Adjusting to Triple Digits

Yes, it's another summer here in southern Texas, all the tell tale signs are here.  The grass is beginning to fade to yellow and crunch under foot.  The cicadas are angrily screeching in protest against the triple digit heat.  I'm beginning to screech in protest against the triple digit heat.  Despite all the signs, it didn't dawn on me until a mini crisis that it was time to break out the fludrocortisone.  This made for an interesting lunch date with my parents who had never witnessed a crisis before.  Some may be wondering what a crisis looks like.  So, I'll tell you.  I suddenly felt as though someone was squeezing my head in a vice between my eyes, my vision was blurred, heart racing, dizzy, stomach cramping, and my hearing was fading.  I was quite sure that I would collapse in a dizzy blur right there on the floor of the restaurant.  I had just been discussing the unfortunate state of my Pilate's instructor and her difficulty with a blood clot, when it hit me mid sentence.

" I feel kind of funny."
" I know dear, those things are kind of funny aren't they.  I was just watching on Good Morning...."
"No, mom, I feel funny."

This conversation took place in slow motion of course.  Sounding more like, I feeeeeellllllll fuuuuunnnnnyyyy.  You get the idea.  My daughter and parents started scrambling around me, passing my medication to and fro in a struggle with it's perma-tight lid.  At the third try, success!  Our waitress stopped by the table visibly confused by the commotion. 

"She needs a drink of water, she's not feeling well," my mom politely gestured. 

I guzzled the cold water along with two hydrocortisone.  Somehow, I knew the way that I felt was a little different than the episodes I had experienced in the past. I had enough clarity to dump out a pile of salt onto my finger, ingesting as much as I could in a discrete manner.  After a few moments it was clear that I was stable enough to walk to the car without making a scene.  I'm not entirely sure of the details to follow as they were blurred in a mass of paper machete flowers, bowls of tortilla chips, and mariachi music. 

We made it safely to the car, and arrived home.  I apologized as best I could, hugged my parents, and stumbled into the house.  I started to lay down, but decided to give my fludrocortisone a try.  I took two, and within half an hour it was as if the entire event had never occurred. 

What I had experienced was hyponatremia.  One of the dangerous side effects that can occur with Addison's.  Fortunately, I feel somewhat empowered by the experience.  I know what medication to take if it should occur again.  The symptoms were unpleasant enough to leave a clear understanding of what my response should be in the future.  I felt so empowered, in fact, that I wanted to run around announcing to everyone that I survived hyponatremia.  Surely there is a t-shirt out there or something to announce the fact.  A ribbon, at the very least?  

My parents have since become experts on Addison's after researching to find what to do in the event of a crisis.  It is so helpful if those around you know what to do to help.  In the middle of a crisis, everything becomes a confusing blur to an Addison.  Even in a non-crisis state in can be difficult to know if sodium or cortisol is needed...but I'm learning!  I also realized the importance of having both of my medications on me, and in a container that is easy to get to in case of an emergency.

So, summer time has clearly arrived.  I'm armed and prepared with proper hydration and both medications.  Time for a lunch date re-do possibly?  The puffy taco is calling me!
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Have a fun and safe Fourth of July.
Blessings!
Alicia