report that there was no passing out and no puking (both good signs).  I went up to say hi to the kids but it was way too overwhelming with the massive headache that was invading.

I decided to head out and left Rachel to play with the kids (which she thoroughly enjoyed).  I called the Medical Unit on the way home and they suggested that I go to the Emergency Room to have it looked at to check for any bone fractures or bleeding.  I’m all about piece of mind, so I agreed to go.

We arrived at 5:30 to check in.  I should go ahead and say at this point that I did have a 1/2 inch abrasion above my right eyebrow (no cut though) and that I was getting puffy under my eye.  Other than that, the headache was dimming and the dizzyness was over.  Even after recounting these things, they still insisted that I be taken around in a wheel chair.  Nick couldn’t stop laughing…

I was given my bracelet and wheeled over to a nurse who gave me a neurological exam (following the light with my eyes, finger pointing, checking for sensation, etc) and pronounced me a-ok in her eyes.  Next I was off to get 4 head xrays.  By now we’ve been there an hour and I’m assuming we’ll be released after they check the scans.  Not so.

Despite being told I was fine and having the scans come back with nothing, I was told that another doctor would be seeing me.  And not just a general ER doctor, no, I would have one of Manila’s finest neurologists!  Maybe it was the blue eyes and blond hair, but for whatever reason it was deemed medically necessary that I see a neurologist.  The neurologist however, appeared to disagree with the decision to bring her in.

She looked mildly annoyed the entire time she checked me out.  I must not have had an exciting enough head trauma.  She couldn’t figure out why she was there since I hadn’t blacked out, puked or fallen down the stairs.  It was hard to suppress laughter, as I was so clearly not the type of patient she sees regularly.  Ooops.

3 neurological exams and 2 hours later I was finally deemed fit to leave with my extra strength tylenol prescription in hand.  Definitely my most expensive doctor visit yet at $45 to see the neurologist -still… I’m not complaining, as I know what that would translate to in the States (although the neurologist would never have been visiting little old me anyways in the states).  Never mind that.  It was nice to join my family’s “ER CLUB”.  Now I feel like I belong.