Hi folks, I'm back in the center seat of 'The Cocteau' and I wanted to send out a short note that's not a 'Tweet' but rather an Email with the delusion of being on paper. I am well, although there are parts of me no longer aboard. It would seem my posting on Facebook about something Alien in my body was not so space happy as I thought. A week ago, I was walking home from rehs and the sharp pain in my side which I had (like a dutiful American) been ignoring for five days got too much. In the hopes of getting some medicine to ease whatever was burrowing it's way through me. My friend Eleri pushed me towards the Emergency room at the hospital reminding me that 'it was the done thing in Gibraltar to seek medical help when you felt like some creature was chewing your insides up'. I resigned myself and went in... I hate hospitals!
After a bit of a wait since it was Saturday night and already the ER was busy dealing with an elderly lady dying and the first of the red soaked drunks coming in. I saw a Doctor and he took some blood to have labs run on. It wasn't too long before the Doctor returned and told me 'I was going nowhere'. I said, “But I have a show we're doing this week. In fact we're moving all the stuff in tomorrow for tech day!!!” He said, 'Well, it's up to you but I think your life is more important!' I asked for a few moments to get my head around things. Then followed the dumbest ten minutes of my life as I literally considered whether or not I should go through with the freaking show and then seek treatment. I know it must seem weird to you my non-theatre friends but I can see those of you who share my rare obsession nodding your heads in understanding. For I have never failed to appear on stage in thirty years and have even taken to the boards as my apartment was being side swiped by the vestiges of a hurricane and water was literally washing my world away. Anyway, the moments of madness passed and of course I did have myself admitted and the diagnosis of acute appendicitis brought me to surgery. As the Surgeon was talking to me about the operation and where they would cut. I jokingly asked him if he could fix my hernia as he went in? He looked back seriously and answered, “Good idea...we'll do that!” My jaw hit the floor. I was in a place where health did matter. My adventures continued like a soap opera plot and I found myself in ICU for two days being watched over by nursing staff. Since my neck's inability to bend had caused problems for the 'Anesthesiologist' and I had absorbed so much 'sleepy stuff'. So, to protect my throat and vocal cords I was kept knocked out. Anyway, as I said at the start. I am well and now back home in front of the computers working on being better. The show will be done at a later date and I am thankful in many ways for being here. For I know back home in the States I would have just kept waiting and most probably would've died. I miss you all and will see you soon as I can. Love and peace Andrew Dark...
