Last night during dinner Joanne sort of passed out. She wasn't out cold but couldn't lift her head, open her eyes or talk. At first I thought I would just carry her out to the car and drive her to the hospital, but the more I tried to revive her the more I thought, "Better get 911 involved in this one." So made the call and minutes later there were 6 really big guys standing in our dining room.
Joanne came to a little but was very confused about where she was and what day and time it was. I think she said she thought she was in her parent's camper! They loaded her up and we headed for Littleton Adventist, where Joanne spent a month of her life earlier this year. Sort of feels like a medical home away from home. It is strangely familiar.
I think there are things that we just get desensitized to. Hospitals are like that for me. After having Joanne in a hospital for five months, I feel a familiarity. The rooms are generally too small. The temperature is rarely right, and more often then not the chairs are uncomfortable and there aren't enough of them.
When Joanne got there the started blood work, and EKG and then wheeled her off to CAT scan. Thankfully everything came back normal. Obviously our greatest fear was another stroke or stroke-like event. But CAT ruled that out quickly. Thank God for medical technology that can tell in the space of 15 or 20 minutes what's going on in the brain. In fact, Joanne's CAT scan looks better than ever. Because she was in Adventist before they had copies of her old scans. The doctor on duty said that her scan last night was her best one by far and that her brain center-line shift looks to be back in place.
So, we stayed there for about three hours, and Joanne was able to wake up and answer some questions to the point the they were comfortable sending her home with us. Got her home, and she wanted a shower to "wash the hospital off her." After that we put her to bed but she decided she wanted a popsicle. She ate about half of it and was off to sleep. She slept through the night and was awake by 7. She is still rpetty confused about what happened.
We ahve a call in to her primary care Doc. She had recently added Ambien to help Joanne sleep so we're not sure if that had anything to do with it. Could be some dehydration. Could be...who knows.
Anyhow, I will keep you posted over the next few days as we seek some answers to this medical mystery.
Prayer Requests:
1. Joanne is still very confused about what happened, which is a very bad feeling for her. Pray peace for her.
2. Pray that Joanne's Doc will have some good insight and advice about what to do or not do in the future.
3. Please pray for recovery for the family too. It throws us into a tail spin and brings back a lot of not-so-pleasant memories to be following an ambulance on the way to the emergency room! We all need to get our adrenalized heart rates back to normal.
Toben
Praying. Praying. Praying! and Praying some more!
Posted by: Amelia in NC | August 26, 2011 at 07:53 AM
Toben and Joanne, I am praying hard to the Lord that he will bring peace, health and calm back to your lives.
Psalm 46: 1-3
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Blessings!
Posted by: Maribeth | August 26, 2011 at 07:57 AM
I am so sorry to hear about this, but thankful that her scan looked so good and that she is back home.
I normally don't like to give any medical advice whatsoever, because for one you don't know me, and two, I am not a medical person at all. With that said, Ambien can cause various "strange" side effects and both my husband and son have taken it and had side effects. My son "passed out" at Target and had to be taken to the ER in an ambulance. He is 32 and healthy. They thought it was due to the Ambien.
God is good and He knows what happened so you can rest in Him. Will pray for you all.
Carla in Maryland
Posted by: carla Sorensen | August 26, 2011 at 08:31 AM
I will tell you from experience, she was probably "sleep walking/talking" from the Ambien. The minute she takes the Ambien, she should stay in bed and not get out for at minimum 8 hours. Otherwise, she will think she is awake but she is really asleep! The doctor should have warned you about this. It is a well known fact that this occurs with Ambien and Ambien CR. I met a nurse in the hospital once who had been prescribed it because she had trouble sleeping, and a few months befoe had had gastric bypass surgery and after taking Ambien, there was evidence that she would get up during the night and bake sweet rolls, then eat everyone of them and go back to bed without knowing she had been up at all! She got off Ambien right away. Perhaps there is another sleeping med they can give her; otherwise she needs close supervision when taking it! Speaking from an experience in my own family too, when my husband took it once, then walked outside, down our long driveway with a pistol and shot a pecan tree. It freaked me out, I ran outside at midnight when I heard the shot, got the pistol out of his pocket, and he went back to bed. The next morning he had no memory of it whatsoever -- other than to say he thought he was dreaming! The Ambien went down the toilet! Hope this helps!
Posted by: Angie | August 26, 2011 at 08:33 AM
One more thing, check out this site about ambien http://ambienoverdose.org/
Posted by: Angie | August 26, 2011 at 08:36 AM
Oh my goodness. I'm going to say a prayer for Joanne and your family right now. Most of all that God will give you extra strength and peace.
Posted by: Dionna | August 26, 2011 at 08:47 AM
Praying for answers and for peace.
Posted by: Lisa | August 26, 2011 at 08:51 AM
Toben,
I had a reaction just like that to Ambien many years ago. How long after Joanne took the medication did this happen? Was she in bed, in the dark ready to go to sleep? What happened with me was, I took it about 30 minutes before I wanted to go to bed and it kicked in sooner than that. So, I had a very similar reaction. Because it begins to work, in that "first stage of sleep" your body is acting as though it's dreaming (even though you are awake), and normally you would be sleeping when this would ocurr. I started to wait until I was in bed, lights off, and ready too sleep before I took it, and it never happened again. What we did was (just too see what happens) try (they are really small) breaking the 5 mg (they come in 5 and 10 mg) tablet(s) in half and I took 2.5 mg and that was enough. Now, I take 5 mg (this was ten years ago or longer....no generic at that time) and 30 tablets can last me 6 months. Good luck!
Posted by: From IL | August 26, 2011 at 08:51 AM
Praying for wisdom for you and your doctor; and peace and comfort for you all. Our love and prayers are with you.
Posted by: MK | August 26, 2011 at 09:12 AM
I took the lowest dose possible of regular Ambien for two years and did not have any sleep-walking experiences. So it doesn't happen to everybody. But it was a very low dose.
Having ridden in an ambulance after my 16 yr old's near-fatal car accident, I can imagine the myriad of emotions you all experienced and had hoped not to experience again. I will lift up your prayer requests.
Posted by: Beth | August 26, 2011 at 09:18 AM
Praying!
Posted by: Kate | August 26, 2011 at 09:42 AM
So glad to hear that all is well. What a scare that must have been!
Praying and praying,
<><
Posted by: Child of God | August 26, 2011 at 09:52 AM
I have to add this to the other comments...my 32 year old sis in law took ambien one night, woke up the next day and doesn't remember anything about that day until about 7 p.m. when she was sitting at dinner at her mom's and looked up and asked why she was there! Weird side effects! Really thinking that could be it...just fyi!
Posted by: Kim L | August 26, 2011 at 10:27 AM
I love that I just got the "urge" to text you today, and you told me about your ER trip. God is so good. I love you, and I'm praying.
Posted by: Marla Taviano | August 26, 2011 at 10:29 AM
My comment above was for Joanne. (Hi, Toben!)
Posted by: Marla Taviano | August 26, 2011 at 10:30 AM
This was such a shock, but how wonderful everything turned out okay. And to think you were able to find out that your CAT scan was the best you've had this year!!! I will be praying for you, Joanne, and all of your family as you get back to your 'new normal'. I like your idea to 'eat Popsicles' to make a better day...or night! Love you all.
Posted by: Corinna Hunter | August 26, 2011 at 10:54 AM
Praying for all of you! BIG HUGS and hope all will be fine today! HUGS!
Posted by: Theresa Roach | August 26, 2011 at 11:53 AM
Oh Toben, praying like crazy. Thank God for he encouraging word on the CATs.
Posted by: lisa @ the preachers wife | August 26, 2011 at 12:00 PM
Praying for you all. May God grant you peace in the midst of the chaos of confusion and not understanding.
Posted by: Brandi Luiz | August 26, 2011 at 01:23 PM
Praying for you all! I can't imagine what kind of memories this event brought back for you all! Prayers and many (((Hugs))) coming your way.
Posted by: Erin | August 26, 2011 at 01:34 PM
I've had the sleep disruption thing before as well. It's so bad, but sometimes you don't even realize how it impacts your life until you start to sleep again and look back at how hard it was when you couldn't sleep. We are still lifting up Joanne and the entire family in prayer.
Peace,
Kim Feth
Apex, NC
Posted by: Kim Feth | August 26, 2011 at 02:01 PM
I am so sorry for the difficulty, the trauma...praying for you all.
Posted by: Kathleen T. Jaeger | August 26, 2011 at 02:11 PM
praying in NC!
Posted by: sue | August 26, 2011 at 02:28 PM
Thankful Joanne was able to go home and not have to stay in the hospital! Praying you all have a restful weekend. Asking the Lord to comfort Joanne and all of you tonight. Your family is such a blessing.
Posted by: Elizabeth Reiter | August 26, 2011 at 04:15 PM
Still praying every day, never stopped. I don't comment but I read and pray.
Posted by: Meredith | August 26, 2011 at 04:18 PM
Praying for you all.
Much love
Posted by: Jen | August 26, 2011 at 07:23 PM
Praying lots of things over your family right now. May His comfort rest on you all and His peace dwell in your hearts. Also prayed for clarity on this one for Joanne.
Blessings Toben,
S&R
Posted by: Seaweedandraine | August 26, 2011 at 10:09 PM
I can't imagine how scary that was for her and for the rest of you. Praying that you find answers. It sounds like she is doing great so I pray it was just a confusion with the meds. I know Ambien can cause such things. I've been on it for about 5 years now and so has my husband. He reacts very similar sometimes. Hugs to all of you!
Posted by: Amanda Taylor | August 27, 2011 at 12:00 AM
Praying rest and peace for you all, and for some answers as to what happened... Praises for the good CAT scan! Yay!!
Adrienne
Posted by: fuzzytop | August 27, 2011 at 06:09 AM
Praying in Las Vegas.
Posted by: Carol | August 27, 2011 at 08:55 AM
Prayers and so many good wishes for a complete recovery from this episode for Joanne and all of you. Thank goodness this was not another major incident.
Lynn
Posted by: Penbleth | August 27, 2011 at 11:52 AM
Praying for all of you....praying for a sweet and restful weekend!
Posted by: Laura | August 27, 2011 at 04:43 PM