Part 1

After taking a shower, getting dressed, and grabbing my Gideon plush for comfort, we left the house around 2:30 AM. When we arrived, I told the staff what was going on and headed to the waiting room area. The ER was completely empty when I got in, and that led to me being seen pretty quickly, but it also meant I had to be separated from Henry, which triggered my anxiety rather quickly. There was nothing I could do about it however and reluctantly headed back, gripping Gideon tightly.

I was seen shortly after and, surprisingly, I was IMMEDIATELY and directly asked "what is your go-to medication for migraines like this?". I have to admit, this stunned me for a moment, because I was not expecting to be asked what it was I thought would help. He wasted no time and went right to asking how he could help, rather than beating around the bush. I was extremely pleased though, because, as it happened, I already knew EXACTLY what would solve the migraine for me, and it would work quickly, in addition to making me drowsy. Toradol. Whenever I've been forced to head to the ER, that's always what I ask for because it has NEVER failed to take the pain away. He said he was more than willing to go get some for me. I asked him if I could get something for anxiety as well, and, on a hunch, specifically asked him if he would schedule a CT scan, because I believed the repeated migraines I was having were a result of a possible shunt failure. Again, no nonsense. He went right to doing exactly what I asked. I was given anti-anxiety medication and had a CT scan done a short time after.

Some time later, though, my anxiety started acting up again, so I asked if there was any way that Henry would be allowed to come back to console me. Being alone was beginning to scare me. The nurse went to ask, but, sadly, I was told no. I was, however, given the okay for ME to go back to HIM in the waiting room area until after they checked the CT scan. Relieved, that was exactly what I did. Feeling calmer with him nearby again, I relaxed and chatted with him while messing with games on my cell phone.

Eventually, the nurse came back and told Henry and I that the CT scan was very bad. There was a massive amount of fluid in my skull putting pressure against my brain, which was what was causing my migraines. My suspicion was confirmed. My shunt had, in fact, failed. We had to wait quite a while, but eventually someone came back telling us that I was being transferred to another hospital. This surprised Henry and I because we thought, if anything, the surgery would happen there, but apparently Shelton's hospital does not have a Neurology department. We were told that we were just waiting for a hospital to have an available bed. There were apparently two hospitals close by. This made me even more upset. Now, not only could I not have Henry with me, but I wouldn't even be in the same general area. By now, I was a completed wreck.

A few minutes passed and the nurse came back again, saying that one of the hospitals had a bed for me, but it wouldn't be actually ready until around 7:00 AM, which meant I likely wouldn't be leaving where I was to get there for a while, and by this point, it was around 4:45 AM. I was not happy, but, knowing how bad my condition was, I forced myself not to just ask to be taken home. I was already there, and I knew I needed a surgery at this point, so, despite being scared and anxious, I just sat and waited until I was told they were ready to take me.

Around 5:15 AM, the nurse came back yet again. The SECOND hospital had contacted them. They said they had a bed ready for me right then and there. So rather than leaving at 7, which I would likely have had to do if I'd waited on the first hospital, I'd now be ARRIVING at seven. The hospital I was going to was about 80 miles away. My anxiety went into overdrive at that point, with the realization that, at this point, this was the last I'd see of him until I was discharged from the hospital after the surgery, which, at the time, I had no idea how long that was going to be, and I was also starting to feel sick. I was told that I could be given another dose of the anti-anxiety medication as well as something for the nausea. I consented and was given the meds, then, reluctantly, said my goodbyes to Henry before eventually being wheeled out of the hospital to the ambulance.

Once inside it, I was asked the standard questions about what was going on with me and whatnot, then I pretty much just fell silent, gripping Gideon and trying hard not to cry. Eventually, I fell asleep along the drive.

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