I told her I didn’t feel well – so we took a break in the middle of the test. We’d completed two of the four images. It was painful but I could handle it, I told myself.
She had me sit down and brought me some water. We made small chit chat that helped and soon I started to feel better.
“Should we continue?” she asked. I gave the nod.
But as I stood up, the dizziness returned. I felt flush and weak – not sure I could go on. Then it happened. The walls of darkness closed in. (I hate that feeling). I heard myself plead in the soft voice of a whimpering child, “Help me”. My arms reached out into dark thin air as she yelled “We are losing her.”
Next thing I woke up on the floor with an oxygen mask on my face, my legs propped up and a doctor taking my pulse. I could hear them talking about me as if I wasn’t there — asking me questions that I couldn’t respond to. It was the weirdest feeling.
I had fainted in the middle of my mammogram.
From what? I’m not sure. Low blood pressure? The compression of the test itself? Dehydration?
Likely a combination, the doctor suspected. It was surreal and scary – not at all what I was expecting from my first mammogram. I had even talked optimistically to my ‘girls’ before the test letting them know we were just going for a little squeeze. I am so grateful for the wonderful staff who nursed me, a husband who picked me up, and a body that knows how to heal.
Please don’t let me scare you. My response was abnormal.
I debated sharing this with you. It’s personal and a tad embarrassing. But the sage in me trusts that what shows up during the 100-day journey is happening for a reason. There are no accidents and the deeper meaning of this will become clear.
Together, let’s trust life and take extra delicious care of our bodies.
Love,
Paula
P.S. For those of you prone to light-headedness and low blood pressure, did you know that forcing a cough will increase your blood pressure? Do you know how important hydration is?
P.S.S. No I didn’t faint with my chest in the machine. That would have been PAINFUL!
