Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Total panic - can I please have a hand hold for today?

17 replies

fraidycattt · 10/05/2022 16:13

I need to move off my settee and I'm here in frozen panic.

I am living in New York and need to go to a very stressful hospital appointment. DP has unavoidable work thing so I'm on my own.

I'm so overwhelmed. I hate this appointment and also afraid of the subway at the moment because crime has gone through the roof here.

I won't be able to see properly on the way home because my eyes will be dilated from the examination. Have two trains to catch and just so worried.

It's very likely I need to get an injection into my eye and I'm spiralling. I normally take a diazepam for this appointment, as normally not going alone, but DP just can't be with me today and I think I'd feel more vulnerable if I took diazepam going on the subway.

Just need to write this down and force myself to go. I don't feel like me right now, I feel almost a little dissociated because I'm just so scared.

OP posts:
Rainallnight · 10/05/2022 16:14

Oh no, poor you. That does sound tough.

Can you book an Uber for the way home?

Rodion · 10/05/2022 16:16

Hand hold here Flowers Is there any way you could get a cab home? Or find a library/ coffee shop/museum nearby that you can kill several hours in a comfy chair afterwards and wait for your DP to be finished?

Shouldbedoing · 10/05/2022 16:16

Can you ring someone and keep them with you as a distraction on your mobile phone or could anyone collect you from the hospital?
Longer term, is your anxiety being treated?
I'd take the diazepam today to get you through

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General health
collieresponder88 · 10/05/2022 16:17

Your dp needs to put you first. That's not ok letting you go on your own. Some things are more ImportNt then work

BarrowInFurnessRailwayStation · 10/05/2022 16:17

I don't think you should be travelling on the subway on the way home. Will you have a dressing over your eye because it'll be very dusty?

I agree that you should get a cab. Can you afford one?

GrazingSheep · 10/05/2022 16:18

Can you get a taxi ?

Matchingcollarandcuffs · 10/05/2022 16:18

OP, how much world a cab back be?

I had the drops a while ago and makes you feel incredibly vulnerable, I had to get strangers to read my text messages on my phone and tell me what buses were coming so I could get home.

If you can't get cab can you hang around at or near hospital due an hour or two, will make a massive difference as to what you can see.

Hand hold here, this time last week I had to walk myself to operating theatre and be put under alone. And despite me telling anaesthetist twice I was nervous and would like to be told what he was doing before he was doing it he only told me half way through the syringe he was putting me under. It's amazing what your can cope with on your own when you have to

Vladtheunbaler · 10/05/2022 16:25

I have an eye condition which means that I have previously had to have both dilating drops and regular eye injections.

The drops do make things a bit blurry, but not so blurry that you were in danger of stepping off the platform (to catastrophise), or couldn't tell the difference between £10 or £20 to buy a ticket. I could negotiate my way out of the clinic and back to our car to meet up with DH no problem. It was a bit bright, so sunglasses are useful.

Eye injections are the stuff people have nightmares about, but in fact, they are so good with anaesthetics that it feels like pressure on the eyeball rather than pain. They are never going to be great and I still like that the nurses offer to hold my hand or have a comforting hand on my shoulder when its being done, but its not as bad as I thought it would be.

If you're stressed about travelling, then a cab does sound like a good idea.

Have a Covid safe friendly hand pat - it'll be fine.

ChiswickFlo · 10/05/2022 16:33

Hello,
I have my 6 monthly appointment next week at the Eye clinic so I empathise with your worry and anxiety.
I've also had the eye injections. Honestly, they aren't too bad. The staff are usually really kind. Just a bit stingy afterwards.
Sending love and a virtual hand squeeze ❤️

Original poster
fraidycattt · 10/05/2022 16:57

Thank you. DP is away so really can’t come. Normally always by my side but unavoidable this time.

OP posts:
Original poster
fraidycattt · 10/05/2022 17:01

I’ve had the dilating drops loads of times before so I know I can navigate home it’s more that will be far less able to see what’s happening around me and at this time the subway that really isn’t a good thing. I cannot read my screens for about 5 hours after.

have never had the injections yet but that time is coming, as per my doctor.

i think I will try to get a taxi home just worried about sitting in traffic for hours and the meter running. I don’t have Uber.

OP posts:
heavyistheheed · 10/05/2022 19:19

It might be too late now but I was going to say can you not set off earlier then wait in a coffee shop or something before the appointment and take your diazepam so it has time to kick in?

BreakorMake · 10/05/2022 19:22

Is there a reason you don't have Uber? Are they banned in New York?

helpfulperson · 10/05/2022 19:23

Is there a cinema nearby? That's where I go to recover when I have this. Even if the films rubbish the dark is soothing. Death on the nile was my last film.

Rodion · 11/05/2022 16:51

How did it go OP?

nearlyspringyay · 11/05/2022 16:52

Was it you that asked some random to read the time on your phone?

FT96 · 11/05/2022 16:53

I hope everything went okay

New posts on this thread. Refresh page