B737-800
Physiological - Other
Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
Since our flight was delayed; we quickly went to our next flight to board and get it on the way. Upon arrival to the gate; the gate agent asked if our Special could board with us; I told her she could follow me down and asked her to wait in the jet bridge while we did out safety checks. As I started; catering opened the fwd service door but there was a very strong odor that was in the plane. I noticed it quite immediately and had been talking with Flight Attendant 3 the day before about a fume event she had experienced. I asked her if she was recognizing the odor and smelling it too. She said it definitely did not smell right in the cabin. We asked the pilot if he could smell something and he said he could so he sent the First Officer outside to do a walk around and see if he smelled anything. The First Officer said he did not smell anything outside. I asked the passenger if she smelled anything and she said yes; and that it's not a typical plane smell. I told her to move away from the area and make her way up the jet bridge just to remove her from the area. The Flight Attendant 4 and Flight Attendant 2 also said they were smelling something very foul. The Flight Attendant 4 complained about her eyes and throat burning. I knew I was sensitive to chemicals so I placed my mask on that I carry to help try and minimize effects. As the pilots is trying to retract his previous statement and saying there's not a smell; I'm also making my way up the jet bridge. (After talking with my Flight Attendant 3 and the passenger to verify the odor and reactions; I eventually made it to the top of the jet bridge with the passenger and probably 12 minutes after; we exited the jet bridge area and returned to the terminal.) I eventually tell the passenger that she and I are going to exit the jet bridge since I was to escape the smells and fumes. I am standing in the terminal when I start feeling dizzy. I'm having lots of people ask me questions and what I'm going to do but I can't give an answer. I squat down but everything is kind of overwhelming and I felt like I needed some air. I see a corner where an air vent is so I move to squat there. The air is better but as I try to stand up to try and determine if I am getting better and can move forward; the dizziness gets worse so I squat again. The gate agent is telling me I need to make a decision on if I'm going to go or if she has to rebook the passenger not even asking me how I'm feeling or doing. She says they called paramedics and customer service manager but it takes what seems like 40 minutes for them to get there. In the meantime; I ask my Flight Attendant 3 if she will get me oxygen. My thought processes are definitely slowed at this point and my words are not coming out of my mouth effectively. I could barely talk with my eyes open and had to focus very much. I was to the point where I could not squat and had to sit on the floor from the dizziness spells. They were coming and going but I didn't trust myself to walk or stand. The firemen eventually arrive and then the paramedics to check me. The paramedics check my pulse; blood pressure and blood sugar. 84; 140/90; 64. They give me a glucose gel to eat to help with the somewhat low blood sugar. I'm still uncertain what I need to do but I am also having some hyperventilating episodes in between. There's so many people asking me things that need to happen right away and I don't know how to answer or respond. I call a number the customer service manager gives me and talk to the medical guys but then ultimately decide to go to the hospital in the ambulance to get checked out by the doctors since that's the recommendation on these sort of events. My Flight Attendant 3 joins me during this process. I arrive at the hospital and they do a few tests on me. They give me medicine to help with the vertigo and send me off with a prescription. It's the afternoon after and I still have a touch of vertigo and definitely fatigue. I'm also experiencing quitea bit of anxiety. I had to push through my shortness of breath; mental haze; anxiety and tears to even board the flight to just get me home where I can start to decompress from the events.
B737-800 Flight Attendant reported notifying Captain of a strong undefined odor at the start of preflight. Maintenance was requested; flight was delayed; and flight attendants received medical treatment.