Fever Dreams and Crazy Things

Greetings, ATS!

Have you ever had a very high fever? If you have, then you've probably experienced that surreal feeling of hallucination while feverish. Sometimes fever dreams can be scary....but other times they are simply downright comical.

I thought I'd share one of my funnier surreal moments in life.

This happened about ten years ago. I had a minor surgical procedure in the hospital; it was supposed to be one of those day surgeries where you leave a couple hours later. Unfortunatly, I developed a nasty fever and was admitted to the hospital.

For three days they tried to figure out what was causing my fever (105.0F). Eventually they decided it was a reaction to the antibiotic they were giving me...they stopped the drug and a few hours later I was well enough to go home.

Anyway, while I was sick my fever spiked a couple of times. The highest spike, though, is the event I want to tell you about.

The nurse would come check my temp every couple of hours. I don't know what my temp was when she checked it this time, but it must have been quite high. My Mom, who was with me, started crying. The room filled up with five or six other nurses, who stripped me to my underwear, put me on a cooling blanket (not fun) and started pouring ice water on me.

This was very surreal, of course. All kind of dream like. Still, I wasn't worried..just kinda observing things from that distant place. Then in rushes a large African-American nurse I'd never seen before. She grabs a chair and plops down next to me, picks up my hand, and starts telling me things like, "Don't you worry, honey.....you're going to be just fine. We're not going to let you die, don't you worry."

Well. I hadn't been worried about dying before, but I guessed it was a good time to start.

I knew I should be worried, that this was major stuff happening. Then I realized I WAS worried. Deeply worried. And once that thought got in my head, I could not stop thinking about it. Finally, I decided I just had to address the issue.

So I very seriously told the nurse to please make sure they put me in the Ziplock bags, because I didn't want to get freezer burn.

It got very silent, everyone was looking at me, kinda open mouthed. That's when the door opened and in walked my pastor, there to visit me. And me half naked, covered in ice water, and worried about freezer burn.

my mother confirms I did, in fact, remember these events correctly and that I did ask to be put in Ziplock bags. She added that after my fever dropped, the nurses were telling everyone about my comment and having quite a chuckle.

So...your turn, ATS! Ever had a fever dream?

reply to post by smyleegrl


I actually have a recurring fever dream.......

I am on a conveyor belt and it is going into a furnace with molten steel about to pour down over me and the belt......

I had it as a child whenever I had a high temperature, and to this day, whenever I have a high fever, I have the same dream.......

Funny thing is, I feel the heat, I am scared out of my mind that I am going to be melted by the molten metal, but I always seem to wake up before I am melted and when I wake up,,,,, my fever has broken!

Weird??? I would say.....

One time I was really sick with a flu and stayed home from school. I was channel surfing a bit trying to fall asleep. I must have conked out with Nick Jr. on the TV (okay, fine! I was watching Nick Jr It was either that or soap operas.) I learned about this new show called Dora the Explorer in the most horrying way.

I don’t remember much of the dream imagery, but I remember it incorporated a song from the show. For what seemed like hours this ice pick was invading my brain!

“I’m the map! I’m the map! I’m the map!...I’m the map!”


It didn’t seem like there were any other lyics. And the nature of the fever/flu made it seem like the song just never stopped. I remember thinking about it while probably half awake/ half asleep,

“Okay, what else? I know that you’re the map!”

******

On a more serious note. Back when I was fighting cancer, I had a very bad reaction to my first high-dose chemotherapy treatment. I kid you not, I clocked in with a temperature of 106.+ F. This internal temperature is practically lethal.

I remember them packing ice all around me. In my armpits, in my groin area etc…trying to reduce the fever.

At one point I couldn’t see or feel anything—just all of a sudden—everything went dark and I couldn’t feel the fever.

Instead, I felt like I was slowing drifting upward. I don’t know why, but I had this sensation that I was near the ceiling of the hospital room. I felt a tremendous tranquility and feeling of weightlessness. I then felt like 2 pairs of arms came up from underneath me. They were carrying me, walking with me in their arms.

I don’t remember much else, but I woke up later when the fever was stabilized. I asked all the nurses involved if they had to pick me up and move me at any point. I told them I felt like I was being carried off somewhere. They all said nothing of the sort happened.

Just a fever dream? Or perhaps something more? I wish I knew!

“I’m the map! I’m the map! I’m the map!...I’m the map!”

reply to post by NarcolepticBuddha


My son watched Dora, I'm familiar with the song. Very annoying, and you have my deepest sympathies for enduring that during a fever.

About your second experience....do you think you might have actually died for a second or two? I had a detached feeling when they were giving me the ice bath, but never felt like I was floating or looking down at myself. Tat sounds more like an OOB experience to me.

Crazy stuff, but I'm very glad you defied the odds and beat your cancer. It's good to have you here, my friend.

reply to post by smyleegrl


When I was young, and had my first bout of pneumonia, I was bedridden for about two weeks.

I don't really remember much aside from the humidifier constantly running, a whole lot of Vicks VapoRub, and vivid dreams of floating/swimming in a large body of water with no land in sight.

Every dream, the entire time - just floating or swimming.