Most Horriffic.

When I woke up that day, I had no idea that it would be one of and probably the most horrific day of my life. I woke up feeling physically ill, so I didn't go to my 7:30 AM summer school class that I had to go to. I hadn't missed a day yet in the semester, so I knew that they'd understand.
It started when I woke up the second time. Austin, my boyfriend, was at my house with Ashlyn, my neighbor. Normally that wouldn't bother me, but I had previously found out that they were secretly dating behind my back. I woke up and they were still asleep, so I went onto the back deck for some air.
“Sam,” came a voice from behind me. I didn't even have to hear it to know that it was Austin. “Ash and I are going to go to McDonalds to get some breakfast. Do you want to come?” He came over and sat beside me. “You don't look so good, are you alright?” He asked.
I looked over at him and nodded. “Yeah, I'm alright, I just feel a little off kilter.” Maybe if you and your little woman would get out of my house I'd be better.
“Okay,” he said as he leaned in and kissed my forehead, “so did you want to come?”
“Sure.” I shrugged and he helped me up and we walked through the house to go to the driveway where his car was. He walked me out to the car with his arm around my waist. When Ashlyn saw this, she rolled her eyes and went to hold the passenger seat to have me sit in the backseat.
“Come on Ash, you know she won't be able to get back there.” Austin said when he saw that. She rolled her eyes again and climbed into the back of the car. We pulled out and the tension hit me. I could tell that she was pissed that I was coming.
“Hey,” I heard from from my left, “it's okay. I love you, and that's all that matters.” I nodded and kept looking out the window. If you loved me you wouldn't be seeing her.
The song 'Big Girls Don't Cry' by Fergie came on the radio and I started to cry because it described the situation between the three of us perfectly. I couldn't let the other two see, so I positioned myself more towards the window.
What's going on? I thought. My hand... it feels like it's asleep, but I'm not bending it awkwardly or anything.
“Sam,” Austin said, “what's wrong with your hand?”
“Huh?” I answered and looked at my hand. I was squeezing it with my other hand. “I don't know... Can I borrow one of your lighters? I'm having trouble controlling my hand, and I need something to squeeze.”
“Umm... Yeah, okay...” He said, clearly confused, and handed me a small silver lighter.
As I squeezed the lighter, I was loosing more and more control in my hand. What the hell is going on?  
He put the car in park, because we reached McDonalds. “Do you want anything?” He asked. He lifted the drivers' seat so that Ashlyn could get out.
“Just water.” I said. He nodded and they went into the building.

The pain, or rather, lack thereof, was getting worse when they were in the building. I had no idea what was going on, so I started to cry harder. What's going on? What is this? The tingling is getting worse. I cant feel my hands. Oh No! My feet are getting tingely too. I don't understand. The sensation was moving from just me hands to my entire arms, and moving into my feet. When they got back into the car, I could no longer feel my arms, or legs, and I was crying pretty hard.
“Sam!” Austin exclaimed when he got into the car and saw me crying and trying to make fists. “What the hell is wrong?”
“I... can't feel... arms... legs...” I said between sobs.
“What do you mean?” Ashlyn asked me, slightly concerned. Wow, you mean you're actually concerned?
“Look...” I tried to raise my arm, but couldn't do it, and grimaced with the pain that was accompanied with the attempt.
“Ash get in, we're going to the hospital--” Austin started.
“No!” I cried out. “Dad! Not without... him.” I added.
Austin groaned and pushed Ashlyn into the car. “Okay, fine. We'll go get dad first.” Oh damn, what's dad going to think. This is just another hospital bill that we won't be able to pay. I'm fine. I truly am. There is no reason to over react.
On the way home, however, the tingling worsened. I could no longer control my limbs and it slowly moved to my face. It took no time to get home, true, Austin was speeding, but it was necessary.
“It's going to be okay.” Austin said when I cried out in pain. He rubbed my arm, and I cried out again. “What? What'd I do?”
“Stop... it hurts.” I cried. He pulled his hand away and gripped the wheel tighter.
He didn't slow down when we pulled into my driveway. That is what alerted my dad.

“What's wrong?” Dad asked when we pulled into the driveway. My sister came out when she heard what he asked. Austin threw open his door when we stopped and unbuckled me.
“She can't feel her arms or legs.” He said as he carried me out of the car. I tried to hold onto him but without the control of my arms and legs, I was pretty much a limp noodle. Hold on to him Sam, you must. You cannot show weakness. Come on, be strong. For them, be strong for them.
Austin lifted me into my dad's truck that was being washed. Ashlyn climbed in after me. I don't remember much about the ride to the hospital other than I bit Ashlyn.

Why am I in the hospital? What's going on? What happened to me?
“Samantha? Samantha Davis?” Said a voice from the fog that was covering my vision.
“Ye...yeah?” I hesitantly replied. “What's going on?”
“Samantha, you're fine.” Said the nurse.
“Then what happened to me?” If I was seriously fine, then I would know why the hell I was here.
“What happened to you was simple. You simply hyperventilated. Do you have any stress in your life right now?”
An alcoholic father, a mother that I rarely see, a boyfriend who is seeing my neighbor behind my back. No, no stress at all. “What teenager doesn't have at least a little stress?”
“Good point.” The nurse smiled.
“I still don't know what hyperventilation is.”
“It just means that your blood was getting too much oxygen due to your erratic breathing. Usually when that happens to people and they don't know what it is, they panic and their breathing becomes even more irregular, causing it to get worse.”
“So, I got too much oxygen in my blood? I didn't know that was possible.”
“I know, most people don't.” She said, “you are ready to go, I'll just give you this information and you can go.”
“Alright. Thank you.” I replied.
She gave me the information and we were on our way. Too much? How can someone have too much oxygen? That seems damn near impossible. Well, obviously, it's not if it happened to me.

A couple weeks later, the doctor called my house to get a follow up and see how I was doing. I went in and found out, after a blood test, that my potassium was low. That meant three bananas a day until my next follow up. My next follow up was three weeks later and found out then, that I was fine.

Since my endeavor, I know to manage stress better, and to let things that I cannot handle take their course. The prescription for Atavan that I received has not been used and I've not been close to hyperventilation since then. I am incredibly grateful that people cared enough to take me to the hospital and not just leave me to do that by myself. Austin and I are friends now, but not nearly as close as we once were, and he still apologizes for putting me in that situation in the first place. I don't talk to Ashlyn, and I'm fine with that. My biggest revelation since then is that no matter what happens, I will be okay. It may take time and effort, but I will be okay.