And no, this isn't a backstory. And yes, it's long.

I've mentioned here before I do martial arts. I was working out this morning and during sparring, I clocked my instructor in the jaw with a spin heel kick. I ask if he's OK. He says yes, waits about three seconds, then says no, then sits down, then lays down, then says call 911.

Then he says don't call 911, but take him to urgent care. I'm talking to him trying to figure out if urgent care or the ER is the best choice. He's got blurry vision and dizzyness. I'm thinking "jeez, I just gave him a concussion" and am feeling kinda shirty about that.

Go to urgent care, there is a problem with his insurance card, then he projectile vomits and is complaining the whole left side of his body is numb. Oh carp, is this a stroke instead of a concussion? His speech was OK and there was no droopiness in his face, so I didn't think a stroke was a possibility at first. Get to ER and they immediately start running tests for a stroke.

So now I've gone from feeling shirty for giving the man a concussion to feeling a billion times shirtier for taking a half hour to get a man who had a stroke to the ER.

Shoot me now.

They finally ruled out a stroke and had him stable. I left to go get ready for work. After a shower and change of clothes, I decide to swing by the hospital to check on him and find he was moved to the stroke unit ICU. Crappitycrapcrapcrapcrap.

They won't let me see him at first and send me to a waiting room. After about 20 minutes, I text him to see if things are OK. He says he's fine (relatively) and they were stopping visitors because he had to go to the bathroom, not because he was in a coma. Whew. They just had to admit him to ICU because the meds they gave him for a blood pressure spike (like 230/150 or something close to that) require medical supervision.

Turns out is was some kind of crazy hypertension event that was kinda similar to a stroke without the lingering brain damage. It is possible it might have been triggered by the adrenaline pulse from getting hit in the jaw, but had more to do with his not taking his blood pressure meds.

Looks like he'll be OK but they are keeping him for observation until tomorrow. But I got to spend 2-3 hours today believing my actions may have killed or crippled a friend by not getting him to the hospital in a timely manner. Yuk.

Lesson #1 - Sometimes life is going to knock on your door just to remind you that you aren't the one in charge.

Lesson #2 - If your doc puts you on maintenance medication, don't quite taking the meds without asking the doc first.

Lesson #3 - If you don't know what the signs of a stroke are, learn them.