It was 2020 and my husband, Mike, and I were on a work trip in the countryside.
The first night away Mike felt amorous and decided he may just deserve a little romp in the sheets. I happily consented but during intercourse I experienced an intense pain which started at the back of my neck and crept up the back of my head. It only lasted about a minute or two, but it was excruciatingly painful and something I’d never experienced before.
Afterwards, I lay in the dark drifting into a fuzziness...... waiting for sleep to take over.
The next thing I remember is sitting on the bed, feeling confused and trying to work out where I was. It felt like I was in a dream and my brain wouldn’t work properly. I had absolutely no recollection of anything I’d done that day at all. I knew who Mike was, I knew who I was but I didn’t know much else.
According to my husband I asked the same questions over and over, at least 20 times; Where are we? How did we get here?
I don’t recall doing that. I have a vague memory of opening the motel door and feeling cool air on my face, I think I was trying to get a visual of arriving at this place ... wherever it was. Nothing felt familiar. It was very confusing and disconcerting.
Poor Mike, confused and worried, called an ambulance as he was concerned that I was having a stroke. I don’t remember him doing this.
I know the paramedics were there but I only have a vague image of this. I don’t remember going to the hospital or the trip in the ambulance.
Looking back I wonder if they had a chuckle at the oldies having sex in a motel and getting confused. They probably thought we were having an affair.
My next memory is of being in a hospital bed talking to a doctor. It was about eight in the morning. My blood pressure was still high and only reducing slowly. It was still 185/100. I’d never had high blood pressure before.
I was feeling relieved as the doctor confirmed I wasn’t having a stroke or a heart attack but then I was told I’d had a Transient Global Amnesia episode. I’d never heard of such a thing. It was supposedly temporary.
My concern eased as I began to slowly remember where I was and all my previous day’s activities. I was still having difficulty remembering the night before and everything since.
There were no facilities for scans where we were staying so it was quite a few weeks till I had a brain MRI and an ultrasound on my neck. It came back all clear as it was too long after the episode to show the physical signs of it on my brain.
Vivienne and Mike Source: Supplied
I’ve been able to to remember some very minor details of what happened during the episode - the door, the confusing thoughts etc. Since it happened, I often can’t recall a simple word I feel I should know. I feel more tired and have had mild temple headaches and some memory glitches.
I was told I probably won’t have any more episodes as it’s rare to have more than one but many people have had multiple episodes.
I try to see the lighter side of this strange phenomenon .... and I won’t let it stop me doing things or driving on country trips, even alone.
I did ask my doctor what would have happened had I been on my own .... he said, “it probably wouldn’t have happened if you were alone as sex is often the trigger”. He also warned me not to swim in really cold water, as that’s also a trigger.
My husband continues to joke about the night he gave me mind blowing sex. I continue to tell him it was so good I can’t remember it! We laugh about it now.
I am very mindful now of keeping my stress levels down, staying hydrated as well as breathing properly. But giving up sex isn’t on the agenda. I’ll take my chances on that one.
