Update: the short version, and the long version for anyone interested. The short version I want to reassure that the danger has passed and that I’ll resume my activities after our getaway to a cabin in the woods, which we planned a month ago. We’re leaving in a few days. I’ll get back to my ventilation projects afterward. ,,,,, The long version I think I had a migraine triggered by a virus, but I don’t have a diagnosis yet. A cold sore appeared shortly after I started having painful jolts at the back of my head and ear pain. The migraine lasted more than three days. My pharmacist prescribed antivirals and advised me to seek medical attention promptly after the jolts became more frequent and intense shortly after I took them. I said I wanted to avoid the ER and would rather monitor things to see whether they improved. He told me to wait 24 hours and, if things weren’t improving, to seek medical attention very quickly because it could be serious. During all this, I had an unusual memory lapse: I couldn’t remember which toothbrush was mine, the blue one or the pink one. I still don’t remember. My partner told me, “It’s the blue one.” I found it a little worrying that I had forgotten my own toothbrush—the information was completely gone. Twenty-four hours later, I still had the migraine, and I decided to wait until the following morning. That morning, I thought, wrongly, that the migraine had passed and that “only” a constant, moderately painful headache remained. I thought that, without necessarily calling it an emergency as my pharmacist had, I should see a doctor within a week. I called my doctor’s office. They asked me questions and said they would call me back. I explained that I wanted an appointment within a week if possible, but that my pharmacist said I should be seen urgently. Shortly afterward, the jolts returned. I called my doctor’s office again (they hadn’t called me back yet) to explain that the situation had changed, that the jolts were back, and that I wanted to be seen within a week; otherwise, I would try a private clinic. The receptionist, who apparently hadn’t listened to me, replied, “The doctor said to call if anything changes,” and said they could offer an appointment in a month. But I was calling precisely because something had changed. I said that was too far away and that I would try to get an appointment at a private clinic. I called a private clinic, and they booked me an appointment two days later. The clinic then called me back, and we eventually agreed that a nurse would call to assess me over the phone. The nurse called later and said I should go to the hospital ER because it could be shingles or viral encephalitis. I said I would think about it, but I really didn’t feel good about going to the hospital. I could end up waiting 18 hours, and with my long COVID, that puts me at risk of post-exertional malaise. That can also be serious for me and has previously brought on new symptoms that became chronic. She insisted and also said someone should accompany me so I wouldn’t drive. I was surprised. I explained that I thought it mattered that my pain was improving: the jolts were less intense and less frequent. Maybe I just needed rest to recover. I wanted a regular medical assessment, not an emergency visit. I thought there was a good chance the hospital would ask what I was doing there. Going to the hospital for this seemed excessive to me. I said I would think about it. I called my doctor’s office again and reached voicemail. I explained that the private clinic was telling me to go to the hospital ER and asked whether I could have an appointment in the next few days. I waited a few hours without a call back. Then I received an email from the private clinic. The clinic director had reviewed my situation and agreed with the nurse. They said I should go to the ER and that only a hospital had the equipment needed for those tests. That convinced me. I printed the email, asked my partner to accompany me, and we went to the hospital. I showed the email and explained that this was why I was there: I had been told to come, my doctor’s office wasn’t offering an appointment for another month, and the private clinic wouldn’t see me because they believed I needed to be in the ER. I arrived at the hospital ER early in the evening. I saw a doctor 15 hours later. He ordered a brain CT scan to rule out inflammation, but told me he wasn’t particularly worried. He said it didn’t seem like viral encephalitis at all: if it were, the symptoms would be much more severe and, especially, the headache wouldn’t be improving. I waited another four hours for the scan. A total of 19 hours at the hospital, sitting upright in a chair. I went to the receptionist and explained that I was reaching my limit. I was very tired and felt weak (had palpitations, felt weak, general malaise). I was worried that a prolonged wait could trigger post-exertional malaise from my long COVID, which was a hight risk for me. I asked whether I would be getting the scan soon. They said they couldn’t guarantee it wouldn’t take several more hours. And after the scan, I would have to wait again to see the doctor. All of this could easily have meant more than 24 hours sitting in a hospital chair. I asked whether I could book an appointment for the scan if it wasn’t urgent. They told me that wasn’t possible. They also said that if I wanted to leave, I would have to sign a refusal-of-treatment form. I signed and left. On my way home, more than 24 hours after my message, my doctor’s office called to offer me an appointment in the next few days. Everyone has a limit to how long they can wait in a hospital. Some people might leave after 96 hours; others after 12. It depends on our physical condition and the risks we believe we face. In my case, it felt like being asked to run a marathon to get a scan. A marathon that would certainly leave me more vulnerable and put me at risk of potentially serious post-exertional malaise. I know what a post-exertional malaise is and the possible consequence, after 6 years of long covid. All of that to rule out what the doctor considered a low, but still possible, risk of inflammation in the brain. I got home at 2 p.m. and ate. I was starving. At 4 p.m., I went to bed for the night. I slept for 12 hours, which did me a world of good. When my partner woke up, she received a message from her nephew telling her that her 27-year-old godson had been found dead. We quickly left the area and stayed at a hotel. He died a violent death, possibly a murder made to look like suicide. A police investigation is underway. The day before, he had told his mother that he feared someone would kill him and that he was scared. His mother, my partner’s sister, is devastated. This whole episode has taken a lot of time and energy from both of us, and we have things to catch up on. In a few days, we’ll leave as planned for our fall-colour getaway to a cabin in the woods. I love this place, and autumn is my favourite season. Being there, surrounded by all those colours, feels like paradise to me. It’s where I recharge. Nothing planned but rest, contemplate the nature, relax with my love, and maybe a good book (in paper, not numeric).

Sudden, new and potentially serious health issues. I’m trying to get a medical assessment. I don’t know how long this will last. I hope it won’t last long. I need to put my monitor testing projects on hold. Hope to be back soon.

19/ Questions and comments are welcome. I’m always interested in a good discussion and in learning from what others have observed. Just remember I’m a volunteer doing this in my spare time. I’m happy to discuss, but I won’t spend hours going back and forth on the same point. Sealioning, elsewhere please. 🙂