Sitting outside my doc's office,waiting on my ride, and I had a once in 31 years experience today. I had answered a question from my doc, looking at the floor as I always do, and I kept waiting for him to respond. I finally looked up and saw that his eyes were closed and his head tilted down on the right.
As I've never had a therapist fall asleep during a session, I had a short panic attack when I realized that I didn't know what therapist etiquette would suggest. I had a feeling that it would be rude to try to awaken him... that it would be too embarrassing for both of us. So I decided to quietly roll out.
There was a problem, however, because there was no space on either side of his huge quadriplegic wheelchair for me to pass, even in my tiny Quickie chair. It was an awkward moment.
A let another 5 minutes or so pass and then I just pulled on his sleeve and he woke up... looking as if he was having a panic attack. He immediately started apologizing and I immediately went in soothing comfort mode. We caught up with one another and started where we left off. But he was really sheepish throughout the remainder of the session and kept apologizing as I made a new appointment and left the offices.
So now I'm waiting on my ride, happy that I brought my iPad with me, wondering just how much I can use it before before hitting my 2GB data limit (using an iPad on LTE is new to me and I know that my plan with AT&T is cheap and crappy) and I'm wondering if I did the right thing. I'm thinking that if there's a guide to therapy/therapist etiquette that I need one. And if there's not such a guide that maybe I could gather experiences, both mine and a collection from others, and publish it as a free eBook.
I may be crazy but I think that a free eBook that covered everything from what to expect at your first appointment, first hospitalization, etc. going forward, might be helpful.
I should have just whipped out my iPhone and jumped on here and asked for quick replies: has your therapist ever fallen asleep when you were in session? If so, how did you deal with it or what is the best response?
So... think that I did the right thing or not? If I had been having a different kind of day I may have had a completely different reaction.
What about the etiquette guide?
-------
3-4 hours later
Or close to it. I'm in a panic attack that won't end. BP 122/78 but 93 pulse. Not really feeling my pacemaker.
Rats. Still in full panic attack. I've been avoiding looking at the side effects of my psych drugs but generic IR Seroquel has irregular or fast pulse listed as a side effect. I start 800mg Seroquel tonight, up from 600mg. I just called and made an appointment with my cardiologist – I missed my last appointment. Really bad nausea.
100/72 with pulse at exactly 100. Tachycardia. This is recent, scary and I'm not on any medication for it. I'll check my pulse every 30 minutes. I think that my Apple Watch is supposed to measure pulse rate but I only know how to operate as a watch.
Wow. It's so easy. But it went from 88, 92,94,92. And it matches my Omron cuff exactly. I'm going to have to read the manual. Sorry for the running dialog. I need to feel as if I'm talking to someone. I didn't know that there were chat areas here until this morning. Maybe I should check them out. 97, 92,91.
Loopy. About to lose it. I told my doc a secret today after I woke him up. Maybe two secrets. I don't remember. I don't know if I told one here or not. Maybe three secrets. I'll find somewhere else to write about that, another forum.
I want this msg to just convey the title, ask if it has happened to others, ask if I did the right thing, ask what you've done or would do in the same situation and ask if anyone knows of a kind of therapy etiquette guide.
I need to try to calm down.
|