It’s been a while since Ron and I flew together… 100% my issue because of my wonderful motion sickness issues. In the meantime, we’ve been looking into all the methods for combating it. We’ve tried Ginger Pills. We already know what Mecklyzine (sp?) does to me. I balked at the magnets and holistic approach … until …
Ron was talking with another pilot at the club and it turns out that the other pilot’s wife had severe motion sickness. However, she tried acupuncture and was “cured”. It lasted about 5 years and she had to redo it and was “cured” again. So, I thought I’d try it. I had an appointment on Saturday morning and our flying adventure was set for today. In all honesty, I was completely and absolutely not expecting this to work.
The Acupuncturist suggested this might take more than one “treatment” to fix, but that I should try it out in small doses. Treatment, test, treatment, test, treatment, test, etc. Acupuncture is a world-wide, well-received treatment, except in the US and, as so many are, I was skeptical.
But, like the Myth Busters proved, Ginger Pills worked for them, but not for me… after 20 minutes. So I was willing to try the acupuncture since it DID work, very successfully for someone else … someone trustworthy.
So, today, we got a babysitter (thanks Catherine!!) and headed out. I had the magnets on my wrist and the little pressure balls in my ears. Of course, I realized too late, that the headset covers my ears, so I couldn’t really make use of them. Oh well.
When we fly, I sit on the right, Ron on the left, but we both have controls. I never touch them, but they are there. See?
I can see out of the plane … to see the horizon just fine … until we’re lifting off and climbing … then the nose is too high.
Ron had setup the GPS in the plane so he could make use of technology — in the 30 year old plane. 🙂 I actually HATE the smell of the plane — it’s that “old car smell”. As SOON as my car smells like that I’m ready to sell it. 🙁 So to be in this plane is icky! But I don’t do it for me. 🙂
Our plan today was to fly to Asheboro and back. It’s not a long flight, only about 30 minutes, but since we were running late, we were going to have to touch and go and fly back.
Visibility was MUCH better than I’d had in my other two flights. I could actually see Greensboro, Winston-Salem AND Pilot Mountain! Very cool. I had no problems as we headed out. Running up the motor-thing, taxiing to take off, taking off … everything was in the clear. How awesome is that? 🙂
As we approached Asheboro, I was looking at this big white pointy thing and we realized it was part of the ZOO! But it was on the left and I was on the right, so I couldn’t really get any photos of it. We thought it was the aviary at the zoo.
We also flew over this HUMONGOUS house! Um … just look at it! It’s right near the zoo, too.
Ron found the Asheboro airport and prepped for the touch and go. As he came around the turn to go down to the airport and land, my head felt a little “spinny” but I just blew it off … thinking it was the turn and the intense angle we were flying. He hit the runway and headed back up and my first comment was … “uh … there’s a mountain right there” and Ron’s response was “it’s pretty far away.”
Uh, yeah, ok. 🙂 Whatever. Looked close enough to me!
By now though, my stomach was a bit knotty, but my head was clear, so I figured it was just the quick down then back up again. So, I tried to shake it off. We were passing the zoo again (the other way) so now it was my turn to see the zoo.
I found the white pointy building — the monkey house, the aviary, and another building that I wasn’t sure what it is (and still don’t know).
Aviary?
We could see the “African plains too.” If you zoom into this photo you can *just* make out the elephants! This is from 3000 ft. up with my point and shoot. If I’d had my big ole 200mm lens, we’d be able to see them clear as day!
It was after this photo that I took a turn for the worse. It was coming on, but I was trying to ignore it … really. My head wasn’t hurting like the normal process is, but my stomach was knotty again. I was thinking maybe it was just the turbulence, since it was a bit bumpy, but that hadn’t bothered me before. Normally it goes, head, stomach, head & stomach, sweats, yawning … and if I can’t counter balance it, I’ll end up sick.
This time it was stomach … stomach …. stomach …. yawning. I told Ron I had to stop looking around, close my eyes and sleep if possible. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get myself to actually sleep, so I had to just relax and yawn … a LOT. But it was getting worse, not better like normal when I close my eyes.
I use the pressure points with the hokey magnets that the acupuncturist (and others on the Internet) suggest and it didn’t help. So I kept my eyes closed and prayed I’d make it to Sanford. I did, but I’m not sure how much longer I could have lasted. I REALLY don’t.
We landed … safely … and it took me a good long while to recover before I could even walk. 🙁 I was seriously shakey. This was exactly what I was hoping WOULDN’T happen. 🙁 🙁 Clearly the acupuncture didn’t work and I’m not sure paying another $54 per treatment is worth it to me. Ron thinks we should try another of the “out there methods” — such as the bracelets. I’m for that.
I really want to fly at sunset to get photos of the setting sun from “up high”. I think I’ll just do that and deal with the consequences no matter what. 🙂 Actually, I remember that when we traveled, at night, I didn’t have as many issues. It was the worst during the day.
But of course, this ruins Ron’s birthday plans — of us traveling to the beach for the day. 🙁 I don’t think there is ANY way I could handle that. Any, any, any way. 🙁 Wah!!
I did, however, realize something. As we were flying TO Asheboro, I was pressing on the magnet pressure points. When I was feeling “fine” I stopped pressing and took photos. By the time we reached Asheboro, I wasn’t really pressing on the magnets at all. So I now have to wonder if the lack of pressure on the wrist pressure points actually had something to do with getting into the motion sickness “pattern”. Once well into it, I couldn’t get back out and had to suffer or endure until we landed and were on solid ground… 20+ minutes later.
It just amazes me that I am SO incredibly sensitive to this! It bites big time! My husband has this really cool hobby, turning into a neato new career and I can’t participate because of my eyes! Ugh!!!!
Where there is a will though, there is a way. We’ll find it. My plan is to grow Pure Expressions, build out kidzpiks into a multi-billion dollar franchise with locations around the country and then I can buy Ron a plane. Of course he says that when that happens, and he’s 80, he’ll let our grand kids do the flying in it. 😉