Gorm

Because I am a berk who scans the information handed to me by the preschool and then immediately forgets everything contained therein, I didn't realise today was an inset day, i.e. Harry is off school.

Luckily, I have recently befriended one of the other mums who texted me this a.m. (literally minutes before we were due to set off) to let me know. (Thanks, Jo!)

I have tons of work to do and very little time in which to do it, so I'll be awol for yet another day.

In the meantime, you can read my Strictly review here, my Dancing With the Stars review here and watch this and tell me if you think she faked it:

Comments

[jill mansell]

It's been a while since I worked in the neurological hospital where we used to investigate episodes of loss of consciousness, but this doesn't look or sound like a faint to me - more like a drop attack. I really don't think she faked it, though.

[Keris]

That's interesting, Jill - I've never heard of a drop attack. What is it?

She said this sometimes happens when she gets out of breath.

I didn't think she faked it because she went down like a sack of spuds, but some of the comments I've read thought it was suspicious that her legs moved after she'd hit the ground.

[jill mansell]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_attack
this explains it better than I could - although they do occur in all ages, not just older patients. Not saying I'm right, of course, but she was hyperventilating which would alter her metabolic status. Legs can move after falling. A faint will usually wipe someone out for hours afterwards, whereas it sounds as if she recovered rapidly and was able to dance again. Anyhow, that's my diagnosis - that'll be three hundred and fifty pounds, please!

[Bob]

Hi...

I don't think she faked it. It's hard to tell in some of the videos (like this one), because they really don't show her fall. But... if I remember my medical days correctly... a person that acually faints will fall forward (not back like they do in the movies). When you faint (or black out), your knees give way and gravity does the rest. You don't control your fall.

I think Jill is right as well... her breathing and other symptoms indicate some other problems. (I don't know if you folks heard this news, but there were wildfires throughout southern California last week, and I've heard it suggested that the air quality was horrible in the studio.)

Anyway... for what it's worth...

[Keris]

Thanks Jill and Bob.

Incidentally, Jill, she didn't dance again. Later they said she was with the medic and she wasn't seen again until she was standing there waving right at the end.

[Keris]

Oh and Bob - the wildfires were on the front page of all our papers. We're not quite as insular as the US ;)