West Sussex, UK - It happened here in the yard in the early Sunday afternoon of October, 23rd. I was on my own and had been clearing up and had come into the office prior to going into the house to make a cup of tea. It was about twelve fifteen. As I went to leave the office my immediate field of vision encompassing the doorway I was about to walk through:- the lean-to adjoining the office and shop, the scales (for weighing scrap) five foot in front of me, the corrugated, galvanised iron wall of the lean-to behind the scales and a segment of the yard exposed to my visual left through the wide open entrance of this lean-to suddenly turned, without warning and without any other sensation, completely one hundred and eighty degrees anticlockwise and remained there. The experience was phenomenal. A section of the real, physical world here within my yard, right there in front of me, within my field of vision, lay on its side in perfect, absolute focus but I was fully conscious of being vertical. It was as if I was watching a film in ultra-clear-reality-vision-scape and the camera filming was suddenly and deliberately rotated to the left not swiftly but unerringly. I felt no dizziness, no pain and at that moment no feeling of nausea. I faltered because of this amazing visual event and took a deep breath and then another standing perfectly still looking calmly at the world - such as I could see of it - on its side.

As I stood there I was consciously wondering what was happening. I knew that what I was experiencing was in my head and not anything to do with the real world changing at all. My mind ran swiftly though gh through alternative possibilities such as whether this was happening due to the result of a surprise nuclear attack or maybe it was an apocalyptic judgment from God who was now going to strike me down! I gave neither of these instantaneous thoughts any credence. There was undoubtedly something happening to me. I waited motionless to see what was coming next hoping for normality but ready for more of the same. At the same time I carefully and deliberately felt for my mobile phone in my pocket and practised manipulating my hand and fingers to test as to whether my fingers were working ok to press the numbers. They were. If necessary I could phone 999 or someone.

Then - averting my eyes from my phone and looking forwards again - without any volition on my part, the view in front of me rotated to the right, clockwise and returned back to normal. Then in a strange, sinister way it continued the other way -upwards, to the left, nearly one hundred and eighty degrees and then seemed to virtually stop at the angle which if it was a clock it would be telling the time of five minutes to eleven and then, shockingly it - my whole field of vision - slowly went totally upside down and then I allowed myself a miserable acknowledging groan and as it went right the way over. My vision 'looped the loop' in front of me.

I knew then what was happening was serious and beyond my control. No amount of deep breaths were going to clear this up in a hurry. I had to lie down immediately - just where I was before I lost consciousness or generally keeled over and collapsed. If I fell I might hit my head on the scales and crack my skull and the small plate I have in my lower jaw might fly out and get lost. I thought of the embarrassment I'd feel about that if I was found helpless and gap-toothed. I did not want to wet myself either which might happen if I fell. Strangely enough I did not consider crapping myself. I remembered that a customer had phoned up the day before and was possibly coming to look at a door I had. He said he'd be there between twelve thirty and one. Perhaps, I thought, I might be able in a minute to hobble or even crawl to the gate, close it and escape to bed and take stock of this awful thing.

I felt hot, very hot and sweaty. I managed to lie down on the concrete and I remember thinking how cool it felt on my face. I lay on the ground with my back to the entrance. Then I felt so sick. I knew I was going to vomit. Bunty the black Labrador came up to me and nuzzled me and then I was sick. Rex, my border terrier came up too. I groaned at them to go away as they sniffed the vomited porridge I'd eaten earlier and lapped at it.

I placed my work gloves under my head and lay there. I didn't want to at this stage call 999 because I didn't want to be hauled off in an ambulance and then immediately get better and be stuck in hospital. I also had some doubts as to whether an ambulance would even come given some of the awful stories in the press and once I acknowledged that I needed an ambulance I would be waiting for it and if it didn't turn up….! About six minutes later I lifted my head to see if I was better but it was just as bad if not worse. About ten minutes later I heard footsteps come into the yard and then laughter. Although my back was to them I could hear the voices of a man and a woman chuckling. They obviously thought I was drunk.

"Are you ok?" the woman's voice asked.
"Um I'm ok thank you. Just had a dizzy turn and am lying here because the concrete is cool. I'll feel better in a sec."
"Do you want us to call an ambulance?"
"No of course not. Honestly, my friend is arriving in a minute," I lied, "and I'll soon be as right as rain. I'm just sorry that I can't give you my attention now".
"Oh that's ok. We just wanted to look around anyway. Do you want us to wait until your friend comes?"
"No I'll be fine, honest. Pop back next weekend perhaps when I'm better."
"Ok then, see you. Good luck", and off they went. I sighed and smiled to myself at the absurdity of it all.

Five minutes later another couple came in and the same question was asked. There was no laughter this time.

"I'm calling an ambulance", the woman said and she did. After a time taken to digest this information I spoke.
"What did you come in for?" I asked them as I lay there. The woman had covered the vomit in front of me with the rag I use for wiping off scumble glaze from our painted furniture and which also had considerable amounts of Briwax on it. I could smell porridgy vomit, toluene and scumble!
"We were looking for a log basket actually. Are you ok? Are you cold?"
I said I wasn't and there were some log baskets over there and I indicated and I said I was still hot and the concrete was cooling and thank you for your concern. She said they would take a look while they were waiting until the ambulance arrived or someone came to take care of me. Sweet lady I remember thinking.

Paramedics then arrived. Heavy and fast footed. I felt there immediacy. I was still in the same position I had been -turned away from the lean-to entrance.

"Well now what's up Pete?" one of them asked, bending closely over me. I wondered how he knew my name, "It's me David - my girlfriend used to keep her horse in your field, Viccy, d'yer remember?" He bent over and felt my pulse.
"Ah yes, of course David," I managed to say, suddenly feeling a bit cold, "how are you?"
"Oh I'm fine Pete, but what about you? How do you feel? What happened" He spoke gently and kindly but with authority.

The other paramedic was talking to the couple and I could hear them saying in low tones how they had found me and how there seemed to be no-one else about. David quizzed me on what had happened to me and I explained to him what I have written here. They then conversed together and the words 'inner-ear damag' were put forward by David as the probable cause of my condition. David told me an ambulance was coming from Worthing and would be here in about fifteen minutes. I then went icy cold and started shivering violently.

"Shock", I heard them whisper and they went into the office and came out with various rags and blankets and covered me with them. Time seemed to phase out at that stage and I must have drifted off to sleep but was awoken by the sound of the ambulance siren. There was considerable conversation when the ambulancemen arrived and I could ascertain that there were two paramedics, the couple for the log basket and the two new arrivals. I thought about stupid jokes like how many Irishmen does it take to change a light bulb and vaguely related it to my situation.
I was asked again by the chaps in the ambulance what had happened and I related the story for a second time. One said it was probably my inner ear and that though it felt dreadful it was not that serious. I retched violently and with disgusting volume and tone! They were very sweet, kind and felicitous to me despite this.

"We're going to put you on a stretcher now Pete", one said, "are you able to move yourself at all?" I said I was terribly sorry to be so pathetically helpless but I was actually quite incapable of any movement at all. They told me not to worry and got me with a little effort onto the stretcher and then covered me with clean blankets.

"How is he?" the log basket lady asked coming back into my field of hearing.
"I'm ok and doing fine!" I called out from the stretcher before anyone else could say anything, "did you find a log basket that you liked?" There was a general titter of laughter and some remarks about 'even trying to do a deal on a stretcher' but I couldn't raise my head such was the dreadful nausea and my vision - if I did - was still tilting just as it had before. I wondered if it was just my eyesight.

"Yes, there's one with a back attached to it, but don't you worry now we can come back when you're better."
"My dear lady", I said, "let's do a deal now while I can. You can have that basket for £75. It's all cast iron and in excellent condition. Just needs a few logs and it's off and running. It's a special offer to you on this peculiar special day!" I was I suppose trying to be jolly to stop myself worrying about the possible outcome to all this rather than desperate fo seventy five quid!

"Right, Pete! It's time to get off now" said ambulance man No 1, "you ready?"
I assured them I was and for the first time in my life I was lifted up on a stretcher and carried off to an ambulance.

The lady and her husband had left without buying the log basket and I felt a twinge of disappointment. I sometimes make these silly bets with myself which come into my head involuntarily like if I'm walking along the pavement I have to pass the next lamp-post before the next oncoming car does otherwise something will happen to me. It's ridiculous and I don't really mean it but I can't quite stop doing it. I'd half made a bet with myself that if the couple bought the log basket everything would be ok. In hospital the next day I was informed that I had had a stroke, not a minor one but a decent sized one.

Yapton Metal Co

Story Type:  Columnist

ID: 63372

Date Modified: December 01, 2011, 08:31 PM