So, my wife was in Europe a few weeks ago for work, and while she was away, her mom got sick and had to go to the hospital (her mom is doing better now). My wife flew back into H-town on Friday, February 9th, and instead of driving back home to Pearland from IAH, I went up north and met her at Pappasitos with her nephew (who drove my truck home after we ate). My wife and I then drove on to Dallas so she could see her mom. Fast forward to today, and I get an e-mail from my wife with a subject line of: Crap.... The body of the e-mail contained a link: http://www.hd.co.harris.tx.us/hcpress/News Release HepAENG2-18-07.htm Now.....my guess is that most of you had heard about this, but we both had busy weeks last week, and then on Friday we blew out of here for Mardi Gras in NOLA. If it hadn't been for a good friend of my wife's who knew we had eaten there, we would have never known. So anyway, my wife makes some phone calls and the next thing I know, the wife is driving south, I'm driving north, and the nephew is driving east, and we all meet at the Home Depot at 45S and 610. We climb in one vehicle and make the trek back up north to where they are giving the free immunization. First you sign a sheet, then you fill out a short questionairre, then you speak to a nurse, then you get your shot, and then you have to wait 15 minutes in a group waiting room to make sure you don't have a reaction. Guess what? I had a reaction. I'm guessing it was a pretty severe case of pussyitits, but the manifestations were quite real. I felt a bit light headed, and I was starting to sweat, and I generally felt pretty bad. My wife was up front because it turned out she didn't need the shot, but my nephew was next to me, and I told him I wasn't doing too well. Next thing I know they put me in a wheel chair and take me to another room where they prop my feet up. They start asking me questions to keep me alert, and I'm not liking the sounds coming out of my mouth when I respond. I can't see all that clearly, but my nephew is right in front of me, and I can see him well enough. They take my blood pressure about five times before I'm released, but the first time they say that it is 80 over 40. My nephew--a med student who never gets excited about anything--has a look on his face when they call out my blood pressure that really put the fear into me. Two things I distinctly remember hearing were: "stay with us" and "we have a pulse again." Crazy stuff. The nurse practitioner behind me was applying ice packs (and giving a bit of a massage too), and the nurse in front of me kept talking to me (they both did, really) and taking my blood pressure. The blood pressure was already on its way up when the doctor came in less than five minutes later, and they deemed me well enough to leave (I felt a LOT better and was letting everyone know it) within thirty minutes. Anyway, like I said: crazy stuff A sidenote (that should probably be at the top): I know some people had to wait in long lines yesterday for this same shot, but we didn't have to wait at all today. There was a steady flow of people, but by the time I had the paperwork filled out (like two short pages), they were ready for me. EVERYONE I spoke with was incredibly nice. The county paid for this, so it cost me nothing, but we have pretty good insurance if I need to go to a doctor. This was---far and away---the best health care experience I've ever had. At least from the people side of things. Sure....I almost died.....but that's irrelevant. These people were all so nice and so caring that it will really make me think twice before I diss a more public form of healthcare again. Anyway..........look at me; I'm a drama queen.
There's a mental phenomena called Hex Death, where Voodoo Priests would put hexes on their victims and their victims would later die. One theory is that the victims really believed they were gonna die, and they did by dehydration. Fears can get the best of us, but I think we sell ourselves short by not admitting that mindsets affects health. Anyways, congrats on being safe and not having a crappy time at a doctors. The wait is a b**** at times.
Dammit Pole. glad to hear you are OK. I never had a Hep A shot but I did have to get a Hep B shot when I was a freshman at UT. Huge horse needle right in the butt. The only reaction I had was I couldn't sit down for a day.
I got Hep A from eating at a seafood restaurant when I was 3 years old. It nearly killed me. I've told that story before, here. Sorry you went through this, Pole. Glad you're feeling better.
My wife freaked out when we heard about this especially since a) we had eaten there the day before (after the exposure dates) and b) her parents eat there and her mother is still at risk because of her battle with cancer. Glad you're OK, Pole.
thanks guys.... Honestly.....I felt pretty bad, but if that's the way it feels to die when your brain stops getting oxygen........ Well.....let's just say that's the way I want to go. This might make more sense: the worse you get--the less you really feel. Today though.....I feel just fine; my arm isn't even all that sore. It seems that I suffer from Vasovagal syncope . That name sure sounds like some variation of vagina..........and I did feel like a big p***y. go figure... And my mother-in-law is doing better. I'm one of the few guys (apparantly) that really likes his mother-in-law.
I gave blood today. One of the questions asked of me in the pre-interview was "Did you eat at the Pappasito’s Cantina located at 15280 I-45 North (at Airtex) Houston, TX, 77090 on the following dates: January 23-27, January 30-31, February 1, 3, and February 7th, 8th, 9th, 2007?"
