Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Renaissance Festival

We went on Saturday to the Hoggetowne Renaissance Festival. I really love Renaissance Festivals. Like a LOT. Like to a nerdy level. Although I did witness nerdiness at levels I've not seen before. Like lives in his mother's basement at age 40 and plays computer games and takes the purchase of a staff VERY seriously, so seriously that the mother also takes it seriously... Just sayin'.

So we get there and they have a lady out front. If you give blood you get in free. Of course I love to give blood and free stuff so I do. (Brian cannot give blood because he lived in England during Mad Cow.) I felt fine. I'm sure you can see where this is going.

So I give blood, get my free T-Shrit and gatoraid and we go on in. We meet the King and Queen. The Kind dubs Ethan "Ethan the slightly reluctant" because Ethan didn't really want to meet him. I can't remember what cute thing he said to Stephen. I felt a little distracted and tired. The boys got necklaces. Here is Stephen admireing his necklace. It's actually pretty cool. Then we walked a bit and wandered over to Human Chess. Which was really cool. If I ever work in the Ren Fair I want to do the Human Chess. Nice combat with sticks and acting hurt and all. But I felt really weird. Maybe I needed a potty break? *you are now entering a totally dramatic telling of what happened next*

So over to the row of porta potties for me. I get in mine. Totally black out. TOTALLY. Come to with my head on the porta potty. Yes, I know. WRETCH. So I take every last bit of strength to pull up my pants and get out of there. I make it just outside the privacy wall. Still in the dirt, pretty much in the path to the potties when I fall. I sit first then BAM, I'm out cold. Like I've never been out before. I have time to hope someone finds me then black.

Feels like hours later, but really minutes I'm surrounded by cops and paramedics. They are freaking out a bit. Just a bit, very professional. They are all, "mam, can you sit up?" "Are you alright" For some reason I can't respond, I can hear them, but that's all. I can feel darkness again. I want the darkness. My head and chest are screaming in pain. I finally say, "No" and they pick me up. Out again.

On a golf cart now. sitting up. I can't sit up, don't they know that? I find energy to say, "Can I lay down?" then I do. On a paramedic. He slides out from under me. They ask me stuff. I can only answer sometimes. The paramedic with the lap asks if I want a pillow. I say no. They put an IV bag of fluids in me. But I slide when they go to put the needle in, I feel my blood roll down my arm. I stay really still for them, in it goes. I've had IV fluids before, they usually work. I can see again, a little girl is stareing at my arm. I look down, it's a mess. I tell her I'm fine. She smiles. Blackness again

Now someone is taking my blood pressure. They are talking about telling the ambulance to turn off the sirens because it will scare the horses. I can't go in an ambulance, I don't know where Brian is. Blood pressure is 89 over 16. That sounds low. I say, "I won't go in an ambulance" they say, "If you can't sit up and answer questions you WILL go sweetie" At some point I think the one medic fell in love with me. He's petting my hair, he's calling me sweetie, he's promiseing me I will live if I just talk to him. I wonder if he falls in love with every dame who tires to die on his watch. He tells me we should just watch the joust together, says we have great seats, the golf cart is right up front. He's holding the bag up and making sure it goes into my arm.

A cop asks where my party is, how can he find them. I tell him the boys have on capes.

I start to feel better. It seems really important to be sitting up when the boys get to me. I can't be passed out and pale. So I tell my new boyfriend I need to sit up. He helps me. I feel tons better. He asks for them to take my blood pressure again. They do, it's "low normal". The blood pressure guy is happy, he tells me he was very worried. I wasn't worried, it seemed ok to just let go. But I'm happy now because not letting go is way better.

Ambulance is there. I tell them no. They make me sign paperwork saying no. I can talk and all now so people take me seriously. Brian is there now with the boys. Bag is done. I'm better. I promise to go straight to get food and drinks. I do.


Stephen wanted to ride this elephant. So he did.

We watched a few shows. They were all funny. Here we all are watching a dragon show. (see my color is fine, I'm all better now, I had even washed the blood off my arm, and my hair doesn't LOOK like I've been laying around in porta potties and dirt)
Stephen did not want his pic taken here. Oh look, in the background my awesome purse! I love that purse.
Then we went home. I was so tired still. I drank tons of water. I am always dehydrated. I suck at drinking enough. I skipped church Sunday, I was just still really tired. But by Sunday evening I felt totally fine.
And that's what I did Saturday.




5 comments:

Cinda said...

You don't lead a dull life do you?

Shara said...

You going to be giving blood anytime soon?! I am happy you are better. Passing out on the potty!!

Anonymous said...

OMG--passing out in a porta-potty at a Renaissance fair? What a great story! You can use it the next time you're at a party and have to make conversation with a person you don't know and have nothing in common with!

BeckyButtshaw said...

yikes! I'm glad you're OK! :)
I can't believe how fast your children are growing up!!
Hey-I don't know often you go down to Orlando, but we'll be there from 2/23-3/2 if you happen to be in the area.... ;)

Knit Wit said...

OMG!! How totally scary AND gross the potty thing.

glad your feeling better now.