Blacked Out!

This morning, I took a lift to Redhill MRT station so that I could be at the research centre by 8am. However, because I bought my breakfast from the bakery, I missed the 6:53am train by 20 seconds. No choice, had to wait for the 7am train then. When it arrived, it was not extremely crowded but no free seats. I stood at my favourite spot, the link way between two carriages. Normally, not many people like to stand here and besides it could only take about 6 people at most, so plenty of space and not squeezy at all.

When we reached Clementi station, an announcement was made that the train would be delayed as there were faulty tracks(?). The doors of the train remained opened the whole 15-20 minutes we were stuck at Clementi station so that there was air flow. I could see people lamenting away about the delay, busy making phone calls, busy sms-ing to relay news about going into work late, going to school late. The train started to move again after 20 minutes. Half-way to Jurong East station from Clementi, the train stopped in its tracks again. This time, in the middle of no-where!

After 10 minutes, I started to feel really strange and nauseous. I quickly took some sweets thinking it might relieve me of the nausea. But little help they did. I tried to lower my head so that blood could flow to my head. But again to no avail. I started to break into cold sweat as well. By now, I knew what was going to happen to me. I was going to have a black out!

Everything started to go slow-mo and became most surreal for me. It was almost like having an out-of-body experience. I started to see stars, bright sparks, so bright until things started going dark. At the same time, I started to "lose" my hearing. The noise, the speeches, the conversations moved further and further away from me until finally, I couldn't hear anything anymore. It was as if I had gone deaf. The world suddenly became most quiet and peaceful. I could feel myself falling...

I have been most lucky that I didn't fall flat on my face on the unmoving train at morning peak hour on this 10th day of January 2008. A kind chap came to my aid. He was sitting on the two seater. He caught me before I fell completely to the ground and helped me into his now vacant seat. I think I blacked out for only a few seconds. I think being seated helped to revive me. Slowly, I could hear the chap repeatedly asking if I was okay. I couldn't really answer him but nodded to him that I was. I thanked him when I could speak again. By this time, the train has started moving again.

When the train got to Jurong East station, the largest crowd ever rushed onto the train. That didn't help for my situation. I was still breaking out in cold sweat, there was still a strange ringing in my ears and I still felt dizzy. I was really grateful when the train finally arrived at Boon Lay station at 8am. I only stood up when most of the crowd has disembarked from the train. I sat at the platform to rest. The chap was still there with me. He asked a final time if I was okay and he then left on his way.

I slowly made my way to the bus stop and at the same time, willing myself not to be sick. Thank goodness, I managed to get a seat on the bus. I don't think I would have survived it if I had to stand again after my fainting spell. I finally got into office at 8:45am.

My friends and colleagues noticed that I looked extremely pale and were concerned for me. I am really thankful for their concerns. I was feeling much better already, other than my pale pallor. My good friends were really nice and they let me indulge in my favourite food today since knowing what happened to me. My sweet stuff, lol! One of them accompanied me for an early lunch even though he just had a heavy breakfast and also got me Teh (with sugar and condensed milk!), not the usual tasteless Teh-ci (with evarporated milk and no sugar). Another even bought me a McDonald's Strawberry Sundae which was my favorite until I started watching my sugar intake because of my pre-diabetic condition. I was in real sugar heaven today, lol.

I really don't know what happened this morning. I have only experienced fainting spells like this morning only a few times before and over a period of 15 years. In case, some of you are winking away, sorry to disappoint, NO, I am NOT expecting. But I know after my emergency operation in 2006, I was diagnosed with hypotension. And then late last year, my pre-diabetic condition.

So could it be my blood pressure was too low? Or could it be my blood sugar was too low? Or could it be a lack of air circulating in the train? Or could it be I am claustrophobic and not realised it until now? Or could it be a combination of all these reasons? I really don't know. But I will see a doctor first thing tomorrow morning to find out.

By the way, Thank You, my friends. I really appreciated your care and concerns for me throughout the day!

PS. Some of you must be wondering if it was blood sugar, I should have been alright after taking the sweets, right? Well, they would have helped, if only they weren't SUGAR FREE sweets, LOL. Yes, what a blonde moment. Haha.