Wednesday was kinda scary in zippy's world . . .

there I was on campus, on the top floor of the E Bldg when I realized my blood sugar was dropping. I tried getting juice from the machine, but it wouldn't take my dollar bill. so I got a Mounds Bar instead (out of the candy bar machine not the juice machine DUH!). now, as blood sugar fixes go, Mounds is usually a good one. Mounds and Almond Joy. That's right; this was an Almond Joy. I think it's the sweet coconut that hooks me right up. Usually.

so I down the Almond Joy, sat there several minutes talking w/ an classmate from last semester, and then got up to go, feeling so much better. Until I actually stood up. At that point I started seeing double.

she: Are you ok?

me: Oh yeah, I just stood up too quickly.

we parted ways and I began to go downstairs... but I was managed only two steps and I had to stop for fear of falling over. I seriously could not see straight.

for me, this is typically a sign of very low blood sugar, but I knew I'd eaten that Almond Joy and it should've kicked in by now. so I waited a few minutes more, stood up again and again with the double vision. so I gnoshed some Lifesavers I had in my purse, waited a few minutes longer and began my trek down the hallway once again.

I made it to the bathroom wall. not even inside the bathroom, just to the exterior wall of the bathroom that I leaned against and closed my eyes and waited... and waited...

and then I took three steps the the stairs and began my descent.

one step at a time. like a child fearful of falling. because I was still losing my vision.

(and I KNOW by now you are thinking to yourself WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST BE STILL?????? low blood sugar, like that, often causes the afflicted to make irrational choices.)

somehow I managed all three flights of stairs to the ground floor hallway. it was between classes, but there weren't many people about. however, I could see several just outside the glass doors on the breeze way, smoking.

I made my way there and to the first person sitting directly in front of me as I exited the building I said:

"CAN YOU HELP ME??"

he and his smoking buddy looked at me quizically, as did everyone else sitting around.

me: NO. REALLY. SERIOUSLY. CAN YOU HELP ME?

a third young man walking by stopped and asked "DO YOU NEED HELP?"

me: YES. I NEED HELP.

At which point I started falling over and all the boys scampered to their feet to give me the bench.

me: I'm a diabetic and my blood sugar is dropping fast. I need juice or Coke or --

girl to the side: I HAVE AN APPLE!

me: It's not quick enough.

me: (to boys again): CAN YOU GET ME SOME JUICE OR A COKE OR --

girl to the side: I HAVE AN APPLE!

me: IT WON'T WORK FAST ENOUGH! I NEED JUICE OR A SODA WITH SUGAR

boy #1: I don't have any money --

me: I HAVE MONEY (I gave him my wallet as his companion stood there with mouth gaping) I NEED JUICE OR A COKE --

boy #1: what do you need?

me: I NEED JUICE ANY KIND OF JUICE OR A REGULAR COKE--

boy #1: Juice or a Coke. Got it.

and he ran up the stairs toward the gedunk shop and disappeared.

me: Now I'm crying. Don't freak out. It's the blood sugar.

boy #2 stood before me, eyes wide, lips parted as I wiped the mascara running down my cheek.

me: I'm sorry.

boy #2: Don't worry. it's ok.

I pulled out my glucometer and with hands shaking so that I had trouble getting the test strip in the meter, checked my blood sugar. After the Almond Joy and the Lifesavers it was 50 and I was a basket case.

boy #1 came running back: I didn't know what you wanted so I got apple and grapefruit juice.

me: PERFECT. Perfect. God bless you. Thank you. (I was still weeping as I downed the apple juice until a spike of freeze struck my temple lobe and I had to stop drinking the cold liquid momentarily to let my brain thaw).

boys #1 & 2: Are you ok?

me: I will be. Yes. Thank you. You saved my life. Thank you so much.

Boy #1 returned my wallet and change (including the 3¢ clearly from the purchase, which I thought was sweet). I looked behind me and the area was cleared of people.

me: there was a girl over there wasn't there?

boy #2: yeah, she left.

me: do you know her?

boy #2: no.

me: If you see her, thank her for me.

boy #2: ok. are you going to be alright?

me: yes. Yes. I'll be ok. Thank you so much.

they went to class, as did everyone else in the area, then the original (third) young man came back and checked on me. then a teacher came out for a smoke and stood w/ me for a bit before hustling to her own class.

then I called mr. zippy and continued to weep. I had to check my blood sugar three more times over the next half hour before he would let me drive myself home. by the time I left the campus, my blood sugar was up to 100 and I was already feeling hungover. I came home and napped with the doggies, both quite happy to snuggle up with me in the afternoon.

I haven't had that sort of episode in years and years. even mr. zippy doesn't remember the last time such a thing happened to me. I'm not even sure what prompted it, but I can tell you this: the reaction of those youngsters, the young man who ran for juice (and returned my wallet in tact), the young man who stood with me (even though he was clearly terrified), the young girl who offered me her apple - twice - and the young man who came back and checked on me... they give me hope for kids today.

Just when you think you've heard enough horror stories about Generation X to condemn them all to hell, a handful of strangers come through to save another one's life.

It's a beautiful thing.