We were beyond excited to get back to Florida now that their cold front had passed. Jeff, Dan and Erin had left the night before for Orlando where I was supposed to join them. Alas, my ankle problems had gotten so severe that I had to sit out part of my track and had trouble walking. I purchased an ankle brace to get some support and Clare and I had decided I should go to the hospital in Jacksonville since I was getting worse. My shin bruises had turned a blackish color and had spread down to my ankle and everything was still swollen. I realized it would have been terribly irresponsible to go to Disney and spend the whole day on my feet and risk getting worse and having to miss a full show. So I resigned myself to missing out on the fun and taking it easy.
When we arrived we settled in and Clare and I went to the ER. The doctor checked me out and took a lot of x-rays to make sure I hadn't actually fractured anything. I can't tell you how much fun she and I had explaining to people why I was there. They ask what you need to be seen for and then how the injury occurred. "I biffed it hard into a coffin." "I'm sorry?" "I ran into a coffin." Everyone's faces were priceless. Of course we explained but only after we'd entertained ourselves by confusing and horrifying the hospital staff. Anyway, nothing was broken. The doctor explained that I had damaged my left shin so badly that all the blood and fluid in my shin was draining down into my ankle because I wasn't staying off it. Well who thought you'd need to stay off a bruised shin!? The nurse, Stan, who was young and snarky and we loved him, came back in with some pills. I asked what they were and he said they were for the pain. Yes, but what are they? He tells me they are Vicodin. I had told them my pain was a 5 so I questioned if I really needed 2 of them! He said it's what the doctor prescribed so I took them. As the x-rays were being done the meds started to hit and I felt high. Clare was laughing at me. Once released we got a cab and on the way to the hotel the meds REALLY hit and I got dizzy and nauseous. By the time I got in the elevator I had cold sweats and felt like I was going to throw up. NOT COOL! I KNEW I didn't need both of those things. I hadn't eaten dinner either so all that on an empty stomach was just bad. Clare got me a cold wet cloth and I sat trying to gather myself in her hotel room. Bart had taken delivery of some dinner for me since we were going to get back after everything had closed. She walked me back to my room after a while and I thought I could do it but had to run for the bathroom when we got there. She sat in my room for a good while until I could get to my bed where I thankfully passed out shortly after.
The next morning I swore to never again take Vicodin! I iced my ankle, popped some advil and dressed for the beach. Hey, I can rest my ankle on the beach as easily as in my hotel room! Adam and I found a restaurant with a patio and had a nice lunch. Jen and Chris joined us after a while. We had a nice relaxing time on the beach and it wasn't crowded at all. The sun and breeze felt really nice after so many weeks in the cold. We came back in the early evening and I spent the night resting in my room.
The next day was another day off for the cast while the crew had to load in for our morning show. I slept in really late, iced my ankle again then spent the afternoon at the pool getting some sun. After the crew got back to the hotel, me, Erin, Jeff and Dan, who were all back now and still had the rental car, went to dinner at Panera then to see "Coraline". The lobby had a standee for the new "Friday the 13th" movie and Erin and I posed for some pics...of course. Back at the hotel we went to Jen's room for a surprise birthday gathering for Peter and a few drinks.
The next morning we had a 10 a.m. show for a bunch of schools. The place was packed with kids aged 8-13 and the place was buzzing. As early as it was and as unhappy as we were with it we ended up having a total blast! These kids were hysterical! They had such a great time and we were so tickled at some of the things they howled about. Chaz and I got our loudest cheers at this curtain call. After the show we did a Q&A with the kids. One little girl asked if Colin had a girlfriend and when he said no the girls all squealed. We were DYING! He was so embarrassed. They had the same reaction when he was asked how old he was and said he was twelve. Who knew being twelve was so titillating!? Most of the questions were perfectly good ones and then one little boy asked if we liked Italian food. He was adorable!
Our next show wasn't until 7:30 so we went back to the hotel and I laid by the pool after grabbing some lunch. At 1:30 I had a phone interview with a newspaper which I did, admittedly obnoxiously, poolside. Hey, it was quiet out there and why get up and go to my room then come back down? We had a nice chat for a half hour or so. The evening show was also really full and we had another great audience.
Much more rested and with a little more color we moved on to Morganton, North Carolina.
Here are a couple of fun pics. The one of the lights I just liked. Thought they looked cool in the haze against the main curtain. The other is a sign that the crew has posted to the backside of the bridge. Bill Sykes carries a club and beats Nancy with it so they posted this sign up by where he does it every night. I LOVE our crew!
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