The Fainting Goat

I have cardioinhibitory vasovascular syncope. That means a couple of things. The first is that instead of fight, flight or freeze, I faint. Perhaps not the best evolutionary response, but there you have it.

The second thing it means is that my blood pressure is low so it takes barely any change for it to drop low enough for me to faint. The Viking calls me a fainting goat*.

As many of you know, I attended Voices of 2014 on Saturday night where this wonderful site was in the top 30 for Personal & Parenting (whoo!!). The lights, heat, excitement and lack of food I’d eaten was clearly too much for me as mid conversation with the beautiful Danimezza I started to feel dizzy. So we sat down. I wasn’t feeling better and she was hot too so we went outside for some fresh air.

I remember leaning on the railing and then turning to Dani to say “I can’t see”. Next thing I was at work having a conversation and could hear voices telling me “You’re okay, you’ll be okay.” I fought the voices until I started to regain consciousness at what point it hit me: I’d fainted.

Damn.

The security guards propped me up against the window as the wonderful Cassandra got me water and all the passers by offered to call an ambulance. They told me I’d had a seizure, not uncommon for me these days. Luckily one of the security guards had the same condition as me so he understood.

It was then I was told Dani caught me as I fell, flinging her phone in the process, and stopped me from hitting my head on the concrete.

Once we felt better we went back inside and, to my relief, no one had noticed except those who were with me when I seized.

I’m so grateful to Dani for not only catching me but not telling anyone for the rest of the night what had happened. As anyone with a medical condition knows, it can be quite harmful to your pride. Particularly when you’re told your legs stuck out completely straight, just like a fainting goat.

My Princess Charming.

So that was my Saturday night, how was yours?

*in case you haven’t seen the fainting goats: