This is from my livejournal – it’s not a sad story and not moonbeams and fluff, but my silly story of going to Vancouver by myself for the first, without my daughter Leesha
It’s done with humour, hope that is noted not a “poor me” story cause I think the trip ended up more interesting than if nothing happened.
Alysia said before I went “don’t get broke mum” ah yeah
* Sep. 24th, 2005
I decided to go to Vancouver for the first time in a long time without Alysia, I really wanted to see Robert Plant (I’ve seen him twice and once with Jimmy Page, my guitar hero). So instead I went to see Neil Diamond, I liked him in the 70’s and seen him in concert in Michigan, and I would be in Vancouver the same time as Robert Plant.
I planned on getting off the bus at the Hotel Vancouver.then grab a taxi from there to the YWCA.
Very narrow aisles.I was nervous about getting off the bus there.when I stood and twisted my body to get out of the seat.I felt a pop in my knee and terrible pain, I collapsed back in the seat.
Everyone around me, who were still going on to the bus depot, were worried about me.
One of the passengers told the bus driver and he radioed ahead to the depot for security people and paramedics. Got to the bus depot and tried to stand, the pain was down to a dull throbbing. I collapsed in absolute pain.almost sobbing and gasping.
They called an ambulance.spent about 4 hours in the ER.looks like a torn ACL in my knee. Spent about 90 mins on the bus.I couldn’t put any weight on my left knee.they had 2 security guys and an official from Greyhound get on the bus, so I won’t sue?
While they tried to figure out how to get me off, er the bus that is
Then a couple of paramedics got on the bus.it was sort of fun (really didn’t need all that pain though) being the centre of attention of about 4 good looking men.
The Greyhound official lady was nice, she let me use her cell phone to call Gerry (my ex and Alysia’s dad) on Gabriola Island.
Gerry went into nervous panic mode, but I couldn’t get him to bring his brand new van to Vancouver.
He was too worried about driving in Vancouver, than to come and rescue me – sniff
I had to hop to the steps of the bus, had a couple of nice men grab me by the arm, and one grab me by the bad leg to support it.
I get to the stairs, hopped down one step, then another. The good leg started shaking then one of them said sit on the stairs, and shift down the steps on my bottom, and I did.
I get on the stretcher they go to lift it and almost drop me, in front of everybody at the bus depot. I know I’m a little overweight, ahem – but come on guys, sheesh!!!
Well, just shoot me now says I, then ask for a brown paper bag to put over my face.I was beginning to see the humour in this, or I was just delirious with pain.
So they get the stretcher squared away, and I’m off to St.Paul’s hospital.
When I was in the ambulance I told Dan the paramedic, “Hey, I’m just too much woman for you!”
I joke terribly when I’m nervous or stressed out. Dan started laughing and after that started flirting with me, probably to make me feeling a little better, and not like the elephant man.
I had a weird The Stand (Stephen King) experience, my doctor.Dr. Finkler (haha) looked like Stu Redmond (Gary Sinise) right down to the white t-shirt that Stu wore.and a guy getting an IV a few feet away, really nice looking, with a head of curly dark brown hair, and no shirt on (how can you tell I haven’t had sex in 5 years.) looked like Larry Underwood.
Dr. Finkler got me some crutches, I made it to the YWCA and took the powerful pain killers.
I knew I wasn’t going to see Neil – I actually wanted to see Robert Plant in town at the same time, but his concert was sold out – I saw Neil Diamond in Mich. in Aug. 1972 and thought I’d see him for old time’s sake and hopefully run into Robert Plant.lol
The doctor gave me some strong pain killers so I was happy on those while I watched Exodus with Paul Newman – love that movie – at the YWCA -At the front desk of the Y they tried to sell the Diamond ticket but no takers, still have it
I had contacted Gerry and he got hold of .Leesh, she took a “family day” off work.and got the fast ferry.
Something she never had done before. We always take the big old slow ferry. She has motion sickness and vertigo problems and the seas were choppy – so guess what?
She said when she got her seat she wondered why they had barf bags, she found out – she started throwing up the whole trip. She met me at the Y, came to my room and collapsed on the bed. After she rested a bit we left the “Y” for the fast ferry, leesh got some graval pills.
The ferry people got me a wheel chair, we were going use the bus, then the slow ferry (I had a return ticket), but realized there was no way I could get up the steep stairs on the bus.
And I didn’t get to stalk Robert Plant and too stoned on the Oxycontin to do a decent astral stalk lol
It got very silly, and I did see the humour of the whole thing, it seemed the gods had it in for the Mountain women that weekend.
I really did enjoy the attention of a lot of good looking men, so it was kind of worth it.
Another funny thing, we were taking a cab to the Seabus terminal, where the fast ferry is.we drove passed our telephone company hq
Telus has been on strike for a couple of months now.there were a lot of picketers and security types.
I had the window of the cab open, close to the sidewalk where the picketers were, when all of a sudden some lady starts screaming.”SCAB.SCAB.SCAB.!!!!” to some poor unfortunate scab er person crossing the picket line, my poor ears.
~~~and that was must first and last trip to Vancouver by myself – Alysia said, “See I knew you’d get broken without me there”
At least when I went to see Bruce Springsteen I got to see him and met Scott a fellow BS fan, still friends with him on facebook
I went with Gerry’s Gabriola friend – she turned out to have alot of problems and caused trouble with Gerry and his new lady-friend Libby, but that’s another story
