A Blackout!
June 4, 2007 11:14 am
Just as the alternative dad was about to stand up after adjusting the Angel’s table, he felt dizzy and tried to stand up while using the wall for support. At that moment, I was helping the Angel transfer her hot milk into a smaller cup.
Suddenly, the alternative dad fell against the wall and subsequently, scrapped his face and glasses against the wall as he fell with a loud thump!
The alternative dad had had a blackout!
I rushed over and helped him up, although by then, he was conscious but totally bewildered to find himself on the floor, with a painful head.
At the same time, the Angel turned to look, in a state of shock and confusion. She remained stoically rooted in her seat and ‘carried on eating’ her bread.
While holding the alternative dad, I kept asking if the Angel was all right. She turned back once in a while, the look on her face was one of stupefaction.
As I explained to the alternative dad what had happened while assessing the impact of his fall (bruised head, scrapped knee - all caused by abrasion and impact, and a little twist on his glasses), my worry for the Angel grew, too.
She looked totally out of the ordinary. Under normal circumstances, she is a loving and concerned girl and should we bump ourselves for instance, she would come and give a big hug or kiss our bruised spot. That morning, she had a look which I could not decipher.
That afternoon, while chatting in bed before her naptime, I asked her what she was feeling when the alternative dad fainted. She did not answer my question but asked if her dad was all right already. Then, she told me (in a quiet manner) that she needed to eat her bread then. I did not want to pursue what she did not want to reveal but left it at that.
That night, both the alternative dad and I were discussing about her reactions. We knew that she was scared when the fall occurred but most importantly, I was enlightened that she was totally upset because she thought that her dad’s fall was caused by her box, hence the angry kicks.
Yesterday, while we were talking about the alternative dad, she again asked if the alternative dad was all right. Then, she told me that she was shocked and felt sad when the incident happened. That explained her cries and kicks.
I guess it must have been traumatising for the Angel to witness and, maybe at some point, felt that it was her toy which had caused the fall (? - although it wasn’t at all). I understand now how children can feel ‘guilty’ for something that happen to adults which they might even perceive to be their ‘fault’.
18 Responses to “A Blackout!”
Hey AM, I had a shocked when I read this post! Is AD alright now?? I can see the bruise on his head. Poor daddy! ANgel must be overly upset over the fall. Hope she is alright now!!
Please give her a hug and a kiss on her forehead for me.. I can imagine her shock when she saw what happened to her daddy. I would too.
Hi AM and AD,
I also had a shock while i read this entry but while i feel upset for Angel, i was wondering if you all figured out why did AD suffer from a blackout? That doesn’t sound common to me and i thought it might be best not to take things lightly and if there’s a need, go for a check up?
aiyo hope ur hubby is ok.
Hi Jean, Nicky and Jazzmint, I, too, had a shock when it happened. Actually, he first fell against the wall and I thought he was pretending (because sometimes, he likes to play such tricks on us) but when I witnessed him falling with his glasses scratching the wall, I knew something was wrong. Everything happened within split seconds!
We are not sure about the blackout, too. Perhaps he is too stress over his exam? I suggested a check up, too, but the AD is not very keen.
He feels fine now.
Still feeling bruised on his head and can’t lie on the left. I think he can’t wait for his exam to be over!
Hi AM, does AD always have the giddy spell? Maybe you can think of getting him some supplements like gingko and vit B to help him tide over his stress periods. I gave that to my dear husband too and he said it’s helpful esp when he is feeling stress at work. Take care.
hmm, agree la gotta check… maybe a little while after his exam? whenever i want cairo’s daddy to do something (for his own good) but he is dragging his feet, i will say “think of your small little girl and wat will happen to her if…” :p works everytime
oh about angel’s behaviour… i think it is called sympathy pain. i twisted my ankle some weeks back and screamed whenever i had to rub some medicated oil on it. seeing that made cairo burst into tears everytime. she also tried to push my mom away (who was applying d oil for me then), thinking that she was hurting me :s
angel is a lot older and can control her tears but dat doesn’t mean she is not hurting with daddy too… that n the guilt about the box i guess. well, at least u told her it’s not her fault
oh forgot… i think kids at angel’s age can understand accidents like knife cuts or trip and fall bruises but seeing daddy just topple like dat shocked her la… most probably still trying to register n analize what happened while eating her bread on auto pilot… your girl is still very loving n concerned, just shaken n didnt know how to express it.
Hi! Glad to hear he’s better. Does he have low blood pressure or anaemia? Sometimes standing up too quickly after being in a squatting position can cause blackouts.
Anyway, want to say I saw your tag on my blog, Thanks. It’s really good to know I’m not alone in my worries!
Hi Jean, thanks for the info! I will check out at Boots today the Vitamin B supplements. Is the gingko a form of supplements, too? The spells did occur recently and then it led to the blackouts! I was saying maybe there is something lacking in the diet, too! Currently, he is drinking ginseng. Thanks so much!
Hi mom of cairo, thanks for enlightening me on sympathy pain. Yes, I think she was on auto-pilot, too, when eating her bread. I wasn’t worried about her not being loving or concerned but was worried about the shock that had registered at that moment. You are really right to say that she was shaken and didn’t know how to register, too.
Hi tjmummy, thanks for dropping by. I, too, felt that it could have been due to low blood pressure or amnemia and requested that he has it checked, too.
I’m sure there are many parents out there with worries like us! But the link on your article was fantastic! Like you, I’m still going for the naturalistic learning. *smile*
Hi AM–is AD OK now?
Sorry to hear about that. Has that ever happened to him before?
Hi New Parent, thanks for your concern. He seems fine now and the wound has healed completely, too. Actually, he had been having dizzy spells before it augmented into a blackout! This has never happened before! First time in 31 years!
I’m sorry to hear what has happened. Is Alternative Dad okay? Ought to see GP since he’s been having dizzy spells?
From what I see, Angel looks confused and perhaps upset by AD fainting, probably very shocking for a little girl. I do hope she’s okay now too?
*hugs* Hope everyone is okay now.
Hi AM, yes the gingko is a supplement pill. Hope he is getting better now. Take care ya.
wow, i do hope raymond is ok now. not usual for a man his age to have sudden blackouts like that. n angel is so mature for her age! oh how we miss u guys, and in howard n i.
Hi Dory, thanks for your concern. Like you have mentioned, it is so hard to even see a GP here, it can be so deterring sometimes! Angel can now talk about it, I think she still cannot quite understanding ‘fainting’ because whenever we talk about it, she will ask me, “What happened?”
Hi Jean, thanks for the info!
Hi Mandy, you are right that it is not usual for a man his age to experience this. We miss you guys, too! I was asking Howard if he can come over some time! We will meet soon, ok!
hi AM, hope AD is ok now. since he has reached his 30’s
it’s time for annual checkups like iron level, blood pressure and cholesterol, watnots. i have wat AD had most of the time, and i’ve gotten used to getting up S.L.O.W.L.Y.
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