A word of advice...

Never, EVER go to a doctor's appointment without eating or drinking anything beforehand (unless they specifically tell you to).
This morning I had my physical at 9:00 AM. We were a bit rushed heading out the door and I didn't have time to eat anything; as for drink, I simply wasn't thirsty so I didn't think about it.
Everything went well, and then I had to get a shot. I'm not one to get squeamish when I get shots, and this one went quick, because my attention was otherwise engaged. The nurse left, I changed into my regular clothes, and my mom and I prepared to leave. Before we left, however, she had to make an appointment for herself.
I grabbed the paper explaining the shot I had just been given.

• Anyone who has ever had a severe (life-threatening) allergic reaction to a previous dose... etc.etc.
• Anyone who has a severe (life-threatening) allergy to any vaccine... etc.etc.
• Anyone who is moderately or severely ill at the time the shot is scheduled should probably wait... etc.etc.

Suddenly the left side of my body started feeling all tingly and weird. My head felt fuzzy, like I had gotten up too fast. My vision started blurring. I touched my mom's sleeve.
"Mom," I said, "I don't feel so well..." (In my mind, I said, "Mom, I feel faint." Go figure.)
The next thing I knew, I was waking up with about ten people swarmed around me.
"Did she have a seizure?"
"No, she just fell."
"I heard a noise like a chair falling!"
"Get her feet up."
"Put this behind her head."
"Mom," I gurgled. This time, I had wanted to add, "I'm all right." But what if I wasn't all right? What if I had had a seizure? What if I needed to go to the hospital? I sent up a quick prayer and didn't open my eyes up.
"I'm here!" Mom replied.
I blinked my eyes a bit.
"Let's get her up," someone said.
"Here are some cold clothes for her head."
"Abbey, do you think you can get up?" someone else asked.
I tried to get up.
"Slowly, slowly!" the nurses cautioned, and helped me to my feet and into a chair.
"Has she eaten yet today?" someone asked.
"No," said my mom.
"Has she drank anything?"
"No."
A chorus of "Ooohh's" from all assembled.
"Next time, you need to eat something before getting a shot," my nurse said.
"Get her some crackers and something to drink!"
Soon I had some soda crackers in my mouth and some apple juice on my knee. The cold cloth from my forehead were soaking into my other knee.
"Let's move her into the room she had her physical in."
"Can you walk?"
"Yeah, I'm feeling better," I said.
"Okay, get up slowly. Walk slowly... slowly."
We got into the room and another nurse came to take my blood pressure and pulse. After consuming several more crackers and the rest of the juice, and sitting for probably half an hour, I was okayed to go home - slow-ly.
Evidently, after I touched my mom's sleeve, I fell backwards, landed on my bum, and crumpled sideways. She tried to catch me, but I was too heavy, and just out of reach. My mom thinks I had a mini-seizure, because evidently my eyes rolled way back in my head (which happens when you faint, so we learned) and my head shook a bit. No one else saw it, and the paper on the vaccine says, "Side effects may include fainting spells and seizure-like movements."
So, all in all, an exciting morning! I thank the Lord that I'm no worse for the wear - I just have a sore bottom.
Moral of the story: Eat and drink before you get shots!!!
(At least I have nice story fodder, eh?)
Live long and prosper!