Down Came the Pain

The next "episode" I experienced was while I was still pregnant with Zachary.  I had picked up my older son, Brendan from preschool and we were on our way to Lonestar Steakhouse.  My dad was in town visitng and I was meeting my husband (at the time) and some other family members at the restaurant.  While Brendan and I were driving, I again started experiencing some dark spots in my central and peripheral vision in my left eye.  I was nervous because I was driving, but was able to still continue on to the restaurant.  I just figured it was the same thing that had happened previously and it would quickly pass.  We arrived at our destination and were seated with my family.  While we were sitting there, other strange sensations started happening again.  Because this was a repeat episode, this time I did get scared.  I couldn't see, I felt confused with numbness and tingling in my lips and face.  I felt as if I was going to pass out.  I begged my husband to leave.  After much convincing that I felt something was really wrong, we left and headed to the ER this time.  By the time we had arrived at the hospital, my vision started returning, but I still felt unsteadiness, confusion, weakness, fatigue...and all of a sudden, the worst headache I had ever had!  It wasnt unilateral like most typical migraines.  It was all over the top and back of my head.  It felt like my heartbeat was beating ten times faster and ten times harder in my head.  Then came waves of intense nausea, I couldn't stand to look at any lights and every sound seemed to be amplified.  Being pregnant there was no hesitation getting me back to a room.  My vital signs were taken and my blood pressure was through the roof. The staff was concerned I was having some sort of a stroke, so regardless of being pregnant, I was taken back for a ct scan.  They however, did not give me any medication other than antiemetics.  The ct scan came back all clear and the ER doctor told me I probably was suffering a migraine and off I was, discharged home and back to bed I went.  Those days, when these "episodes" starting occuring...all I knew at that point was to go lay down in a dark quiet room and sleep it off.  Back then, that was helpful.