November 10 - At Sea and Brandon's Revenge

Here I am on my second full sea day somewhere in the Atlantic and in solitary confinement in my cabin. No, I didn't commit an act of piracy or any other such dastardly deed. My offense was that I tried to get a medicine that begins with I M O and ends with D I U M. So here's my story with hopefully not TMI. Somewhere between Washington DC and London last Thursday night I developed what some people name after the last Aztec ruler. Since I haven't been to Mexico and I like QE II I'm going to call my malady "Brandon's Revenge." It seems that I had an adverse reaction to a new medication my MD had prescribed for something entirely different and it combined with the stress of traveling alone for the first time; the two caused my problem. Despite the fact that I travel with half a CVS Pharmacy, I didn't have what I needed for this (believe me that will never happen again!). Anyway, I've never felt nauseous, feverish or anything else. My error was going to the shop onboard to find what I needed. They didn't have it but told me to go to the Medical Center because they would. And there began my problem. I had to call them and that was it. If anyone has any doubts cruise lines take medical issues seriously, have no fear they absolutely do. First to appear was a nurse in PPE's with the medicine I asked for. He instructed me that I couldn't leave my cabin for any reason for at least 24 hours or until they gave me the all clear. Next came another nurse (in PPEs) to give me a PCR test. Thirty minutes later they called to tell me I didn't have Covid. That made two PCR tests and two rapid tests, all negative, since 11/04. Nonetheless, I was still confined here. Over our many cruises Al and I had spent lots of afternoons in our cabin reading, playing scrabble or online. It's somehow different when you're told you MUST stay. I had planned to go to afternoon tea so that was my first effort at getting room service. They brought a very heavy tray with the tea accoutrements, deposited it on the floor outside my door and left. It was way too heavy for me to lift so I had to drag it in. When it was time for dinner several hours later, they tried to do the same thing but I stamped my feet and told them the tray needed to be brought in and placed on my table. More people with PPEs appeared and did that. Everything was cold by then but I'll live. This morning we went through the same drill for breakfast and then to get my cabin cleaned. The good news is that it looks like at 2 PM they will turn me loose. I have learned a few things from this experience. First, I will never leave home without pills for everything I can think of. Second, if I feel confined in a beautiful cabin with a veranda and view of a gorgeous blue sky and calm sea for just 1 day, I can imagine how awful it has to be for a person confined to a cell endlessly. I apologize for whining, but I have no one else to complain to; if Al were here he would be hearing me rant, but then I wouldn't be alone either. I know, these are definitely First World problems and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Oh well, tomorrow is another day and it will be better.