[dwashbur]

We went on vacation to Catalina for a couple of weeks. It's one of our favorite places and we had a great time. But getting there was not half the fun.
The day we flew down, southern California had just experienced their fifth major storm in about a week. When we got to the Catalina Ferry, the captain warned us that the trip was going to be horrible. They had talked about canceling it because the sea was so rough and Kathy had already started looking for a motel to stay at nearby. They decided to go, but the staff came around handing out plastic bags before we even got started. I wasn't concerned, I've never gotten sick on a boat. When we got out of Long Beach Harbor and into the Santa Barbara channel, the boat started moving every which way. I was laughing because it felt like a roller coaster. But suddenly I wasn't laughing, I was asking for one of those bags. I wound up using six of them.
The trip took an hour and I couldn't stop heaving the whole time, even after there was nothing left in my stomach. I could feel myself going into shock. Kathy had already asked the staff to have EMS standing by at the dock for me because she had never seen me so sick. When we finally docked, the paramedics helped me off the boat and onto a gurney. They started my IV in the ambulance, and when one of the guys made me laugh I started to feel a little bit better. He didn't intend to make me laugh, but he said "Look at the horizon, it'll help." The back of the ambulance had one small window in the door and I could see a) buildings, and b) the cars behind us. I considered asking him which car was a Horizon, but thought better of it.
At the emergency room they gave me some massive anti-nausea medication and pumped me full of fluids, because by this time I was seriously dehydrated. I guess I was about the color of a sheet of printer paper, and my blood pressure was through the roof. They ran fluids into me for a solid hour while Kathy and the nurse had a great conversation. His name was Carl and he was great. I didn't get the doctor's name but he was very good, too. And after Medicare, my part of the bill was just over $100. I was impressed all around.
But that's not the end of the story. We went there to scuba dive, and suddenly I couldn't. Out of the blue I seem to have hydrophobia. The thought of going in the water is terrifying. Kathy did two solo dives, which she's certified to do, and had a good time while I stood on the shore scared out of my wits. Even now, 3 weeks after, the thought of diving, snorkeling, or even swimming makes my insides churn. I hate this because diving is the most rewarding thing I've ever gotten into and I miss it. I'm currently looking for a therapist who can help me get past this.
The upshot is, if I don't comment much, it's not because I'm not reading or not interested. It's because, in technical medical terms, I'm a mess.

[Wondergirl]

It's heck getting old, isn't it! Glad you survived and are headed toward recovery.

[jlisenbe]

Good grief. What an awful experience. We'll just trust God to lead you out of it.