The Docket

  • MONDAY:

    The Scribbler

    James Lincoln Warren

  • MONDAY:

    Spirit of the Law

    Janice Law

  • TUESDAY:

    High-Heeled Gumshoe

    Melodie Johnson Howe

  • WEDNESDAY:

    Tune It Or Die!

    Robert Lopresti

  • THURSDAY:

    Femme Fatale

    Deborah
    Elliott-Upton

  • FRIDAY:

    Bander- snatches

    Steven Steinbock

  • SATURDAY:

    Mississippi Mud

    John M. Floyd

  • SATURDAY:

    New York Minute

    Angela Zeman

  • SUNDAY:

    The A.D.D. Detective

    Leigh Lundin

  • AD HOC:

    Mystery Masterclass

    Distinguished Guest Contributors

  • AD HOC:

    Surprise Witness

    Guest Blogger

  • Aural Argument

    "The Sack 'Em Up Men"

    "Crow's Avenue"

    "The Stain"

    "Jumpin' Jack Flash"

    "The Art of the Short Story"

    "Bouchercon 2010 Short Story Panel"

Sunday, June 6: The A.D.D. Detective

BLACKOUT

by Leigh Lundin

Among many mystery writers, realism is important. Stories have been written involving events going awry when authors try to simulate similitude. Wednesday, I entered the ranks of those writers, albeit unintentionally.

My contribution to research realism was to pass out on a restroom floor.

And– it wasn’t anything like I’d been led to expect from novels and movies.

The Story

I don’t know if it’s more embarrassing to claim I’d been drinking heavily or admit I hadn’t been drinking at all, that it was 2PM instead of 2AM. I think I’d feel better if I had a good excuse.

It’s 09:15, Friday morning, my third day in Florida Hospital South. Apparently, I’ll be here another 24 hours. Out in the hallway, I hear a repeating announcement, "Code blue, Main Building, code blue." I’m in 3-Morgan, not the main building.

Mostly, the good guys know what didn’t happen to me rather than what did– not a heart attack, probably not blood sugar, probably not CDIF, etc. A doctor says they never determine about 60% of cases. It might have been a food or additive allergy, perhaps food poisoning, dehydration, or my personal favorite, a vasovagal episode.

Syncope means loss of consciousness. It’s not fainting. Guys don’t faint. Guys also don’t swoon like delicate heroines in 19th century literature. Guys black out. Hey, if I’m going to helplessly collapse, one might as well be manly about it, so the word is ‘blackout’.

The Scene

I was finishing lunch with friends mentioned previously, Thrush, Steve, and Sharon. I excused myself to visit the restroom. I rapidly felt dizzy and overwhelmingly hot. (Temperature, I mean, as opposed to my famed hotness.) My skin itched and broke into sweat.

I managed to wash and swagger, er, stagger outside. I fell back on a long banquette the restaurant has outside the door, letting cool air conditioning wash over me. My friends were eating at the other end of the restaurant. Unable to walk, I used my cell phone to call them.

Steve arrived and helped me stand to enter the restroom again. I felt worse, sicker than before. Sight narrowed and grew dark. Cognition was fading, but I knew I had to get outside.

About blacking out, this is what I learned:

Habits and old training don’t let go. I forced myself to wash, slap-dash as it was, and tried to find the door. That may have been my last conscious directive. My ability to balance and navigate left me and so did my sense of what was going on.

I felt like I was lost in that small room. I couldn’t find the door, at least not immediately. I remember banging hard into walls at least twice. It was like I had a drive to get outside the restroom into cool air and lie down, but I wasn’t aware how fast I was deteriorating.

My field of vision appeared no wider than a foot or so, dark and distant. The scene looked like a monochromatic cubist painting, angles of grey, shades of black in blacking out. I remember finding the door and then…

… nothing.

Supporting Cast

I don’t remember this part: Steve waited outside. When I opened the door, he saw I’d turned a vivid red. He said, "Are you okay?" and watched me topple backwards, smacking my head on the floor. He fetched Thrush to help.

I was out only a minute or two and I remember my friends bending over me. They tried to get me to my feet and I was able to assist (I think), if only a little. They maneuvered me to the banquette and stretched me out.

Events seemed like snapshots and sound bites. With sweat running off me, the cool air gave relief.

Paramedics swarmed around me, amazingly efficient. One read off "Blood pressure 50 over zero."

Not sure, but I seem to remember someone, maybe Steve (or me?), ask, "Isn’t zero like… dead?" A paramedic explained the diastolic wasn’t actually nil, but too low to read.

The rest came as a series of surprises: surprise paramedics arrived, surprise they wanted to take me to the hospital, surprise the hospital wanted to keep me.

What I Learned

My fainting, er, blackout resembled no film or worded description I’ve come across. Likely it’s different for each person, perhaps for each syncopal episode. Some people say fainting was like a light switch: one moment they’re here, the next they wonder why they’re on the floor.

Disconcertingly, I have a feeling I wouldn’t recognize if another syncope spell swept over me. Symptoms seemed too general and I doubt the few active brain cells could piece together I’d been through this before.

Among other things I learned: friends are good to me, the hospital is good to me, and life is good even when it’s bad, so to speak.

Update

I’m home, thanks to Thrush and everyone else. Valentine was glad to see me in his cockatoo way. While I was gone, elves cleaned. That’s magic!

But, my internet and phone are out of service until, they tell me, Tuesday at noon. Now I have to find a wifi connection to upload this story.

If I’m unable to make updates or answer comments until Tuesday, don’t worry… it’s the internet knocked out, not me.

Posted in The A.D.D. Detective on June 6th, 2010
RSS 2.0 Both comments and pings are currently closed.

14 comments

  1. June 6th, 2010 at 12:37 am, Rob Says:

    Well, Leigh you have had an offically lousy year, haven’t ya? I am so sorry.

    I have had the blackout experience a few times (and written about a similar but not identical event https://criminalbrief.com/?p=965 ). My recollection is somewhat like yours. I thought Ray Bradbury nailed it in Dandilion WIne (I think) when a character watches in amazement as the floor flies up and hits him in the face. That sort of mind-body displacement is part of the experience, I think.

    Wonderful writing about an unwonderful experience. Thanks for sharing.

  2. June 6th, 2010 at 9:01 am, Bill Crider Says:

    Scary stuff. Glad you’re back to what passes for normal!

  3. June 6th, 2010 at 9:28 am, John Floyd Says:

    Sorry to hear about your ordeal. That WAS scary.

    Good to hear you’re back home and doing well!

  4. June 6th, 2010 at 10:58 am, JLW Says:

    Talk about being a pro and not missing a deadline. My hat’s off to you.

    Feel better, amigo.

  5. June 6th, 2010 at 2:37 pm, Jeff Baker Says:

    Leigh I’m no stranger to hospital stays and meds, so I wish you all the best for a speedy recovery! Thanks for a fascinating and harrowing read!

  6. June 6th, 2010 at 2:41 pm, Louis Says:

    It must have been a really scary experience. I’m glad you’re okay.

  7. June 6th, 2010 at 3:07 pm, A Broad Abroad Says:

    Sorry to hear you’ve been man down.

    Velma has offered private one-on-one nursing. Said to tell you she has a dahlin’ little while uniform that’s bound to cheer you up no end.

  8. June 6th, 2010 at 3:36 pm, Yoshinori Todo Says:

    Wow, sorry to hear this. I too wish you a speedy recovery and take care!

    PS Good to see your writing hasn’t suffered any. :)

  9. June 6th, 2010 at 6:16 pm, Terrie Farley Moran Says:

    Thanks for letting us all know about your brush with fate. I hope that you will be back to your old self soon

    Terrie

  10. June 6th, 2010 at 8:21 pm, David Dean Says:

    Leigh, I’m glad you’re back home and on your feet again! Thanks for sharing the experience with a great piece of writing.

  11. June 7th, 2010 at 12:00 am, Leigh Says:

    Hi everyone! Thank you for your warm comments! Sharon and Steve invited me to stay with them and they have internet!

    Thanks Terrie and Dean, Louis, Yoshinori, ABA, and Jeff. Thanks also for the kind words from James and John.

    Reading Rob’s article with new eyes was intriguing. Interesting we both relate our experience to schools of art, cubism and pointillism.

    Bill, you’re right: what passes for normal!

  12. June 7th, 2010 at 8:21 am, Loretta Craig Says:

    I’m glad you’re home. I had no idea you took your research, so seriously! (smile)
    Just try to stay away from the hospital for awhile, okay? Very nice story.
    Loretta

  13. June 7th, 2010 at 11:58 am, Deborah Says:

    I do not doubt we will be seeing one of your manly characters using this information soon in an upcoming story. Glad you’re better!

  14. June 8th, 2010 at 1:41 pm, Jon L. Breen Says:

    Let me just add my agreement that was a terrific piece of writing and my best wishes.

« Saturday, June 5: Mississippi Mud Monday, June 7: The Scribbler »

The Sidebar

  • Lex Artis

      Crippen & Landru
      Futures Mystery   Anthology   Magazine
      Homeville
      The Mystery   Place
      Short Mystery   Fiction Society
      The Strand   Magazine
  • Amicae Curiae

      J.F. Benedetto
      Jan Burke
      Bill Crider
      CrimeSpace
      Dave's Fiction   Warehouse
      Emerald City
      Martin Edwards
      The Gumshoe Site
      Michael Haskins
      _holm
      Killer Hobbies
      Miss Begotten
      Murderati
      Murderous Musings
      Mysterious   Issues
      MWA
      The Rap Sheet
      Sandra Seamans
      Sweet Home   Alameda
      Women of   Mystery
      Louis Willis
  • Filed Briefs

    • Bandersnatches (226)
    • De Novo Review (10)
    • Femme Fatale (224)
    • From the Gallery (3)
    • High-Heeled Gumshoe (151)
    • Miscellany (2)
    • Mississippi Mud (192)
    • Mystery Masterclass (91)
    • New York Minute (21)
    • Spirit of the Law (18)
    • Surprise Witness (46)
    • The A.D.D. Detective (228)
    • The Scribbler (204)
    • Tune It Or Die! (224)
  • Legal Archives

    • September 2011
    • August 2011
    • July 2011
    • June 2011
    • May 2011
    • April 2011
    • March 2011
    • February 2011
    • January 2011
    • December 2010
    • November 2010
    • October 2010
    • September 2010
    • August 2010
    • July 2010
    • June 2010
    • May 2010
    • April 2010
    • March 2010
    • February 2010
    • January 2010
    • December 2009
    • November 2009
    • October 2009
    • September 2009
    • August 2009
    • July 2009
    • June 2009
    • May 2009
    • April 2009
    • March 2009
    • February 2009
    • January 2009
    • December 2008
    • November 2008
    • October 2008
    • September 2008
    • August 2008
    • July 2008
    • June 2008
    • May 2008
    • April 2008
    • March 2008
    • February 2008
    • January 2008
    • December 2007
    • November 2007
    • October 2007
    • September 2007
    • August 2007
    • July 2007
    • June 2007
    • May 2007
Criminal Brief: The Mystery Short Story Web Log Project - Copyright 2011 by the respective authors. All rights reserved.
Opinions expressed are solely those of the author expressing them, and do not reflect the positions of CriminalBrief.com.