"All Fall Down"

[rhythmaning]

I drove from Edinburgh to Bristol. The roads in Edinburgh are in a state of chaos, in part due to tram works, which made it particularly difficult to leave the city: both my favourite and second favourite routes out of town were inaccessible, and what with the Mound being closed and most of Haymarket too, I have to weave my way around the roadworks (heading west and then back east) before I could head south down the A701, through Broughton, past the Devil’s Beef Tub, onto the M74 and then down the M6.

It was a long drive, made longer by an accident that brought the M6 to a standstill – it was on the northbound carriageway, but they closed the southbound route too to allow the air ambulance to land and police and fire engines to get to the site.

It was, though, a great drive, despite the guilt that I was actually driving rather than in the train. (I couldn’t get to all the places I wanted to by train: I made full use of having a car.)

Six or seven hours later I was heading east along the A4 into Bristol, thinking fond, amorous thoughts brought on by Leigh Woods, ducking beneath the suspension bridge and heading straight to my hotel.

I checked in, dumped my bags in the room, and headed back down the stairs to move my car.

And I fell over.
And I fell over. My sense of balance seemed to disappear – but only on my right side. Walking down the stairs, I crashed into the wall on my right. I thought maybe I had just made myself giddy running down the first two flights of stairs, so I stopped, caught my breath, and continued to slowly walk down the stairs. And I fell into the wall.

This worried me.

I got to the car, and I had to lean against the open door. My sense of balance was shot to pieces. It wasn’t a muscle thing – it wasn’t my right leg giving way. I levered myself into the car – realising anyone watching would think I were pissed – a drove around the block to park the car. I was fine sitting down, driving – although I was driving very carefully indeed.

I parked the car, staggered back to my hotel room, and lay on the bed. I reckoned than an hour or so lying on the bed, listening to radio, then a hot shower and I would be fine to go out and meet my mate G. for a drink and some food.

I dozed for an hour, then I got up. And fell over, to my right.

Something was really not quite right.

I had a shower, leaning my right shoulder against the cubicle wall. I wondered what was wrong, and – probably a result of listen too avidly to the Archers - wondered whether I might have had a very mild stroke. Seriously.

I pulled my clothes on and then did what, retrospectively, was probably one of the most foolish things I have ever done: I drove to G.’s. It was fine, but that doesn’t stop it being an incredibly foolish thing to do.

I was still staggering slightly. I was leaving the car at G.’s anyway. I sat talking to him for a while, but I was feeling very uncomfortable – basically unbalanced, and unwell. I called off, and he very graciously gave me a lift back to the hotel.

I went straight to bed, where I lay for many hours.

In the morning, I was still uneasy on my feet, but feeling much, much better.

G. reckoned that this was my body reacting strangely and belatedly to my mother’s death. I have a more prosaic explanation: I think I may have had some passing virus or something, expressing itself as a result of my body having been under stress for the last few weeks, or something I picked up from the ventilation system in the car. Whatever, it seemed to pass pretty quickly.

I don’t now believe I had a stroke anyway!

Comments

[lizziebelle.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it was something in your inner ear? That would make you off-balance like that. Some sort of infection, maybe?

Glad you're OK!

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

I don't think so - my hearing was fine throughout. It was very, very weird - very disturbing!