When I was 8....

My cousins came to visit to celebrate my birthday with me.

Our garden was unusual in layout because it was triangular.

Mum said that she wasn't a gardener like the previous occupants when I asked about the different height of grass at the edges.

I had a trike.

It was red.

It had big wheels front and back and a basket between the handles

And a bell, of course... "Dringgg, dringgg, drinnggg"



My cousins and I had gone to the garden to play and they were pushing my trike around while I peddled, when it tipped sideways into the dip around the edge of the lawn. We had a metal 'link-chain' fencing, which was worn.

When I stood up I was surrounded by cousins asking if I was alright. I looked down, nothing bleeding, no apparent tear or soil to clothing, nothing apart from my right 'little' finger hurt. I inspected it.

I could see where the skin was torn, in fact, it appeared to be hanging off. I held it in place while announcing, "I'm okay, but I think I'll tell Mum in the house".

So off I trotted

Mum said, "Stand still - there" placing me at the end of the kitchen counter, while she tried to reach the first aid box".

I stood still and examined my digit. It 'looked' okay until I touched it.

Like a flap, the surface of my smallest knuckle lifted to reveal what's intended to be internal.

I think my horror overtook curiosity

In the meantime, unbeknownst to me
from the lounge
My Dad looked up from his crossword
To Watch

As conciousness resurfaced
I made note


It was dark


Then I  could see an outline

Faces were forming

I was lying down
They were talking

Who were they?

What were they saying?
Why couldn't I hear them?

It seemed like a long time
While they became more easy to see
I watched their faces, especially their mouths
then the sound started to come
what did they say?

Oh, my name!

"Barbara!, Barbara!", "Are you alright?"
Memory returned

These were my Parents.

What could I say
They were waiting for an answer

I licked my lips and said,
"I'm okay, how did I get here on the sofa, what happened?"

They asked me what I remembered

I said

"I was stood at the counter looking at the skin on my finger and then .... I woke up, but I didn't recognise you at first."

They said that was okay, and that Dad had seen me start to fall (like a log) and managed to catch me before I'd hit  the floor. This was good because, if I'd banged my head, it may have caused something terrible.



After that, I fainted a few times. Once in class - Juniors (2nd Year) - I'd bit my lip, it tasted like blood, I asked the kid sat next to me, "Is my lip bleeding?", she said, "Yes", the next thing I knew was noticing the apparent speed of the blue marbled floor as I watched it.

I asked her what she'd noticed after she'd answered the question and she said, "You smiled and fell forward with your head between our two desks. Then you sat up and asked me what I'd noticed."

I wanted to know if anything else had happened, to be sure how much time had elapsed.

She told me she'd not spoken to anyone, nothing else had happened except that she'd laughed thinking I was playing and being silly to make her laugh (because I'd smiled and done something strange without explanation).

I learnt how to recognise early warning signs - Light headed, 'rushing' sound (blood flow redirected).

I learnt how to prevent progression :

Lay down in a comfortable and safe place
Raise legs above head height (if possible)
Keep safe