The Faint Experience..

It took me 30 years to realize how it would be to faint! When it happened though, I thought the experience was surreal.

I had gone in for my routine physical exam which entailed giving some blood samples for tests. So, I went to the lab after having not had anything in the 12hrs prior. The last time I had gone for the blood test, I had felt dizzy and was expecting something similar -- guess signs of weakening body? -- when the phlebotomist (cool word for one's occupation heh?!) drew out blood out of my right hand, I did feel dizzy. Since he could not collect enough blood in the last sample, he had to take one more sample from the left hand. (By the way, this was the first time one 'could not' draw out enough blood from my hand.. I was wondering if the blood pressure was not high enough to push the blood out but the phlebotomist had other explanations as well.)

For a moment, I wanted to take a sip of water before he drew the remaining sample but since it was just mini test tube I thought I would sit through it and then go have my lunch next door. I do not remember how I started to go unconscious but what I remember thinking was that my brain had completely shut off. I remember asking myself where I was and what I was doing, and my brain had no answer!!! NO ANSWER - my head was totally blank. That was some feeling. I can only guess that it lasted a couple of moments before I started to gain consciousness. I realized one of my flip-flops had fallen off. And I saw the nurse was around too, and they were applying some ice at the back of my neck. As I was regaining my consciousness I was told that I had fainted. I was so surprised to know that they had noticed that I fainted. I was still sitting on the chair but had totally lost consciousness. And then the person drawing my blood actually knew I was gaining my consciousness back. How? He told me the paleness in my face was going away! Paleness!!?? Whoa! Until this time, that was only an academic word for me. I still had not seen myself pale but that was some kind of an experience.

I then quickly grabbed lunch, all the while feeling miserably cold, and finally got home to comfort! It made me wonder -- what would we be without our brains!!??And just how the whole body works is just mind boggling!