To Talk of Ships...

[Debbi]

Hi All-

So, tomorrow marks 18 months since my surgery!  Although I mostly feel quite "normal" these days, I still do get the occasional surprise.  Case in point, Willie (my decidedly better half) and I decided that we would take a cruise vacation up to New England and Eastern Canada recently.  Mind you, we've taken cruises before and always had a great time.

So, my first indication that this would be a cruise unlike previous ones was as I was walking up the gangway, amidst a big hoard of passengers.  Hm - lots of sensory overload ... noise, motion, etc.  Well, no matter, I just clutched Willie's arm in one hand and the railing in the other and sallied forth like the trooper I am!  And then --- we arrived on the ship (a 3100 passenger behemoth).  HOLY COW.  Not only were there seemingly several thousand people milling about, but every square inch of floor was covered with colorful, busy patterns of carpet and everywhere I looked were lights and shiny objects.  At one point, I though I was standing on my head!  I did the only thing that works in that environment, I stared at my feet!  We made it to "our" deck and started down the verrrry long corridor to our stateroom.  Can I just say that looking down a long, narrow hallway really screws with your equilibrium!  I was so dizzy and disoriented - I had to laugh, because it was just so unexpected.  Pretty soon Willie and I were both giggling as we made our way slowly down the "corridor of doom".

As all of this was going on around me, I'm thinking to myself "Debbi, why the he** didn't you remember this part of cruising???"  

Just to show me that I'm not actually in charge, the weather the first day on the cruise was brutal - 20 foot swells with 70 mph winds.  We were bobbing around like a cork in the rapids.  However, there always seemed to be a railing, chair or passenger within reach so it worked out quite well.  Willie's still got the bruises on his arms to prove it!  Turns out, there is nothing wrong with my grip!  

After a couple of days, my brain got used to all the motion and patterns and I felt perfectly at home.  So the message here is prepare yourself if you decide to go cruising, and definitely don't let a little disequilibrium stop you from going!

I'll leave you with a verse from my favorite poem in Alice in Wonderland

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes -- and ships -- and sealing-wax --
Of cabbages -- and kings --
And why the sea is boiling hot --
And whether pigs have wings."

Debbi

[Kaybo]

Glad you adjusted...I think you left out quite a bit of the story, though...

K 

[lawmama]

Great to know!  We have long planned to take a law school graduation cruise in May of 2011 to celebrate my "last and final" graduation.  I was wondering if that would be possible after this.  I'm glad to hear that cruises are still a possibility post-AN.  I'm also really glad to hear that you had a great time.   Hope you took a lot of pictures.   

Lyn

[saralynn143]

I don't think I ever have to worry about taking a cruise again. Phil and I went on a Caribbean cruise for our honeymoon and he was seasick most of the time. Before we went I had been afraid it would be the other way around, but I never had a problem.

Glad that you survived and have good memories despite the sensory overload. Where are the pics?

Sara

[ppearl214]

we would take a cruise vacation up to New England and Eastern Canada recently.

...and you didn't phone me while you were in the area (in port)?  *cries......*     


Have been on 5 cruises... usually takes me a day or so to get my "sea legs".....  thrilled you had a nice time... and still peeved you didn't come see me!

xoxo to you both!  Welcome home!
Phyl

[Doc]

Debbi,

You just helped me understand why the carpet in my home office and the walk down the narrow hallway to it, causes me to get dizzy and actually fall down; even to this day, 12 weeks post-op.  I recall the Doctor telling me to be careful about sensory overload but didn't pay him much attention.  I experienced the same thing you did in the long narrow hallway walking up and down the jetway a few weekends ago when I flew up north.

Thanks for filling in that blank for me...hope you had fun on the cruise...we're planning our annual cousins party and there is talk of a cruise this time...I've never been on a cruise!?!

  
Doc

blogging: http://www.docbreger.com/TWAT-D/Tumor_Talk/Entries/2009/10/29_Falling_for_the_Carpet.html

[Jim Scott]

Debbi ~

Thanks so much for that colorful description of your cruise experience and the valid warnings, within.  I'm glad to learn you eventually adjusted and that it went well.

Jim

[lori67]

But....where's the part about the killer lobsters?   

Good to know a cruise is possible after AN surgery.  However, with James being in the Navy, I don't think I'll ever convince him to go on a cruise - he's been on enough.  I will see how it goes when I go visit him at work though.  Not exactly 20 foot swells, but there is a little rockin' and rollin' even when they're pierside.   

Lori

[Kiwi Don]

Hi Debbi,

Thanks for the colorful insight into the world of cruising, you must have had a great time.
Have you booked your next cruise yet??

Don

And to Lori, "We" aka Sailors, were at work, never on a cruise, for us it was always hard work, no rest, no fun . I am sure James has told you this

[moe]

Debbi,
Funny story about your cruise. I've never been on one, maybe I won't after all.

Actually my husband and I went on a "poor man's cruise" through the Inner Passage of Alaska years ago. S0- I guess that counts!
It was a little tiny cruise ship with the bare minimum- people would actually "camp out" on the deck, which is what we did for the first night.
We were on standby for a room which was very plain and got one the second night. (Last minute travels....)
It was beautiful trip.
maureen

[leapyrtwins]

Wait, there's more to the story 

Do tell.

Jan

[lori67]

Don't worry, I hear Debbi ate the offending lobster for dinner.     That should teach those crustaceans to mess with her.

Don, I have heard about how you poor sailors have no fun...however, the pictures of James enjoying a huge meal and a glass of good wine in Italy - without me - seem to say otherwise!  Maybe he was just pretending to have fun for the picture?  ha ha...

Lori

[Kaybo]

Jan~
Read Debbi's blog...

K 

[Debbi]

Oh, okay - if you insist ...

Day 1 of the cruise was spent clinging to any non-moving surface in an attempt to stay upright.  The next 4 days (Boston, Bar Harbor, Saint John and Halifax) were great - sunny skies, cool weather, lots of leaves, etc.  Actually, things seemed to be on a distinct uptick until we were due to "cast our lines" and set sail at 6 pm from Halifax.  We kept wondering why the ship wasn't moving, but we contained our curiosity with a glass of wine.  Finally, as darkness descended and still no sailing, the Capitan (very Italian) came on to tell us that a lobster line had become entangled in the propeller of the ship (which is apparently essential to movement).  So, there we sat until divers could free the propeller.  And, wouldn't you know it, that was the night that they had lobster as the featured special in the main restaurant!!   

After the Capitan alerted us to the lobster mishap, he then said that the storm that should have gone by us was instead headed for us - winds were already up to 30 mph and we were still at the berth.  Yes, another night spent rockin' and rollin'. 

Seriously though, the cruise was fun (even the parts where we feared death!) and it was very interesting to see how my brain adjusted to all the sensory input.  Really, by the second day, the patterns, corridors and constant movement weren't bothering my any more.  The brain is an amazing thing!

Ahoy sailors!

Debbi

[Debbi]

And a few pictures:




This one is for Joef

And the dreaded Lobstah Trap


Bon Voyage!