Week Seventeen. Part 1.

This week is a challenging one to write about since one of the most bizarre experiences of my life occurred then. It started out the way the week normally does but then disaster struck. (Insert a thunder sound effect here.)

February 10. Sunday.
Mardi Gras was in full swing that day. Hannah & I shopped and wandered around the French Quarter. We grabbed lunch, talked on the phone, & got to see part of a parade!

Back on the ship, we had passenger drill, rehearsal, and our shows. After everything was over that night, Cameron came over to my room and we watched the Gwyneth Paltrow movie "Sliding Doors". Fabulous day!

February 11. Monday.
Nothing too eventful happened this day. I just went to the shopping talk, worked in the dressing room, and we had Band on the Run.

February 12. Tuesday.
The day started out like any other Tuesday in Costa maya. Cameron and I headed to our favorite beach for wifi and quesadillas. My stomach started hurting but I blamed it on the food considering we were in Mexico.

Back on board, Cameron invited me to go to a total body conditioning class he attends twice a week. It was an hour of intense everything. We spun, used weights, did TRX, ran stairs and a mile. I hated the personal trainer so much. During one of the last abdominal exercises as I tensed my muscles I suddenly felt one of the most excruciating pains of my life. It wasn't a regular work-out pain. I knew something was wrong.

So I stopped and hobbled back to my room. It was hard for me to lay down and hurt to used my stomach muscles. Hannah had ordered a pizza and invited me over. I would be thankful for this later because it ended up being my last meal for awhile. Rosie called me and insisted I got to the medical center immediately based on the symptoms I described. Reluctantly I went, mostly because Rosie can be scary. As you can imagine and might have experienced yourself, at the medical center I had to fill out a million forms while waiting to be seen and holding back the tears as everyone moves around the room at a glacial pace. The nurse finally took me into the examination room and the doctor poked my stomach and seemed surprised every time I would start crying. Yes Doctor, I am in pain and when you press your fingers firmly into my stomach, it will continue to hurt. Hooray for science! He gave me two big shots (which bruised by the way. thumbs up.) and then he said the words I had been dreading: "we need to keep you over night for observation." Horror.

As a point of interest I would like to note that English was the second language of everyone on the medical team. I am all for experiencing new cultures and thankful for the medical care that was available to me, but when you are pumping syringes of medication into my body while I'm in pain and sobbing, I would like to be able to understand what you are trying to communicate. Anyways, they put me in a room with two bed and one of those lame curtain dividers. An elderly male passenger was occupying the other bed white his wife there visiting him. Not awkward at all. I'm kidding. I would have much rather been in my own cozy bed a few yards down the hall. I convinced the nurse to let me go get my laptop and later on James & Rosie came to visit on the way to their singers cabaret. I told them the escape plan I had devised and on their way out I could hear James warn the nurse to watch me closely. Rosie came back later to check on me armed with my laptop charger and Teale Bear stuffed animal. I started crying again when she lovingly told me that if I had to be medically disembarked in Belize the next day that James was going to go to and try to stay with me. I already knew I loved that couple so much and that they called me family but in a moment of great need they really showed up to love and support me and I was so touched and relieved I thought my heart would explode.

I couldn't sleep that night. I was extremely uncomfortable not to mention unhappy and terrified at what would happen the next day. Honestly, a little part of me just didn't want to go to sleep out of spite. Mature, I know. But in my defense, the old man in the other bed was snoring. The ship doctor had no clue what was wrong with me so they just hooked me up to an IV and pumped me full of medication and fluids. I decided not to tell my parents yet because that would make it serious and nobody likes that person who posts awkward sickly Facebook statuses anyways. So I watched TV on my laptop until about 7am when I finally dozed off.

February 13. Wednesday.
Unfortunately, I was woken with a start at 7:45am in broken English by a different nurse asking about my pain levels. I was groggy, angry, and confused. They called James and he rushed out of bed to see me. I told him I was still hurting and had no interest in going to a hospital in a third world country. He firmly said that I had no choice because if they had to operate on board the ship is would be disastrous. At this point they suspected I had appendixes. It put me a little at ease that James was going with me and I was told I had five minutes to go back to my cabin and pack a bag. Everything was happening so fast, I had no control over it, and I was terrified.

The character Lord Voldemort in the final Harry Potter movie is the best way to describe what my face looked like that morning. Pale, puffy, bloodshot, hopeless. My eyelids were so swollen from crying that my usually large eyes looked like slits. I threw my toothbrush and some clothing into a bag as my roommate Jessica assured me I was going to be fine and would be back that afternoon. I didn't believe her. Rosie and James were waiting for me in the hallway and she gave me a huge hug before sending us off to catch a tender boat. The dancers Cameron and Sophie were waiting by the exit to the tender boats and hugged me too. Sometimes you don't realize how bad you look until you see the concern on another persons face. I felt loved but mostly weak and pathetic.

We survived the thirty minute boat ride to Belize City and the Port Agent met us at the dock. I was super groggy at that point and probably wouldn't have made it through the crowd of fanny-pack donned tourists without James. We were ushered to a taxi, hospital bound, along with a weird passenger from Oklahoma who had fallen down a flight of stairs. The man said he felt unsafe because Belize was a poor country and he didn't have a gun with him. James promptly replied that he felt safer there than he would in Oklahoma. Hilarious.

We finally made it to the hospital and then the real waiting game began. It was a little like being at Disney. Behind the doors of the first waiting room is a second waiting room. Deceiving. I waited for an hour before a nurse informed me that before they could do the Cat-scan (I think that's what it was..) that I would have to drink two stadium cups full of a disgusting orange liquid. It was the worst. Every time I would stop drinking and grimace, James would say "sippy sippy"! I punched him. We sat there for four hours using the free wifi and laughing about how there was still a needle in my hand. (Don't worry, the ship nurse put a bandage over it. So courteous.) James decided it was time to call my parents and fill them in. I let him do the honors. I found out later that my Dad had immediately researched and found a private jet company that specializes in medical evacuations and would fly me back to the good ole USA if an operation was necessary. Stoney canceled all of her immediate plans and started looking up flights for them to get to Belize. My parents are rockstars.

The nurse finally took me into the radiation room and the cat-scan felt like it took an hour. I wanted to die. I was laying in an uncomfortable position, wasn't allowed to move, and they just kept pumping me full of more medication. The doctor didn't see anything strange on the scans. Then they took me into the sonogram room and ruled out appendices. That was good news but my pain level had greatly increased since that morning. The following events happened so fast and are a blur due to all of the medication in my body, along with the lack of food and sleep. James filled out my paperwork and I was checked into the ER. Since I was so out of it my guardian angel, James, talked to the different doctors and surgeons that kept coming in. I just wanted to go back to my ship and wake up from this bad dream. Finally, a new doctor came in and after a quick exam was able to diagnose me correctly with an abdominal infection. It was great to finally have an answer but I started sobbing when I heard him say I would have to stay in the hospital for at least three days.

I could feel James's heavy heart as he approached my little bed and told me that the ship had not granted him permission to stay in Belize with me. Time had run out and he had to leave immediately in order to get back to the ship on time. Later he told me that when I looked up at him with my big sad eyes I looked exactly like the cat, Puss in Boots, from the movie Shrek. James also said leaving me there was the hardest thing he had ever had to do. My heart broke. I was terrified but he assured me that I was in good hands and that my parents had booked their flights and would be there with me when I woke up in the morning. We hugged goodbye at least five times and then he left. I didn't stop crying for the next few hours.

I could see the concern and pity on the nurses faces. One brought in yet another syringe of medication and an IV for me. I defiantly said I did not want it and begged her not to put it in. Obviously I gave in a minute later and cooperated but my vein had begun to really burn every time something new was injected. It's the weirdest sensation being able to feel something coursing through your vein slowly making its way painfully up your arm. They put me in a wheelchair and moved me from the ER into a private patient room. I set myself up with my MacBook and they finally let me eat something. Suddenly, the hospital phone next to my bed rang and I was greeted by my sweet roommate Jessica's voice! Literally right as she was about to explain that security had made her pack up all of my belongings in five minutes flat, my world exploded again. A guy from the Belize Tourism Board arrived along with two strange men wheeling three suitcases into my room. I started sobbing out of confusion, anger, and the fact that this made my situation even more real. Apparently it is ship protocol that when someone is medically disembarked all of their things must go with them. That was not a fun moment. Jessica said that the cast was all so worried and sent their love and prayers.

I was miserable. There were noisy chickens outside my window. There was a seemingly permanent bag of fluids being pumped into my hand. Every three hours the nurse would inject more medication into my IV. I knew that people have been in a lot worse situations and much more pain but my ship had just sailed away, I was in a hospital in a third world country, and I was going to throw myself a pity party.

Don't you worry, dear reader. The story doesn't end here. Stay tuned for part two!

Random Thoughts.

1. I've been unsuccessfully trying to write about the week I got sick. Week seventeen to be exact. It was terrible, hilarious, frightening, stressful, and relaxing. My life is a lot of things but it is certainly never boring.

*Side note: Since first writing this post I have completed writing about half of that crazy week. It might be my most dramatic blog post yet. Stay tuned.

2. Sitting in the Market Cafe on board the ship, aka the buffet or the feeding trough, reminds me of the cafeteria at my lovely university, Samford. I would sit in the Caf for hours studying, people watching, and mostly visiting with friends. By the time you finish your meal and are ready to leave a new group of people sits down with you and another hour passes by. I'm like my parents in a lot of ways but that might be my most similar trait to them. The passion for fellowship and encouraging others. Plus, it's really fun.

3. And now it is time for a random cruise ship fact! Sea days are put into cruise itineraries so that the ship can make money. When a ship is in port all of the restaurants, the casino, and gift shop have to be closed by law. The port agents want the passengers to get off the ship and spend money in their country. Simple concept, but not many people think about it.

4. Last week I watched the movie "Hemingway and Gallhorn" twice and it was phenomenal. It's about one of Earnest Hemingway's wives, Martha Gallhorn, who is famous for being a highly celebrated female war journalist. Nicole Kidman killed that role. The film is beautiful and raw. Go see it. (Except for you, Carter. I'll have to cover your eyes.)

5. It seems impossible that this contract is practically over. I feel like our cast has been here for a year considering everything we have been through together. One of my favorite things about my life is not that I get to have cool experiences but that I get to build relationships with amazing people during the process. This time last year I had no idea I would end up working on a cruise ship or where God's plan would take me. But here I am nearing the end of another magnificent adventure with an indescribable group of people who feel like family. I am incredibly blessed.

Week Sixteen.

February 3. Sunday.
New Orleans was a very exciting place that day since it was Super Bowl Sunday! The streets were packed with people and the air was full of energy. Sophie and I pretty much skipped the entire way to the French Quarter. We shopped and wandered around just enjoying and observing the festivities.

Back on board we went to passenger drill, the sail away party, & rehearsal for the welcome aboard show. I grabbed dinner with James and Rosie & shows went great that night. After I made a few final phone calls home, I collapsed into bed smiling after a fun and busy day!

February 4. Monday.
I worked at the shopping talk that morning with Jess and spent the rest of the day working away in the dressing room.

Sophie was diagnosed with strep throat and was quarantined in the medical center. So the cast had to re-block the show since she was unable to preform. Once again, our cast prevailed and the show went on! Band on the Run ended up going really well and almost everyone went straight to bed afterwards.

February 5. Tuesday.
Costa maya! We ate a yummy lunch on the beach and enjoyed the sun all day! Rosie and I sat in the shallow water and played in the sand like little kids. She is my sister and I love her so much! I can't imagine my next ship without her and James.

February 6. Wednesday.
Belize. The dancers had rehearsal all day for a new dance show. Later that evening after Shout tech rehearsal Jess, Rachard, Cameron, and I did a work out together on the back deck. It was so hard! Then I showered quickly and ran backstage for Shout. Jess came to the dressing room to help Sophie, Montana, & I with the new dance costumes. The girls were so helpful and we got almost everything done. I loved getting to design the new costumes. It was especially fun because due to my limited budget and supplies, I had to be very creative and resourceful.

February 7. Thursday.
After boat drill the dancer girls and I had to go to a two hour long "Vacation Hero" class. Thrilling. Then I worked on some finishing touches for the dance costumes and we had rehearsal. Montana and I went to sushi for dinner and the swung by the White Hot party. Busy day!

February 8. Friday.
We had a dress rehearsal that morning. It went well and is always fun to see my costumes under the lights looking fabulous! After tech, Cameron convinced me to get off the ship and go to No Name with them. It was a gorgeous day and the ocean was practically clear.

Refreshed and rejuvenated, we got back on board and everyone started getting ready for that nights show. Jess & I had so much fun getting ready together. She did my make-up and curled my hair. It was so big I looked like I was a beauty queen from Texas! The show didn't exactly go well that night. There were a lot of tech mistakes with the lighting and sound but the dancers did amazing!

February 9. Saturday.
After tech rehearsal that morning a group of us went to sushi for lunch. Then we all took naps before it was time to get ready for Elements. Another week down. Only eleven more to go.

Week Fifteen.

January 27. Sunday.
That morning James, Rosie, and I ventured up to Magazine Street. We ate lunch in a cute Italian restaurant with great wifi. Before I went back to the ship I took a taxi over to my friend Kaci's house to pick up my mail. Grace and my wonderful friends Amanda & Christian had all sent me packages!

Back on board my worst nightmare had been realized. I was made an assistant station leader for passenger boat drill. That meant that from then on not only would I have to be back on board thirty minutes earlier each Sunday, I'd also be responsible for getting passengers safely into a life boat in case if emergency. The best part is that if for any reason my station leader is unable to be there, I'll become the sole leader of an entire lifeboat of 150 passengers. Hilarious and frightening. Luckily Cameron, the new male dancer, was my station leader! During the drill I had to demonstrate for my station how to put on a life jacket and I made everyone laugh. The passengers all applauded. I'm so talented.

During the Welcome Aboard show Caleb, the other male singer, is dressed like a construction worker during the opening number. So as a little joke I bedazzled his hammer and white t-shirt. It was hilarious. He wore a normal t-shirt onstage but the cast got a big laugh out of it before hand.

The shows went great that night and afterwards I made a few last calls outside as we cruised down the river. When I got back to my cabin Montana came over for a girls night! Some other cast members spontaneously came over too and it turned into a little wine pj party. I love silly random nights like that.

January 28. Monday.
The passenger of the week, determined by me, was a little old lady wearing a necklace made entirely out of wine corks. Amazing.

That morning I worked the shopping talk and art auction. I spent all afternoon working in the dressing room. Band on the Run was fabulous that night! After the show, all the girls changed into pjs and met in the theater, armed with popcorn and wine, for movie night! We watched a silly dance movie on the big screen and had a blast.

January 29. Tuesday.
Costa maya! We decided to break our routine that day and try a new restaurant called Tropicante. It is right on the beach and we ate quesadillas, swam, and laid out all afternoon.

That night Jess, Sophie, and I hung out in my room, painted our nails, and drank champagne. Being a girl is the best. & I am so blessed to have found such amazing friends in my cast!

January 30. Wednesday.
Belize. The dancers had rehearsal all day for the new Burlesque they were putting together. That day I worked, napped, and got a hair cut. (You can read about that disaster if you just click: here!) Both Shout shows went great that night and afterwards I went out with all the dancers.

January 31. Thursday.
Boat drill was a little more serious that day because auditors from corporate were on board inspecting everything. Cameron, my station leader, was excused from drill that day because he had family on board visiting that week. So that meant I was station leader for my second boat drill ever AND the auditors were there. Just my luck. My stations meeting spot was in one of the dining rooms and when the abandon ship signal sounds each group in that station is dismissed one by one to go to the lifeboat stations on deck seven. Of course I jumped the gun and left too early. Right as I realized this and went up to ask an officer friend where to go, one of the auditors walked up to us. So I quickly blurted out, "I'm just so excited about safety!" and booked it out of there. So smooth.

After we all survived the drill, we had an entertainment meeting. Then I locked myself in the dressing room and literally worked for nine hours straight. I deep cleaned both rooms top to bottom, re-organized all the cabinets, took inventory of everything, and did tons of laundry. It was a little much.

February 1. Friday.
Cozumel. Jessica and I found a new local restaurant with super fast wifi. So I spent the day uploading Christmas pictures to Facebook.

That night I went out for sushi with James and Rosie. Then the cast had a late night Elements rehearsal to block Cameron into the show. I sat in the audience and did some more work on my costume bible.

February 2. Saturday.
We had Elements tech rehearsal that morning and Cameron did it in costume. That afternoon I worked the art auction and got a new haircut.

Elements actually went well that night and Cameron did great! The prank war continued and Jenna filled up James dressing room drawer with more snow. Afterwards Jenna and I ordered room service to her room and watched a scary movie. When it was over at 2am, I was walking out right as James and Caleb walked in from the bar. Caleb left but James, Jenna, and I stayed up talking until 6 in the morning!

Week Fourteen.

The final new male dancer, Cameron, arrived!! We were all so happy for our new cast to finally be completed.

January 20. Sunday.
James, Rosie, & I went to a really cool dine-in movie theater and saw Le Mis! (If you have to ask what that is, you don't understand.) The seats were all giant recliners and the food was amazing. More importantly, the movie literally rocked my world. I died. I can't even adequately describe how beautiful and powerful the film was. Le Mis is one of the best musicals ever.

Getting back on board was a little depressing because all I wanted to do was frolic through the streets singing "Can you hear the people sing". I did have something to look forward to though. During the Welcome Aboard show Caleb, the other male singer, is dressed like a construction worker during the opening number. So as a little joke I bedazzled his hammer and white t-shirt. It was hilarious. He wore a normal t-shirt onstage but the cast got a big laugh out of it before hand.

The shows all went well that night & afterwards I made a few final phone calls outside in the deck. Then I cuddled up in bed with the new season of Downton Abby!

January 21. Monday.
Quote of the day:
"I've been born again twice. The day I became a Christian and the day I became a Texas A&M fan!" -A passionate football fan passenger from Texas.

That morning I worked the shopping talk & art auction. Then spent the rest of the afternoon working in the dressing room until show time. Band on the Run was very eventful that evening. Jason hurt his back during Elements and was unable to preform that night. So they had to re-block the show before tech rehearsal.

Then before the first show even began catastrophe struck. Half the cast begins the opening number up on lifts. When places was called, as the lift was rising Vinnie, a male dancer, got his fingers stuck in it. I was still in the dressing room and heard my name being screamed in pain. That's one of the worst feelings. I flew out the door and intercepted Vinnie right as he started to pass out. I sat him down and stuck his fingers in cups of cold water before I ran to tell a tech guy to get ice. Our production manager took him to medical and luckily none of his fingers were broken, just badly scraped. He was able to come back and dance in the second show.

Of course the craziness didn't stop there. During the final number of the show Caleb's voice totally blew out. James had to jump in and cover his track. My cast is so amazing that they were able to re-block the show on stage while performing in front of an audience not once but twice. They're rockstars.

January 22. Tuesday.
Costa maya! Jessica's parents were cruising with us that week! We all spent the lazy day laying on the beach. That night to kick of Sophie's 22nd birthday celebration the cast met up in the Red Lion Pub. We all danced around and had a ball! A large group of people from the Alabama Pharmacy Association were cruising that week so I had fun visiting with them.

January 23. Wednesday.
We all slept most of the day. Sophie dyed her hair that afternoon and then put a plastic bag over her head like a bandana so so could go smoke. she looked hilarious.

That night, backstage during Shout all Sophie wanted to do for her birthday was to order pizza to the dressing room. We ate and danced around in our pjs. After the shows we went out dancing!

January 24. Thursday.
Honduras. We had boat drill and then the Captains and Entertainment meetings that morning. James & Rosie won Vacation Hero awards for the month of December for the Holiday show and the production cast won Team of the Month! We all got certificates & invited to a special lunch with the Captain. It was so special and exciting to be recognized like that for all of our hard work!

January 25. Friday.
Cozumel. I spent all day at the restaurant ile with James & Rosie uploading pictures to Facebook. That night Rosie & I hung out and had sushi for dinner.

January 26. Saturday.
Happy birthday Mama Stoney!
That day I slept in and worked the rest of the day until show time. Elements actually went really well that night.

Earlier in the week Jenna had hidden James's personal clothes and triggered a prank war. the show Jenna collected two trash bags full of the paper "snow" used in the Elements finale. I helped her stuff it in all of James's shoes and costume pockets. Hilarious.

Random thoughts.

1. At Samford the girl to guy ratio is something like 4 to 1. So in order to really get a guys attention you have to be in a ball gown twirling around on stilts while handing out free chicken wings. But on an international ship all you have to do is be an American and you'll get marriage proposals every day.

2. Passengers on cruise ships are crazy about bingo and raffle tickets. It doesn't even matter what the raffle is for. They just want to win it.

3. I think it's funny that on the day the Mayan calendar predicted the end of the world I was literally with Mayan people in Mexico.

4. At night, since we're at sea, its completely black outside and it is kinda scary. It makes me wonder what living on a battleship during a war was like.

5. Some of the Croatian engineering guys on board like to give me a hard time about my last name. My family is Slovenian but they say the name Dvornik is Croatian. So whenever they see me around the ship one of them will call out "hey Croatia!" Great Grandfather & Great Grandmother Dvornik, who immigrated as teenagers to the states from Slovenia, would not be pleased by this.

6. Twenty-two is a funny age. I'm running around wildly independent, having adventures, & supporting myself. But then in some (...most) instances I just want guidance and reassurance from my parents. It's like being a toddler. You want to do everything by yourself and absolutely don't need anyones help but what in the world is Federal Income Tax?