An Unexpected Trip..............
........to the UVA Emergency Room Department.
Yes, I got injured at work and eventually had to go to the UVA Hospital. Imagine my being in the hospital and seeing doctors all my life; yet HATING the hospital, esp the ER dept. The story? Well, sit back and get a cup of tea...........
So I was in the kitchen at work getting my lunch ready and getting my plastic silverware. So I got into the cabinet to get some extra supply of plastic forks to put into my homeroom's drawer. So, the cabinet is not really above my head, but it's about head's length for me and the cabinet itself is probably about 2 or so feet above, nearly touching the ceiling. So naturally, being short, I didn't see anything above me. I go and open up the cabinet and KLUMP---a HUGE pack of paper plates whack me in the head. I lost my balance for one second and my head started to hurt, but I weighted it out to see how I feel later. One of my coworkers heard the KLUMP and helped pick up the paper plates for me. You'd think paper plates won't hurt, but read on and you'll understand why it hurt. So I went back into the lunch room and my coworker who helped me told another coworker what happened; so I proceeded to tell my other coworker who was on the other side of the room what happened. At this point, my head was beginning to hurt. My coworker suggested to tell my supervisor Shelby and I said that I'm going to wait a few minutes to see how I feel b/c maybe it was still a "pain" from blow. Well, I begin to feel nauseated. I sat quietly and my coworker was said that she was going to get my supervisor; I told her just wait, but just then my supervisor walked in and my coworker immediately told her what happened. My boss asked me how I felt and by then I was dizzy and nauseated so she suggested me to go to First Med. My boss got my other supervisor and she gave me the paperwork to go to First Med, but by then I got dizzy so Pam, my boss had to take me to First Med. So all this happened probably about 15 min or so (from the time I got hurt to the time I left for First Med). I got to FM and they were concerned because my balance was off PLUS Pam had someone weigh the pack of paper plates that fell on me and it was found out that it was 15 lbs!!---Pam basically had to hold me to walk into FM. So the doctor at FM told me to immediately go to UVA ER since it was such a heavy load and I was showing all the symptoms of a concussion or maybe something worse. (note it was a full pack of paper plates that you'd buy at Costco or Sam's Club) So we truck along to the ER--Pam is calling Shelby (one of my supervisor) and I'm calling Mom and Dad to let them know what is going on. By then, I'm extremely dizzy and nauseated and I haven't eaten since 7am and it was already almost 1pm. Of course, I didn't have an appetite but I was afraid that my blood sugar will go down since I (at one point) was thought to have hypoglycemia. Anyhow, we get to the ER and I get in fairly quickly and they put in an IV, push pain med and anti-nausea med in me. I have two nurses and two doctors around me to make sure I was alert and oriented, of course, I was, but I was still very dizzy. Finally after they were able to control some of my pain and nausea they ordered and took me to get a CT scan. By then it was about : 3:45 pm or so when I got my CT. I tell ya, with all that moving around they did to me I felt even more sick! Pam arranged everything for Dad to get the car keys, pick up the car at my work place and come to the ER. By the time the results came in, it was nearly 5:30pm! Thank God it didn't show any internal bleeding but the doctor did say that I have a concussion and put me off work for 2 days, sent me home with anti-nausea meds and Percocet for pain. I didn't leave th hospital till about 6:30pm or so when all the paperwork finally went through and they were able to discharge me. Dad went to get the car and the stupid staff LEFT me on the side walk, by myself in a wheelchair (on a small slope mind you!) Just then two helicopters flew in and the noise and all made me even more sick and dizzy!!!! But anyhow, thank God I was okay by myself on the sidewalk.
I'm home now, still dizzy and sick to my stomach but otherwise a bit better than I first was when I was in the ER. I'm trying to eat a little dinner if I can, so hopefully things will be better when I rest the next couple of days. I'll keep you updated; hopefully I won't have to go back to the ER or see my PCP (I have to if I continue to feel badly), so pray for me, will you?
Yes, I got injured at work and eventually had to go to the UVA Hospital. Imagine my being in the hospital and seeing doctors all my life; yet HATING the hospital, esp the ER dept. The story? Well, sit back and get a cup of tea...........
So I was in the kitchen at work getting my lunch ready and getting my plastic silverware. So I got into the cabinet to get some extra supply of plastic forks to put into my homeroom's drawer. So, the cabinet is not really above my head, but it's about head's length for me and the cabinet itself is probably about 2 or so feet above, nearly touching the ceiling. So naturally, being short, I didn't see anything above me. I go and open up the cabinet and KLUMP---a HUGE pack of paper plates whack me in the head. I lost my balance for one second and my head started to hurt, but I weighted it out to see how I feel later. One of my coworkers heard the KLUMP and helped pick up the paper plates for me. You'd think paper plates won't hurt, but read on and you'll understand why it hurt. So I went back into the lunch room and my coworker who helped me told another coworker what happened; so I proceeded to tell my other coworker who was on the other side of the room what happened. At this point, my head was beginning to hurt. My coworker suggested to tell my supervisor Shelby and I said that I'm going to wait a few minutes to see how I feel b/c maybe it was still a "pain" from blow. Well, I begin to feel nauseated. I sat quietly and my coworker was said that she was going to get my supervisor; I told her just wait, but just then my supervisor walked in and my coworker immediately told her what happened. My boss asked me how I felt and by then I was dizzy and nauseated so she suggested me to go to First Med. My boss got my other supervisor and she gave me the paperwork to go to First Med, but by then I got dizzy so Pam, my boss had to take me to First Med. So all this happened probably about 15 min or so (from the time I got hurt to the time I left for First Med). I got to FM and they were concerned because my balance was off PLUS Pam had someone weigh the pack of paper plates that fell on me and it was found out that it was 15 lbs!!---Pam basically had to hold me to walk into FM. So the doctor at FM told me to immediately go to UVA ER since it was such a heavy load and I was showing all the symptoms of a concussion or maybe something worse. (note it was a full pack of paper plates that you'd buy at Costco or Sam's Club) So we truck along to the ER--Pam is calling Shelby (one of my supervisor) and I'm calling Mom and Dad to let them know what is going on. By then, I'm extremely dizzy and nauseated and I haven't eaten since 7am and it was already almost 1pm. Of course, I didn't have an appetite but I was afraid that my blood sugar will go down since I (at one point) was thought to have hypoglycemia. Anyhow, we get to the ER and I get in fairly quickly and they put in an IV, push pain med and anti-nausea med in me. I have two nurses and two doctors around me to make sure I was alert and oriented, of course, I was, but I was still very dizzy. Finally after they were able to control some of my pain and nausea they ordered and took me to get a CT scan. By then it was about : 3:45 pm or so when I got my CT. I tell ya, with all that moving around they did to me I felt even more sick! Pam arranged everything for Dad to get the car keys, pick up the car at my work place and come to the ER. By the time the results came in, it was nearly 5:30pm! Thank God it didn't show any internal bleeding but the doctor did say that I have a concussion and put me off work for 2 days, sent me home with anti-nausea meds and Percocet for pain. I didn't leave th hospital till about 6:30pm or so when all the paperwork finally went through and they were able to discharge me. Dad went to get the car and the stupid staff LEFT me on the side walk, by myself in a wheelchair (on a small slope mind you!) Just then two helicopters flew in and the noise and all made me even more sick and dizzy!!!! But anyhow, thank God I was okay by myself on the sidewalk.
I'm home now, still dizzy and sick to my stomach but otherwise a bit better than I first was when I was in the ER. I'm trying to eat a little dinner if I can, so hopefully things will be better when I rest the next couple of days. I'll keep you updated; hopefully I won't have to go back to the ER or see my PCP (I have to if I continue to feel badly), so pray for me, will you?
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