arieljasmine
<font color=magenta>Who says these things pass you
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2004
- Messages
- 6,098
Day Three - 2 September 2010
You know it isn't the best start to the day when you wake up at 6 am and can't move. I told you I lived to regret throwing Eric up and down in the airport and this was now my reward. Eric had been in our bed since 4 am and announced "up" and "trucks" at 6 am. Andy and Eric got up and made themselves some toast and then rang reception to find out where I could see a doctor. They sent us to Dr P Phillips hospital and we arrived there at 7.20 am after a very painful journey.
I know things in the US are different to UK, but I was still surprised that we all had to go through a metal detector before we were permitted into the hospital. The worst part for me was that I had to hold my arms out to be wanded, no mean feat when I could barely raise them from my sides. Did make me wonder what you would have to do if you walked in with your arm hanging off.
I didn't wait very long to see the triage nurse but it did worry me that she put a wristband on me, I thought they were going to try to keep me there! I then had to sit in a room on my on wearing a hospital gown whilst I was visited by various doctors, nurses and admin staff. I did manage to laugh though when one of the nurses came in and asked me why I wasn't sitting on the bed and I replied that I didn't think I could. She told me that the sheets were clean so I didn't have to worry about germs! Why she should think that instead of considering the pain I was in is anybody's guess.
After I had my neck, shoulders and arms prodded many times I was eventually given an anti-sickness drug (which my GP later told me is only used in the UK to treat cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy), a painkilling injection in my butt and some steroid tablets. I sat feeling very woozy for a while from the morphine plus no breakfast and then got given some prescriptions for steroids, muscle relaxants and painkillers before being ushered into the office to pay the $1000 bill! The accounts guy actually said I was lucky that I didn't have to have x-rays because "that would have made it really expensive"! I dread to think what his definition of expensive is.
Drove to CVS to collect my prescriptions as the hospital pharmacy wasn't yet open and then went back to the villa so I could have some breakfast and we could get changed. Eric had some cheese shaped like Mickey's head too!
Drove next to Walmart to buy a new American mobile as the one we had in February had been deactivated, and then finally we got to our originally planned destination of Islands of Adventure. We paid the $20 to park in the premium parking lot so that I wouldn't have as far to walk but it was still bloody miles to the park.
We got to IOA about 11 am and waited in a long queue to exchange our e tickets. Eric fell asleep whilst we were waiting. I suddenly realised I had left all my pills in the car so Andy had to walk all the way back for them. I felt really bad about that. Whilst I was waiting I rang my mum from the new phone for a virtual hug.
When we finally finally got into the park we made a beeline for Hogsmeade and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I had been so excited to see it for so long. Would have been nice to feel better but at least I was still tripping from the pain killing injection at this point! The theming is absolutely beautiful and you really do feel transported into another world.
Eric woke up so we went for lunch in the Three Broomsticks about 12.45 pm. We were amazed by the level of organisation in the restaurant, especially as it is a counter service, but there were still staff on hand directing you to a free table. I was also amazed that we were able to get a table, particularly at peak lunch time.
The food was really lovely. Eric had mac and cheese with grapes and me and Andy shared the shepherds pie with salad and ranch dressing followed by a chocolate strawberry gateaux mousse. Andy had pumpkin juice which he liked but I wasn't overly keen on and I had butterbeer which was a-mazing.
Of course, being the clumsy idiot I am, I had to go and throw my butterbeer all over myself. The very lovely staff brought me another one though and helped me clean up. I managed to well and truely soak myself so much so that I had to wear no underwear for the rest of the day (yes, TMI, thank you, Laur's).
After lunch, soggy but full, we had a look around the shops. The window displays are lovely but there isn't a great deal of choice and the shops are very cramped. Zonkos joke shop had lots of the same products displayed over and over again, and Honeydukes was much the same and we couldn't believe how expensive the chocolate and sweets were. We finished up in Dervish and Banges where we bought our friend Kari a time turner keychain. Sad I know, but I was really disappointed that there wasn't anything I wanted to buy for myself.
We went to Suess Landing next and Eric and Andy rode the Suess Trolley, Eric was just tall enough. I was terrified the one time I went on it so I had a look round the shops instead and bought myself a Thing 1 insulated mug. Coffee junkie that I am these days I was missing mine for big coffees that stay warm for ages after you forget you made them!
Eric played in the If I ran the Zoo play area and I took on the role of official photographer so that I didn't get knocked around by the other kids. Eric had a ball in here.
Eric and Andy had another ride on the Suess train - Eric loved it so much I think he would have gone round on it all day. I went to Circus McGurkus to wait in the crazy long queue for drinks and rainbow dippin dots.
After our snack we went to the Betty Boop shop so that I could get a new hairbrush to replace the one I bought a few years ago and had started losing all its bristles.
Andy took Eric to see "Rex" in the Dino Center and I had a sit down and very nearly fell asleep. The painkillers had worn off and I was feeling a bit rubbish.
We took Eric for another look at the Hogwarts Express, or "steamie" as he calls it and Eric was also fascinated by watching Dragon Challenge. Andy thinks Eric is going to be a coaster junkie like his daddy, he was captivated by the Hulk too.
Eric and Andy had yet another ride on the Suess trolley and then we left the park about 6.10 pm. We stopped at KFC for tea on the way back to the villa. I had my usual mash bowl with chicken, cheese, sweetcorn and gravy and Andy had a box with chicken thigh, breast, popcorn chicken, slaw and gravy and Eric shared with us.
We called in at Walgreens on the way home for some jelly belly sodas and a bottle of mocha frappachino for me as I was off the alcohol for a week until I finished all the pills.
We got back to the villa about 7.30 pm. I was so exhausted, I guess from the pain and the pills and went for a lie down whilst Andy gave Eric a bath. I didn't wake up again until midnight! I had to leap up in a panic as I had to take some of the steroid pills but I went straight back to sleep again afterwards.
Andy kindly did my notes for my this day as I wasn't up to bending over a notebook anyway, and I am reliably informed by them that he and Eric watched the Thomas DVD for a while and then Eric was asleep by 9.15 pm. Andy had a beer, emptied the tumble drier and put the dishwasher on before going to bed!
Laur's xx
You know it isn't the best start to the day when you wake up at 6 am and can't move. I told you I lived to regret throwing Eric up and down in the airport and this was now my reward. Eric had been in our bed since 4 am and announced "up" and "trucks" at 6 am. Andy and Eric got up and made themselves some toast and then rang reception to find out where I could see a doctor. They sent us to Dr P Phillips hospital and we arrived there at 7.20 am after a very painful journey.
I know things in the US are different to UK, but I was still surprised that we all had to go through a metal detector before we were permitted into the hospital. The worst part for me was that I had to hold my arms out to be wanded, no mean feat when I could barely raise them from my sides. Did make me wonder what you would have to do if you walked in with your arm hanging off.
I didn't wait very long to see the triage nurse but it did worry me that she put a wristband on me, I thought they were going to try to keep me there! I then had to sit in a room on my on wearing a hospital gown whilst I was visited by various doctors, nurses and admin staff. I did manage to laugh though when one of the nurses came in and asked me why I wasn't sitting on the bed and I replied that I didn't think I could. She told me that the sheets were clean so I didn't have to worry about germs! Why she should think that instead of considering the pain I was in is anybody's guess.
After I had my neck, shoulders and arms prodded many times I was eventually given an anti-sickness drug (which my GP later told me is only used in the UK to treat cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy), a painkilling injection in my butt and some steroid tablets. I sat feeling very woozy for a while from the morphine plus no breakfast and then got given some prescriptions for steroids, muscle relaxants and painkillers before being ushered into the office to pay the $1000 bill! The accounts guy actually said I was lucky that I didn't have to have x-rays because "that would have made it really expensive"! I dread to think what his definition of expensive is.
Drove to CVS to collect my prescriptions as the hospital pharmacy wasn't yet open and then went back to the villa so I could have some breakfast and we could get changed. Eric had some cheese shaped like Mickey's head too!
Drove next to Walmart to buy a new American mobile as the one we had in February had been deactivated, and then finally we got to our originally planned destination of Islands of Adventure. We paid the $20 to park in the premium parking lot so that I wouldn't have as far to walk but it was still bloody miles to the park.
We got to IOA about 11 am and waited in a long queue to exchange our e tickets. Eric fell asleep whilst we were waiting. I suddenly realised I had left all my pills in the car so Andy had to walk all the way back for them. I felt really bad about that. Whilst I was waiting I rang my mum from the new phone for a virtual hug.
When we finally finally got into the park we made a beeline for Hogsmeade and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I had been so excited to see it for so long. Would have been nice to feel better but at least I was still tripping from the pain killing injection at this point! The theming is absolutely beautiful and you really do feel transported into another world.
Eric woke up so we went for lunch in the Three Broomsticks about 12.45 pm. We were amazed by the level of organisation in the restaurant, especially as it is a counter service, but there were still staff on hand directing you to a free table. I was also amazed that we were able to get a table, particularly at peak lunch time.
The food was really lovely. Eric had mac and cheese with grapes and me and Andy shared the shepherds pie with salad and ranch dressing followed by a chocolate strawberry gateaux mousse. Andy had pumpkin juice which he liked but I wasn't overly keen on and I had butterbeer which was a-mazing.
Of course, being the clumsy idiot I am, I had to go and throw my butterbeer all over myself. The very lovely staff brought me another one though and helped me clean up. I managed to well and truely soak myself so much so that I had to wear no underwear for the rest of the day (yes, TMI, thank you, Laur's).
After lunch, soggy but full, we had a look around the shops. The window displays are lovely but there isn't a great deal of choice and the shops are very cramped. Zonkos joke shop had lots of the same products displayed over and over again, and Honeydukes was much the same and we couldn't believe how expensive the chocolate and sweets were. We finished up in Dervish and Banges where we bought our friend Kari a time turner keychain. Sad I know, but I was really disappointed that there wasn't anything I wanted to buy for myself.
We went to Suess Landing next and Eric and Andy rode the Suess Trolley, Eric was just tall enough. I was terrified the one time I went on it so I had a look round the shops instead and bought myself a Thing 1 insulated mug. Coffee junkie that I am these days I was missing mine for big coffees that stay warm for ages after you forget you made them!
Eric played in the If I ran the Zoo play area and I took on the role of official photographer so that I didn't get knocked around by the other kids. Eric had a ball in here.
Eric and Andy had another ride on the Suess train - Eric loved it so much I think he would have gone round on it all day. I went to Circus McGurkus to wait in the crazy long queue for drinks and rainbow dippin dots.
After our snack we went to the Betty Boop shop so that I could get a new hairbrush to replace the one I bought a few years ago and had started losing all its bristles.
Andy took Eric to see "Rex" in the Dino Center and I had a sit down and very nearly fell asleep. The painkillers had worn off and I was feeling a bit rubbish.
We took Eric for another look at the Hogwarts Express, or "steamie" as he calls it and Eric was also fascinated by watching Dragon Challenge. Andy thinks Eric is going to be a coaster junkie like his daddy, he was captivated by the Hulk too.
Eric and Andy had yet another ride on the Suess trolley and then we left the park about 6.10 pm. We stopped at KFC for tea on the way back to the villa. I had my usual mash bowl with chicken, cheese, sweetcorn and gravy and Andy had a box with chicken thigh, breast, popcorn chicken, slaw and gravy and Eric shared with us.
We called in at Walgreens on the way home for some jelly belly sodas and a bottle of mocha frappachino for me as I was off the alcohol for a week until I finished all the pills.
We got back to the villa about 7.30 pm. I was so exhausted, I guess from the pain and the pills and went for a lie down whilst Andy gave Eric a bath. I didn't wake up again until midnight! I had to leap up in a panic as I had to take some of the steroid pills but I went straight back to sleep again afterwards.
Andy kindly did my notes for my this day as I wasn't up to bending over a notebook anyway, and I am reliably informed by them that he and Eric watched the Thomas DVD for a while and then Eric was asleep by 9.15 pm. Andy had a beer, emptied the tumble drier and put the dishwasher on before going to bed!
Laur's xx
