Exhaustion

So, in my psychotic need to fit into my work wardrobe in time to return to work, I spent the last two weeks getting up (sometimes) and going to the gym at 5 am while the baby is sleeping. While working out made me feel mentally great, it took its toll physically, since it meant a lot less sleep for me, and I began to wonder if it was really worth it. Maybe I should just resign myself to buying a new work wardrobe in a larger size...

Anyway, this last Monday (the 9th), I hit the snooze button (unusual) and had to talk myself into getting up. Once I got to the gym I only did half the cardio that I normally do before hitting the weight machines. My point is that I didn't do anything normal that morning, and it all got me to the bicep curl machine at the exact same time a man sat down on a leg extension machine across from me. Important to note at this point that I do believe that everything happens for a reason.

I noticed that the man across from me had closed his eyes, and immediately began snoring. My amusement, that someone could be that tired and still be at the gym, quickly turned to adrenaline pumping fright as I watched the man slide off the machine and onto the floor - still snoring. My first thought, having no medical knowledge whatsoever, was that he might have had a seizure, but when I couldn't see any obvious shaking or foaming at the mouth (that happens with seizures, right?), I suspected he was narcoleptic. Where's House when you need hum? Anyway, I jumped off of my machine and began patting his arm and loudly saying, "Sir, sir, wake up!" The way he was folded up on the floor, I wondered if he'd broken a leg or suffered any injury more than embarrasment. As he came to, he repeatedly apologized and told me that he was very tired. I suggested that he leave the gym and nap in his car before heading home. He agreed, although I noticed he didn't seem all that coherent.

He stood and I returned to the bicep curls. I watched him slowly walk towards the door, stopping short at a snack counter and leaning against it. My first thought was that perhaps he had come with someone to the gym and was waiting for them. Then I saw his eyes start to close...

As quick as I could I (again) jumped off my machine and ran towards him yelling, "Oh sh*t! Oh sh*t!" The eyes closed, the snoring started and his body began to crumble again. Before I could reach him he hit his head on the counter and descended towards the tile floor. I got there just in time to barely support the weight of his torso as I heard his head crack while hitting the ground. He lay on the floor, body askew, head bleeding and - still snoring. At this point I began yelling towards the gym employee, "Call 911!" and again trying to pat the man's arm and waken him. When he finally opened his eyes, he tried to sit up and apologizing began to try and stand. Another nearby exerciser and myself held him down and explained to him that he'd hit his head and needed to remain where he was until the paramedics showed up. His first remark was that he had thought he was already home...

Someone brought a towel to hold to the back of his head and slow the bleeding. He handed me his gym card and his phone, he had already dialed his home number and was asking me to tell his wife what had happened. Needless to say, I won't soon forget his name, or that his 44th birthday is this October 24th, or the panic from his wife who explained to me that she couldn't leave the house because the kids were still sleeping.

Two off-duty firemen who happened to be working out then came over and began asking him questions, checking his vitals and collecting my account of what had happened to inform the paramedics when they arrived. The man didn't remember falling asleep on the machine, and had no memory of leaning against the counter. And during this entire time (all of 15 minutes maybe, except that I remember it in slow motion) I was thinking, "If this is a bad case of exhaustion, is this where I am headed, and is it worth it?" Of course, my gut tells me that it was something more serious for this man (I will never know).

The site of him collapsing has haunted me since. Not that I can deign to know why this happened to him, but I can guess why I was brought to witness it. And, no, I no longer sneak out to the gym while the baby's sleeping. I'd rather spend the money on new clothes for work than be so exhausted that I have to spend it on hospital bills...