Did you ever think you were on the brink of death?

Am going through a craze where I'm reading everything I can on this topic (recommendations welcome)

I had an episode last year where I was certain death was imminent — loud ringing in my ears (loud as a house alarm, but an uninterrupted beep) and I kept fainting, all vision was distorted. It was scary. Thought I was having a stroke. It was just Menieres disease, but I was sure that the curtain was about to be drawn at any moment across the stage of my life.

It was a bizarre experience. Everything was surprisingly calm — the opposite of adrenalin, whatever that is, kicked in. I had two people I needed to ring from the hospital, and told them what was happening, then hung up and waited to pass out. Half the brain was in a panic, the other bit was saying to chill out. Strange experience. Am now surprised that it never dawned on me to pray.

Keen to know whether you ever thought death was imminent, and was it panic-stations, or calmness, or do you remember at all? (I'm reading that the memory often deliberately deletes itself, that's interesting).

Baby01032012

It’s something that’s on my mind too much these days..

How long have I got? What will I die from?

My parents died 5 weeks apart 15 months ago quiet suddenly. My cousin, same age as me, 2 young kids, had recovered from cancer twice but now third time has spread and very little can be done. I need to appreciate more what I have.

gifted

Herself checking my browsing history a few weeks ago...that was close.

corner of hells

I got sepsis a few years ago , dont remember much about my stay in hospital but had to have regular check ups with the GP for about 8 months afterwards checking blood pressure, heart , lungs , liver .
During one of the early check ups ,,my GP asked me if i knew how lucky i was to survive.
Im still not 100 % and struggle a bit with aches and pains but im alive.

Sharpyshoot

gifted wrote: »

Herself checking my browsing history a few weeks ago...that was close.

Will you just stop googling the nudey stuff.

Pauliedragon

I'm actually not scared of death. I'm early 40's and I think mid sixties or seventies will do me. We live too long these days. I've seen too many people live out their last years in decrepit situations. I don't want to to die with someone wiping my arse every day and I can't recognise them.

Speedline

As a younger, wilder man, I found myself in quite a few situations involving cars and bikes where certain and immediate death were avoided by mere inches.

Wibbs

A couple of times in my life. And I hear you regarding the total calm with full on WTF panic at the same time. Never had the life flashing before my eyes bit, but I did have the out of body experience thing. Very bloody weird that is. Being disembodied. You realise or at least I did how so much of your personal experience and senses and interaction with the world is body based.

L.Jenkins

gifted wrote: »

Herself checking my browsing history a few weeks ago...that was close.

That's why you leave a few choice websites in there that makes her regret that decision, like meatspin.

threetrees

I had a traumatic birth on my first child and lost a lot of blood. Hg level under 5 and many blood transfusions. The emergency team worked hard, slapped my face to keep me awake, brought me to surgery without signing any forms, I remember pleading with them to save me as I had a baby to look after.

I survived, went on to have more children fwiw but I will never ever forget the fear of death. 100 years ago I wouldn't have survived.

Sharpyshoot

Pauliedragon wrote: »

I'm actually not scared of death. I'm early 40's and I think mid sixties or seventies will do me. We live too long these days. I've seen too many people live out their last years in decrepit situations. I don't want to to die with someone wiping my arse every day and I can't recognise them.

Install a bidet.

threetrees

threetrees wrote: »

I had a traumatic birth on my first child and lost a lot of blood. Hg level under 5 and many blood transfusions. The emergency team worked hard, slapped my face to keep me awake, brought me to surgery without signing any forms, I remember pleading with them to save me as I had a baby to look after.

I survived, went on to have more children fwiw but I will never ever forget the fear of death. 100 years ago I wouldn't have survived.

the amazing thing to me about this is that you went on to have two more kids. The balls of that.

Is it instinct? Like the way you see antelopes going back to the river where the crocs are, immediately after their cousin has been snapped. They have to be pragmatic and go back to the water, or go extinct. I reckon humans have a bit of that in us.

corner of hells

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

the amazing thing to me about this is that you went on to have two more kids. The balls of that.

Is it instinct? Like the way you see antelopes going back to the river where the crocs are, immediately after their cousin has been snapped. They have to be pragmatic and go back to the water, or go extinct. I reckon humans have a bit of that in us.

With all due respect to to threetrees , maybe she just likes ridin'.

Wallet Inspector

Lost control of the car going down a hill (which I assumed was gritted/salted - but it wasn't) during one of the snowfalls in 2009/10. Thought my number was absolutely up. Went from extreme panic to just "oh well, can't be helped".

The car veered into the grass verge though, and stopped.

Your Face

In Paris years ago. I had some sort of fever that got progressively worse. I was with herself and didn't want to worry her so I didn't let on. One night, I was in bed and I felt myself drifting away.
I got up, got dressed, told herself it was too warm and I was going for a walk around outside to cool down. I dont want anyone around when I die.
I was wandering around Montmartre thinking its not to worst place to go. Finally, I could actually feel myself shutting down. I sat down at the top of one of the staircases and started to fade.
Suddenly, I broke out of it with a jolt and the dawn was beginning to break as was the fever. I felt like I had shed old skin.
I meandered back to the hotel, slept for a hour, had a nice breakfast and was grand after.

bb1234567

Pauliedragon wrote: »

I'm actually not scared of death. I'm early 40's and I think mid sixties or seventies will do me. We live too long these days. I've seen too many people live out their last years in decrepit situations. I don't want to to die with someone wiping my arse every day and I can't recognise them.

Interesting outlook! I think it depends on your circumstances during your younger years of life. If you had a job that provided a lot of sparetime, good holidays, and gave you a lot of time to enjoy the best things about life, then yeh that makes sense, you've enjoyed a great life and probably in good physical health during that time too. But a lot of people kind of struggle through their work life, just working to live, and retirement can be a big thing to look forward to and appreciate even if your health will probably start acting up from late sixties onward.

Your Face

Your Face wrote: »

In Paris years ago. I had some sort of fever that got progressively worse. I was with herself and didn't want to worry her so I didn't let on. One night, I was in bed and I felt myself drifting away.
I got up, got dressed, told herself it was too warm and I was going for a walk around outside to cool down. I dont want anyone around when I die.
I was wandering around Montmartre thinking its not to worst place to go. Finally, I could actually feel myself shutting down. I sat down at the top of one of the staircases and started to fade.
Suddenly, I broke out of it with a jolt and the dawn was beginning to break as was the fever. I felt like I had shed old skin.
I meandered back to the hotel, slept for a hour, had a nice breakfast and was grand after.

Did you ever get to the bottom of it? Was it some kind of exhaustive collapse, being on holiday? I had a similar instinct: even in the hospital, the most overwhelming instinct was to try and get out of there.

When dogs die, they seem to feel it coming on, so they go off someplace quiet.

Hope you figured out what that was, and are doing better.

squarecircles

"Did you ever think you were on the brink of death" ?

Sounds like a Ryan Tubridy chat up line.

appledrop

Had meningitis as a teenager.

Started off like a really bad flu for a few days and then was on bus home one evening and thought I was going to pass out.

Don't know how I managed to walk up road home took about an hour to walk 10 minutes had to keep stopping, felt like I was going to pass out.

Straight to bed, doctor called said it was viral infection all grand.

Next day rash appeared, my father rang on call doctor he came out did the tumbler test, rash didn't disappear so ambulance called.

Of course I was freaking out saying is it meningitis, in fairness doctor and paramedics very good kept me calm saying ah no probably not we will just get you to hospital to check you out but they knew well. I thought I was a goner because I'd had it for a few days and always say with meningitis you have to catch it quick.

Had a lumbar puncture done, horrific but thankfully I was kinda out of it and yep it was meningitis.

I was very lucky in that yes I was in hospitial for 2 weeks but I was never very seriously ill considering how bad someone could be with it.

Took me about 3 mths to fully recovery in terms of tiredness etc.

bb1234567

appledrop wrote: »

Had meningitis as a teenager.

Started off like a really bad flu for a few days and then was on bus home one evening and thought I was going to pass out.

Don't know how I managed to walk up road home took about an hour to walk 10 minutes had to keep stopping, felt like I was going to pass out.

Straight to bed, doctor called said it was viral infection all grand.

Next day rash appeared, my father rang on call doctor he came out did the tumbler test, rash didn't disappear so ambulance called.

Of course I was freaking out saying is it meningitis, in fairness doctor and paramedics very good kept me calm saying ah no probably not we will just get you to hospital to check you out but they knew well. I thought I was a goner because I'd had it for a few days and always say with meningitis you have to catch it quick.

Had a lumbar puncture done, horrific but thankfully I was kinda out of it and yep it was meningitis.

I was very lucky in that yes I was in hospitial for 2 weeks but I was never very seriously ill considering how bad someone could be with it.

Took me about 3 mths to fully recovery in terms of tiredness etc.

Strange aul disease, seems to pop up out of nowhere really with no risk factors or cause.

Vestiapx

Lost it at a serious rate of knots off a bend a long time ago, before airbags and all that good stuff. As you tumble along regretting your recent life choices the main feeling is a sense of "is that it " and " I'm very disappointed that I'm about to die".
I didn't but I was 100% sure I was on the old stairway.

PTH2009

Know of a man who was litterly on deaths door, his family had the coffin ordered etc but he made a full recovery

Purple Mountain

threetrees wrote: »

I had a traumatic birth on my first child and lost a lot of blood. Hg level under 5 and many blood transfusions. The emergency team worked hard, slapped my face to keep me awake, brought me to surgery without signing any forms, I remember pleading with them to save me as I had a baby to look after.

I survived, went on to have more children fwiw but I will never ever forget the fear of death. 100 years ago I wouldn't have survived.

Would you not have been tempted to adopt?

Junkyard Tom

Few years back I had a terrible asthma attack and began to grey out from hypoxia, really thought it was all over, very freaky, but my body released a huge blast of adrenaline it somehow relieved it. Horrible experience, since then I'm never without an inhaler and use a preventer regularly.

threetrees

Purple Mountain wrote: »

Would you not have been tempted to adopt?

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

the amazing thing to me about this is that you went on to have two more kids. The balls of that.

The reason behind my haemorrhage was rare there was no logic that it would happen again. I was unlucky. It did take some time to be brave enough to go again though. Childbirth is natural but also risky, just look at the mortality rates over the years, dying in childbirth was commonplace 100 years ago, thankfully it's much safer now, the same traumas happen but we are saved now rather than die.

appledrop

threetrees wrote: »

The reason behind my haemorrhage was rare there was no logic that it would happen again. I was unlucky. It did take some time to be brave enough to go again though. Childbirth is natural but also risky, just look at the mortality rates over the years, dying in childbirth was commonplace 100 years ago, thankfully it's much safer now, the same traumas happen but we are saved now rather than die.

I've always had a fear of childbirth since I was young. I actually used to say I'd adopt the children so wouldn't have to give birth! I always imagined it would be like what happened to you. Thankfully I had a normal birth in the end despite my fears!

I take my hat off to you that you actually had more children you are a very brave women!

Tigerbaby

drowning.

years ago, when my daughter was 9, we were on hols in France.

long story short, she jumped into the deep end of the open-air pool. We didnt realise how deep it was. I was there.

no lifeguard on duty.

next thing I knew, she was thrashing and screaming. total panic. out of her depth. about 2-3 metres from the side.

I looked around for help. a pole. a lifebelt. anything.

Nothing there. She was drowning right in front of me.

I just..jumped. pure animal brain/ protect the child stuff. I couldnt swim and was terrified, but you do what you must.

Managed to push her to safety. Then got into trouble myself. Literally hand waving above the water as I went down.

a Lady jumped in and got me to the side.

we decided to learn how to swim properly after that !!

Never forget it though. burned into my memory.

I wouldn't be afraid of death exactly, but the fear is there for surviving with some injuries.

Where to start?

While flying in Cambodia, the small plane I was in, lost parts of its tail assembly, making both the remainder of the flight and the landing rather.. nerve-wracking. Not a fun experience.

I was in a glass elevator (horrible things) that while going up, somehow lost it's bearings, dropping 7 floors before the emergency breaks kicked in. Oh, yes, having a glass floor where you can see the ground rushing towards you is just wonderful.

Food poisoning in Oz. Ugh. Severe food poisoning when out camping/bush walking. Thought I was going to die a few times, during the walk to the jeeps, and then the actual journey back to civilsation. I suspect my friends wished I'd die considering how much 'fluid' was leaving my body. Not nice.

In Thailand, a cobra got into my room, and I woke up to have the bloody thing looking into my face. I have a shaking disorder, staying still isn't an option for me.. and I was sure I was dead. Thankfully, my partner was a native and knew what to do. That one still gives me nightmares.

There's been a few others. None of my life flashing before my eyes. Funnily enough, it's always some minor regret, like not thanking someone recently, or not saying goodbye. Or that I left the light on in the bathroom when leaving.

Ger Roe

threetrees wrote: »

I had a traumatic birth on my first child and lost a lot of blood. Hg level under 5 and many blood transfusions. The emergency team worked hard, slapped my face to keep me awake, brought me to surgery without signing any forms, I remember pleading with them to save me as I had a baby to look after.

I survived, went on to have more children fwiw but I will never ever forget the fear of death. 100 years ago I wouldn't have survived.

I often think of that aspect, I have had a heart attack and kidney issues that have required urgent surgery. At the time I was quite calm and confident in the medical treatment process, so I didn't dwell too long on the death aspects.

But in retrospect, I am conscious of the fact that I am living on additional time that I would have not have received had I been born earlier, or maybe just in a different country.

Thelonious Monk

Your Face wrote: »

In Paris years ago. I had some sort of fever that got progressively worse. I was with herself and didn't want to worry her so I didn't let on. One night, I was in bed and I felt myself drifting away.
I got up, got dressed, told herself it was too warm and I was going for a walk around outside to cool down. I dont want anyone around when I die.
I was wandering around Montmartre thinking its not to worst place to go. Finally, I could actually feel myself shutting down. I sat down at the top of one of the staircases and started to fade.
Suddenly, I broke out of it with a jolt and the dawn was beginning to break as was the fever. I felt like I had shed old skin.
I meandered back to the hotel, slept for a hour, had a nice breakfast and was grand after.

I am reminded of Nausea by Jean Paul Sartre.

corner of hells

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I wouldn't be afraid of death exactly, but the fear is there for surviving with some injuries.

Where to start?

While flying in Cambodia, the small plane I was in, lost parts of its tail assembly, making both the remainder of the flight and the landing rather.. nerve-wracking. Not a fun experience.

I was in a glass elevator (horrible things) that while going up, somehow lost it's bearings, dropping 7 floors before the emergency breaks kicked in. Oh, yes, having a glass floor where you can see the ground rushing towards you is just wonderful.

Food poisoning in Oz. Ugh. Severe food poisoning when out camping/bush walking. Thought I was going to die a few times, during the walk to the jeeps, and then the actual journey back to civilsation. I suspect my friends wished I'd die considering how much 'fluid' was leaving my body. Not nice.

In Thailand, a cobra got into my room, and I woke up to have the bloody thing looking into my face. I have a shaking disorder, staying still isn't an option for me.. and I was sure I was dead. Thankfully, my partner was a native and knew what to do. That one still gives me nightmares.

There's been a few others. None of my life flashing before my eyes. Funnily enough, it's always some minor regret, like not thanking someone recently, or not saying goodbye. Or that I left the light on in the bathroom when leaving.

Fcukin' hell , all that wouldn't happen in a James Bond film.

corner of hells

I work with addicts and have administered naloxone and preformed CPR over the years, to see someone coming back from not breathing, blue in the face and not responsive is an eye opener , in saying that the moaning and whinging afterwards is a pain in the bollix.

Cushtie

Nothing like any of the posters above have described, thankfully.
I think it's interesting the sense of calm resignation that people describe. The human brain is so complex.

Porklife

Jesus Klaz, you should write a book, that would make for some terrifying yet entertaining reading!

My story also involves a snake. I was in San Diego staying with a friend of mine who lived in a tiny house near a valley. It was the height of summer and sweltering hot. She had no spare room so I was sleeping on the floor of her boyfriends home office. There was no air conditioning and the heat from his computer and the Californian sun was unbearable but she warned me not to open the window in case snakes came in.

One night, I was lying in bed unable to breathe with the heat and thought **** this im opening the window. Well that was a mistake. Minutes later im lying on the blow up bed when I feel it rise and ripple under my body. I turned my face and was met by a snake who just stared at me and slowly made his way around my neck. I was frozen in fear and remember just closing my eyes and thinking I hope my sisters know how much i love them.

Moments later I felt him move across my body towards my feet and I watched him slither back up the wall and out the window. I remember lying there still frozen till the reality kicked in and I jumped up screaming and shaking and burst into my friends room like a mad woman.

I checked into a hotel downtown the next day.

picturehangup

threetrees wrote: »

The reason behind my haemorrhage was rare there was no logic that it would happen again. I was unlucky. It did take some time to be brave enough to go again though. Childbirth is natural but also risky, just look at the mortality rates over the years, dying in childbirth was commonplace 100 years ago, thankfully it's much safer now, the same traumas happen but we are saved now rather than die.

Three trees, the very same thing happened to me after my second baby. My situation was a post partum haemorrhage, after I had returned to the ward. I could feel myself going, then whilst I was apparently subconscious, I could feel myself being pulled down and down, and down more, in what seemed like a murky pond. Next thing, I heard emergency bells, and suddenly there were about eight people surrounding my bed, setting up drips, etc. A young student midwife discovered that all was not well, and alerted the staff. Apparently my uterus could not contract, as it was overdistended with a very large baby, who is now 20, and a wonderful daughter! She was worth it! However, I realise that I probably owe my life to that young midwife. I was too sick to enquire at the time, but if she reads this, she might recognise herself. This was in the Coombe.

Mad_maxx

Pauliedragon wrote: »

I'm actually not scared of death. I'm early 40's and I think mid sixties or seventies will do me. We live too long these days. I've seen too many people live out their last years in decrepit situations. I don't want to to die with someone wiping my arse every day and I can't recognise them.

i dont care about living old either , im completely cold blooded about the likes of euthanasia , had misgivings about the abortion referendum but would not hesitate to vote for euthanasia , there is no reward in suffering , i say that as someone who lives with chronic pain where bouts of bad pain are frequent ( though less so than a few years ago )

Stovepipe

I crashed a light aircraft into a tree and as I was falling in the wreck, I thought "how long is this going to take?" followed by a great deal of crashing and banging,deep blackness followed by pain but I survived. To my utter surprise as I thought I was a goner. I was also surprised how calm I was. Later,I shook like a wet dog...

Badly Drunk Boy

I don't think I've ever mentioned this to anyone, but years ago I went to a music festival in Skibbereen, where I massively over-indulged. I was off work that Monday so when I got home, I used that day to recover.

At one stage that day something happened that I never experienced before or since. I started to feel a bit dizzy first and then both my hands cramped into claws (almost) and I couldn't fight against it by stretching my fingers back out. I went into to the bathroom and in the mirror I could see that my face was white, drained of blood, except for around my lips which were extremely red. The contrast was chilling.

After a couple of minutes, I gradually went back to normal but it was very frightening at the time, wondering if it was a heart-attack or stroke (although I knew it wasn't really). I was in my mid-20s at the time and healthy, and there had been only alcohol involved.

frosty123

Yes, after watching a Mrs Browns Xmas Special

HildaOgdenx

Had a speeding driver come towards me on a narrow piece of country road, many years ago.
I had nowhere to go. I definitely thought that my time was up.
If ever my life flashed before my eyes, that was it. I think of it still any time I drive that road.

picturehangup

picturehangup wrote: »

Three trees, the very same thing happened to me after my second baby. My situation was a post partum haemorrhage, after I had returned to the ward. I could feel myself going, then whilst I was apparently subconscious, I could feel myself being pulled down and down, and down more, in what seemed like a murky pond. Next thing, I heard emergency bells, and suddenly there were about eight people surrounding my bed, setting up drips, etc. A young student midwife discovered that all was not well, and alerted the staff. Apparently my uterus could not contract, as it was overdistended with a very large baby, who is now 20, and a wonderful daughter! She was worth it! However, I realise that I probably owe my life to that young midwife. I was too sick to enquire at the time, but if she reads this, she might recognise herself. This was in the Coombe.

it's always seemed crazy to me how medics and nurses are able to brush this stuff off and get on with their jobs.

one of my best friends is a doc on Beaumont and I dont know the technical term for what he does, but he basically sends a wire into an artery of a person having a stroke, and blasts the clot with some solvent drug, or sucks it out with a machine.

I used to ask him things like "does it feel great to know you just gave a person another 20 years of a real life?" but apparently not, they see death and recovery every day. Nearly every ambulance you see going from the Mater to Beaumont is one of these cases, and I dont think they ever reflect on the personal enormity for patients. I suppose, if you remember the upsides, you have to remember the deaths and the mistakes.

Glad that midwife was able to spot what was happening to you and all is well since.

r93kaey5p2izun

I feared I was on the brink of death once when I first suffered a bad heart episode. I wasn't really on the brink of death thankfully, but I felt sheer panic. The inability to breathe was just so stressful. Heart pounding, gasping for air, machines beeping and constantly repeating "extreme tachy". It was total fear and panic and just wanting it all to stop. As it turns out, there was no quick fix, but having listened to the constant beeping and "extreme tachy" for several days (they claim they can only silence it for a couple of minutes at a time), I just got used to it - though other patients were driven daft and complained a lot! The machines make it worse if anything. It has happened many times since and been a little more tolerable as I know what to expect, but gasping for air is not something I'll ever get used to.

corner of hells

corner of hells wrote: »

Fcukin' hell , all that wouldn't happen in a James Bond film.

A bond film doesn't cover 20 years of traveling and trying different things. If you travel in Europe, it's pretty safe.. but when you travel in Asia or other areas, plenty can happen. Shoddy maintenance (and construction) of lifts, planes, etc are all pretty common in 3rd world countries. Never mind all the dangerous wildlife.

Makes me appreciate just how safe Ireland is.

gogo

My near death was also giving birth, nothing serious or actually life threatening but just getting to the 10cms without pain relief.. (not my choice, circumstances prevented it)
I know people say ah your exaggerating and I know it’s different for everyone but I swear to god, the pain, I thought I was dying, I literally thought this is it, I’m never going to see this child, by the time I was ready to push... I didn’t care if I died, it as too much...

The joy of birth, is that it’s literally ends in an instant, baby out and boom, pain over.

When my son was 7 or so, he was climbing a tree across from our house and fell, he got caught in between two branches on the way down, by the neck, effectively hanging himself, there aren’t many kids around here, fortunately a neighbors grand child seen him and ran to get her uncle who came running, then she came for me. That man saved my child’s life, I have no doubt. My son said the he was falling asleep in the tree, and tried to stay awake.. things went black, he was suffocating. He was out there for all of maybe 7/8 minutes tops on his own. My life would have ended as well, still get shivers when I think of it.

Aglomerado

Celchick wrote: »

Lost control of the car going down a hill (which I assumed was gritted/salted - but it wasn't) during one of the snowfalls in 2009/10. Thought my number was absolutely up. Went from extreme panic to just "oh well, can't be helped".

The car veered into the grass verge though, and stopped.

Similar experience for me: skidded on ice and crashed into a wall, car was totalled but I walked away with whiplash and some bruises. When it was happening and I realised I was going to crash, I thought "Oh well,this is it!" I was really resigned to my fate. I began to enjoy myself a lot more in the years since, lockdown has halted my gallop but I hope I'll travel and go to gigs again.

Last night I was choking on a bit of chocolate, luckily a buddy was there to apply the Heimlich. I probably could have coughed it out on my own, but who knows?

Strange thing is, I have a choking incident about every five years, on average. My gag reflex just doesn't work sometimes.

Junkyard Tom

Ger Roe wrote: »

I often think of that aspect.

It's hard to process that people often died from stuff like ear infections and cuts that are now considered trivial due to antibiotic treatment.

In a fake taxi in Vietnam with some lad with a knife roaring at me to hand over my money and all my posessions whilst another lad waited on a motorbike outside probably the real one that had me thinking this could be it. That moment where you think of family and friends as all sorts of scenarios go through thr head.

Thankfully it wasn't!

shesty

Post partume haemorrage at home 10 days after baby no. 1.Stood up at about 11pm one night and became conscious of a lot of liquid gushing.A LOT.Somehow held it together enough to phone the Rotunda, tell them, gather the baby's gear (how!!I do not know!!) Husband got us out to the car and drove.I remember fighting so hard to stay conscious in the car journey, telling myself repeatedly if I closed my eyes, I knew I would pass out and I wasn't sure when I might wake up again.I didn't think it was death because the bleeding had stopped by then, but I was on the very edge of consciousness.

Turned out I had quite a severe infection and needed a D&C to remove some retained placenta.Nobody's fault as I was told afterwards it was no bigger than a 20c coin, but I hate to think what anything bigger could do.

I did go on to have 2 other babies.All natural births and mostly uneventful, except for the arrival of my third who unexpectedly turned out to be a 10lb 6oz baby....I am forever indebted to the midwife that morning who got him out with barely a scratch on me or him.Even 50-100 years the outcome could have been so much worse in both cases.

SpitfireIV

Franklin Powerful Somebody wrote: »

I feared I was on the brink of death once when I first suffered a bad heart episode...

Same, thankfully it happened while I was in hospital, thought I was a goner. Heart rate went through the roof and blood pressure plummeted was close to organ failure. The scary thing is I was only admitted to hospital a few hours earlier feeling relatively ok after having spent the previous four days at home coughing relentless and on anti biotics for what I thought was a chest infection, turns out I was in fact in heart failure. If I wasn't admitted that day I probably wouldn't be hear now!

I remember that evening feeling fine, father and girlfriend had just left, I was settling down for the night when I got mad sweats and a paniced feeling, next thing I know I had a team of nurses around me hooking various gadgets up to me and a very concerned looking young doctor pacing back and forth at the end of my bed one hand on hip the other when he wasn't on the phone trying to arrange an anisatist (sp?) On his forehead, his panicked look was freaking me out all the more. I'll not lie, I was bloody scared! I was knocked out and had to be given a few blasts to get the heart back into something of a normal rythem (if 180bpm could be considered normal....)

So began a two week and three hospital stays saga.

I survived.

shesty

It's the look on their faces....I remember that 10lb baby wasn't breathing well and they whipped him away and suctioned him, called a paeds team and the rest....but I remember saying to a midwife after that the medical staff didn't look overly concerned so I felt he would be ok.She said yeah, if you see panic on their faces, you know there's a problem, and it's true!