After 2 weeks and one day into my exchange year in Germany, I had what I HOPE will be the worst experience of my year. It had been a very normal yet exciting day, when I finally got home from my language school and classes. I had a meal with my host parents before they both went to a local gym for Sport. I was then left home alone. I went up to my room to check facebook, my email, the usual. However, this would not just be a regular evening, in fact it was probably one of the most freakish horrifying nights I've ever had.
As I was plugging in my laptop charger to an adapter which I had plugged into a power cord in my bedroom, I was also texting, and not really paying attention. I had to use both hands, because the outlet only works if you plug the adapter in just right. When I put the laptop cord in however, I pushed it into the adapter quite hard, upside down, with both my fingers on a part of the metal. Before I realized what had happened, I was lying on my back after hitting my head on the bottom of the desk. I had electrocuted myself quite seriously. The shocked had thrown my back very hard, and I had blacked out for a very short time. At first I didn't feel much, however when I tried to get up this horrible feeling rushed over me. I sat up and all of the muscles in my body went numb. It was absolutely horrifying, I thought that I was paralyzed. After about 5 minutes, I grabbed my phone and texted my second host brother and told him what happened. I really thought I was fine, I didn't feel quite right, but I thought it was just because I was surprised about the whole thing. When I sat up, I still felt extremely lightheaded, weak and dizzy. Of course I was home alone, and I wasn't sure what to do. After laying on the floor in my bedroom for a few minutes I started to regain stability, however my fingers were stinging, and felt very burnt. It hurt VERY badly. I had somehow managed to burn both thumbs and both pointer fingers. I managed to go to the bathroom down the hall and run my hands under cold water. It was one of the strangest feelings I'd ever felt. My hands stung horribly, and my whole upper body felt tingly and numb. I really did feel shocked, my mind wasn't quite in touch with the situation. I called my host brother and asked him what to do, he just recommended ice and cold water. By then my host family had been gone for about 30 minutes, and I thought they would be back soon. I grabbed a bag of frozen corn from the freezer and lay down once again on the ground which for some reason seemed much more comfortable than my bed.
Then I waited and waited. And waited. My hands were very swollen, and on my fingers there were marks from directly where the metal had been touching me. I moved downstairs, and finally my host father came home. My host father really doesn't speak very much English, and I had absolutely no idea how to explain what happened in German, especially in my flustered state. He could tell something was wrong, and he saw my hands as well. Luckily after about 5 minutes, my host mother arrived home as well. I was then able to explain what happened, and had them examine my hands and make sure I was ok. By then I didn't feel bad exactly, but definitely not normal. My host mother called a few of her neighbors and friends who were doctors. They kept asking if I needed a doctor or a hospital and I said "Oh no I'm fine really I feel normal" Even though I really did feel strange. I was upstairs getting ready for bed, when my host parents called me down and said they were going to take me to the hospital, just to be safe. They had both spoken to friends on the phone who recommended that I go into the hospital. So, my host mother called a hospital, and we were to wait for word on when to go in, since it was not an emergency exactly. By then it was about 9 pm, and I was exhausted. Finally around 9:30, we drove there which fortunately is close to our home. When we got into the first doctor, she examined me a bit, and asked some questions. She didn't know very much English, but my host mother was there to help. German hospitals are quite different from American hospitals, for example, one of the first things the doctor made me do was take off my shirt, right in front of her and my host mother. It was awkward, but the worst was yet to come. The doctor told me we were to go across the street to another doctor where they would take an "ECG" Test, which checked my heart, and then I would be able to go home. The next doctor it was a similar process, he asked me some questions, typed some information down, oh and had me take my shirt off. Then they hooked up the ECG machine. This was about 10 stickers with metal clips that were stuck onto my chest and wired to a machine. I was told to lay still, while it recorded my heart function. After they removed the machine, the doctor spoke to my host mother in German for a while which I couldn't understand. I thought everything was fine, I felt ok, my arms were still tingly and I was very tired but nothing serious.
Then, my host mother turned to me and said "They want you to stay here for 24 hours, while they regulate your heart functions." I was kinda shocked and it didn't seem like reality, so I just said "Ok". Because I had used both hands, the electric current had made a full circuit through my body, which was extremely dangerous for my blood, my heart, and my muscles. The electric shock had also damaged my heart rate, making it slow, and somewhat irregular which was a bad sign. The doctor then had a few more tests which included blood pressure, heart rate, and withdrawing A LOT of blood. That was one of the worst parts. However, my host mother was amazing throughout it. She came over and sat next to me holding my hand. At that point I was on the verge of tears, and I was very scared. They had me gather my things, and move into a hallway. They had me lay down on a bed and ROLLED me into the room I was to stay in. I mean, I could walk perfectly fine, but they had me lay down on the bed anyways. It was extremely scary.
In the room, I had another woman with me, we were separated by a screen (and A LOT of machinery) She was hooked up to a ton of other machines, and really did not look like she was in very good shape...they found a nurse for me who spoke english who helped the poor confused American exchange student understand what was being said to me. I changed into a hospital gown and lay down on the bed. Then once again I was plugged into a machine, which buttons all over my chest. I also had a blood pressure arm thingy on, which checked my blood pressure every 30 minutes, through the entire night. In the other arm, I had a thingy(I really don't know what it was) stuck into my arm where the blood had been extracted, and a clip on my finger connected to the machine as well. I felt like a robot, with all kinds of complicated machinery attached to me. It was around midnight by then, so my host mother had to get home and rest before her work the next day. The nurse gave me some water, I hugged my host mother goodbye, and they left me alone to sleep.
Sleep, I could not. I fell into a short nap, until about 2 when I woke up again. There were hospital sounds all around me, groaning from the other patients, machine sounds, heart beat trackers, etc. I then realized how absolutely horrifying it was there. I started crying, in the hospital room in German beside my roommate who was completely out of consciousness. This was the first time since arriving in Germany that I really wanted nothing else but to be home with my family in the US. I didn't sleep at all for the rest of the night, and every once in a while a nurse would come in and always ask me (in German) how I felt and if I was ok. That was scary, but one of the worst parts was the fact that by then I felt 100% fine, besides my exhaustion.
Finally morning came. They brought me a breakfast, let me put on a new gown and brush my teeth. That was the only time in the night that I was allowed to get up and to move around. I then lay back down and waited. Around 12 my doctor came back in and updated me. He said "Everything is completely fine with you. We are going to test your blood and heart rate one more time and then you can go home." I only had to stay about 15 of the 24 hours. So for the last time, they put MORE stickers on my chest and stomach (I had a total of 15). They then took out my IV's and arm thingys, and gave me my clothes. I changed back into them, and called my host mother to let her know. I still had to wait about 40 minutes for my host father, because I didn't have keys to get into my home. FINALLY I got home and collapsed exhausted into my bed. I had never been so tired and scared. I had a phone conversation with my parents(for the first time since arriving here) and then went to sleep.
The entire night was absolutely horrifying. It was so hard not to freak out, but I just kept thinking about school, and the city, and my friends. I was trying not think deeply because I knew that when I did I got very emotional. At one point I started to think I was being tested, like in V for Vendetta or something when Natalie Portman is locked in a fake jail(keeping in mind I was up for almost 24 hours straight:)). I really can not explain how horrible horrible horrible it was. I felt so stupid because the whole accident was entirely my fault, and I also felt bad for putting my host family and real family through all the trouble.
After a few days, I finally felt normal. I wasn't lightheaded anymore, and the burns on my fingers were healed almost completely.
When I told my host brother what happened right after he laughed and said "This is going to be a cool story in a few weeks!" At the time this comment didn't make me very happy, although I knew he was right. Now, a week after the accident, it is a very interesting story. Its not cool yet, because I am still scared about it all, but soon it will be, maybe?
So yeah, that's the story about my freak accident, two weeks into my exchange. Hopefully that was the low of my trip, and from here things are better. Aside from that night, my exchange is going very well I think. I am almost in a way grateful I experienced that, and was not seriously injured, because it made me stronger. Yes I know that is cliche, but it is true. How many people can say they were electrocuted and stayed in a hospital on a heart monitor in Germany with 2 weeks worth of language skills at the age of 16? Not many! (Mostly because it is really weird, but still). It really made me realize how mature I can be when I need to, how lucky I am to have an incredible host family and rotary organization behind me, and how glad I am that American hospitals let you change with privacy!!!!!!!! :)
As I was plugging in my laptop charger to an adapter which I had plugged into a power cord in my bedroom, I was also texting, and not really paying attention. I had to use both hands, because the outlet only works if you plug the adapter in just right. When I put the laptop cord in however, I pushed it into the adapter quite hard, upside down, with both my fingers on a part of the metal. Before I realized what had happened, I was lying on my back after hitting my head on the bottom of the desk. I had electrocuted myself quite seriously. The shocked had thrown my back very hard, and I had blacked out for a very short time. At first I didn't feel much, however when I tried to get up this horrible feeling rushed over me. I sat up and all of the muscles in my body went numb. It was absolutely horrifying, I thought that I was paralyzed. After about 5 minutes, I grabbed my phone and texted my second host brother and told him what happened. I really thought I was fine, I didn't feel quite right, but I thought it was just because I was surprised about the whole thing. When I sat up, I still felt extremely lightheaded, weak and dizzy. Of course I was home alone, and I wasn't sure what to do. After laying on the floor in my bedroom for a few minutes I started to regain stability, however my fingers were stinging, and felt very burnt. It hurt VERY badly. I had somehow managed to burn both thumbs and both pointer fingers. I managed to go to the bathroom down the hall and run my hands under cold water. It was one of the strangest feelings I'd ever felt. My hands stung horribly, and my whole upper body felt tingly and numb. I really did feel shocked, my mind wasn't quite in touch with the situation. I called my host brother and asked him what to do, he just recommended ice and cold water. By then my host family had been gone for about 30 minutes, and I thought they would be back soon. I grabbed a bag of frozen corn from the freezer and lay down once again on the ground which for some reason seemed much more comfortable than my bed.
Then I waited and waited. And waited. My hands were very swollen, and on my fingers there were marks from directly where the metal had been touching me. I moved downstairs, and finally my host father came home. My host father really doesn't speak very much English, and I had absolutely no idea how to explain what happened in German, especially in my flustered state. He could tell something was wrong, and he saw my hands as well. Luckily after about 5 minutes, my host mother arrived home as well. I was then able to explain what happened, and had them examine my hands and make sure I was ok. By then I didn't feel bad exactly, but definitely not normal. My host mother called a few of her neighbors and friends who were doctors. They kept asking if I needed a doctor or a hospital and I said "Oh no I'm fine really I feel normal" Even though I really did feel strange. I was upstairs getting ready for bed, when my host parents called me down and said they were going to take me to the hospital, just to be safe. They had both spoken to friends on the phone who recommended that I go into the hospital. So, my host mother called a hospital, and we were to wait for word on when to go in, since it was not an emergency exactly. By then it was about 9 pm, and I was exhausted. Finally around 9:30, we drove there which fortunately is close to our home. When we got into the first doctor, she examined me a bit, and asked some questions. She didn't know very much English, but my host mother was there to help. German hospitals are quite different from American hospitals, for example, one of the first things the doctor made me do was take off my shirt, right in front of her and my host mother. It was awkward, but the worst was yet to come. The doctor told me we were to go across the street to another doctor where they would take an "ECG" Test, which checked my heart, and then I would be able to go home. The next doctor it was a similar process, he asked me some questions, typed some information down, oh and had me take my shirt off. Then they hooked up the ECG machine. This was about 10 stickers with metal clips that were stuck onto my chest and wired to a machine. I was told to lay still, while it recorded my heart function. After they removed the machine, the doctor spoke to my host mother in German for a while which I couldn't understand. I thought everything was fine, I felt ok, my arms were still tingly and I was very tired but nothing serious.
Then, my host mother turned to me and said "They want you to stay here for 24 hours, while they regulate your heart functions." I was kinda shocked and it didn't seem like reality, so I just said "Ok". Because I had used both hands, the electric current had made a full circuit through my body, which was extremely dangerous for my blood, my heart, and my muscles. The electric shock had also damaged my heart rate, making it slow, and somewhat irregular which was a bad sign. The doctor then had a few more tests which included blood pressure, heart rate, and withdrawing A LOT of blood. That was one of the worst parts. However, my host mother was amazing throughout it. She came over and sat next to me holding my hand. At that point I was on the verge of tears, and I was very scared. They had me gather my things, and move into a hallway. They had me lay down on a bed and ROLLED me into the room I was to stay in. I mean, I could walk perfectly fine, but they had me lay down on the bed anyways. It was extremely scary.
In the room, I had another woman with me, we were separated by a screen (and A LOT of machinery) She was hooked up to a ton of other machines, and really did not look like she was in very good shape...they found a nurse for me who spoke english who helped the poor confused American exchange student understand what was being said to me. I changed into a hospital gown and lay down on the bed. Then once again I was plugged into a machine, which buttons all over my chest. I also had a blood pressure arm thingy on, which checked my blood pressure every 30 minutes, through the entire night. In the other arm, I had a thingy(I really don't know what it was) stuck into my arm where the blood had been extracted, and a clip on my finger connected to the machine as well. I felt like a robot, with all kinds of complicated machinery attached to me. It was around midnight by then, so my host mother had to get home and rest before her work the next day. The nurse gave me some water, I hugged my host mother goodbye, and they left me alone to sleep.
Sleep, I could not. I fell into a short nap, until about 2 when I woke up again. There were hospital sounds all around me, groaning from the other patients, machine sounds, heart beat trackers, etc. I then realized how absolutely horrifying it was there. I started crying, in the hospital room in German beside my roommate who was completely out of consciousness. This was the first time since arriving in Germany that I really wanted nothing else but to be home with my family in the US. I didn't sleep at all for the rest of the night, and every once in a while a nurse would come in and always ask me (in German) how I felt and if I was ok. That was scary, but one of the worst parts was the fact that by then I felt 100% fine, besides my exhaustion.
Finally morning came. They brought me a breakfast, let me put on a new gown and brush my teeth. That was the only time in the night that I was allowed to get up and to move around. I then lay back down and waited. Around 12 my doctor came back in and updated me. He said "Everything is completely fine with you. We are going to test your blood and heart rate one more time and then you can go home." I only had to stay about 15 of the 24 hours. So for the last time, they put MORE stickers on my chest and stomach (I had a total of 15). They then took out my IV's and arm thingys, and gave me my clothes. I changed back into them, and called my host mother to let her know. I still had to wait about 40 minutes for my host father, because I didn't have keys to get into my home. FINALLY I got home and collapsed exhausted into my bed. I had never been so tired and scared. I had a phone conversation with my parents(for the first time since arriving here) and then went to sleep.
The entire night was absolutely horrifying. It was so hard not to freak out, but I just kept thinking about school, and the city, and my friends. I was trying not think deeply because I knew that when I did I got very emotional. At one point I started to think I was being tested, like in V for Vendetta or something when Natalie Portman is locked in a fake jail(keeping in mind I was up for almost 24 hours straight:)). I really can not explain how horrible horrible horrible it was. I felt so stupid because the whole accident was entirely my fault, and I also felt bad for putting my host family and real family through all the trouble.
After a few days, I finally felt normal. I wasn't lightheaded anymore, and the burns on my fingers were healed almost completely.
When I told my host brother what happened right after he laughed and said "This is going to be a cool story in a few weeks!" At the time this comment didn't make me very happy, although I knew he was right. Now, a week after the accident, it is a very interesting story. Its not cool yet, because I am still scared about it all, but soon it will be, maybe?
So yeah, that's the story about my freak accident, two weeks into my exchange. Hopefully that was the low of my trip, and from here things are better. Aside from that night, my exchange is going very well I think. I am almost in a way grateful I experienced that, and was not seriously injured, because it made me stronger. Yes I know that is cliche, but it is true. How many people can say they were electrocuted and stayed in a hospital on a heart monitor in Germany with 2 weeks worth of language skills at the age of 16? Not many! (Mostly because it is really weird, but still). It really made me realize how mature I can be when I need to, how lucky I am to have an incredible host family and rotary organization behind me, and how glad I am that American hospitals let you change with privacy!!!!!!!! :)
