Over the Edge

I don't know what came over me today. I just went on and on and on... and nearly fainted...

For physiology lab today, we did an experiment on the difference of how much oxygen is consumed during resting and exercise. My group and I knew this was a simple experiment as we did something similar to this for our previous units. We passed the ball and I ended up being the subject for the day. All I have to do was breathe into the Spirometer (an equipment that measures the ventilation of the lungs) for 2 minutes when I am at rest, no moving basically and for 5 minutes when I am exercising on the indoor bicycle. Throughout the entire process, I need to clip my nose so that I would not breathe in or out through my nose which would affect the results of the practical. So I did the resting part and breathing in and out into the spirometer by a tube in my mouth was not as simple as it looks. It does limit my breathing in the sense that oxygen is confided in such a smaller space.

After that, I went out doing the exercise part. I was pedaling in a constant pace and breathing harder through the tube. Soon, I found it getting harder for me to breathe. Therefore, I closed my eyes and tried to focus on my breathing by breathing slowly. I don't know why I thought that the exercise would last for just two minutes only, so I pushed myself. I told myself 'it is just only for two minutes, you can do it'. I went on. And on. Slowly, I could feel that my surroundings was getting more and more quiet, until I couldn't hear anything anymore. I could only hear the pounding of my heart, beating so hard in me. Though I was sweating, I felt cold. That was the time, mentally I knew I had to stop as I could feel my body getting so vulnerable, but I couldn't. My legs just kept on cycling and they just wouldn't stop. From there, my friends in my group knew something was wrong and just stopped me. All I remembered was that someone stopped me and told me to lie down but anything that was in between, I am still clueless. I don't remember how they got me off the bicycle..... or did I came down myself.......

I felt much better when I was lying down. When I was lying down, my friends filled me in on what had happened. My friends told me that they called my name a few times when I was on the verge of fainting, but I didn't give any response to them. I was on that indoor bicycle for three minutes! They said my colour of my face just changed, and my hands were extremely cold. Apparently, my brain was deprived of oxygen for a short while, about ten to twenty seconds I think (not too sure though). My friend said that I could have die due to the lack of oxygen. I guessed I scared them for a moment there. However, when I was lying down, I wasn't praying that I was safe nor alive, I was praying that how could I be such an idiot to do something this embarrassing. I should have stopped but I didn't and I have no clue why on earth that I didn't cease myself. I did felt that it was really foolish of me.

I did feel oozy after the lab and had quite a headache during a class that comes after. Still felt tired and weak when I got back to where I stayed. It was only then that reality starts to sink in my mind and I started to pray for my health and that I don't suffer from brain damage. I just laid down on the floor and rested and slept. Feel much better now. Gotta get back to work then... It was definitely an experience that I would never thought that I could have.