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Being "Wicked" in New York City!

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I bought a ticket to see the play "Wicked" in NYC months back when I was doing better. Going to Broadway is pretty expensive and this was a Christmas present. I really didn't think I would make it because early in the week I had a major falling out with my family and the stress has put me in bed or at least indoors.

Friday I rested all day so that I could hopefully go to "Wicked." I have wanted to see this for years. It was a mission for me to go because I knew that the fallout from not going would be too much for me mentally to digest. I would be quite devastated. I am not bed bound, but all of us with CFS suffer our own private hell. I feel like I can never leave my area that I live in and I am isolated in that I don't have support so I need to get out at times. Sometimes the thought of me driving into the city where I live is too much to handle.

Anyway, I drank plenty of water on friday, ate well, did an enema, took all of my supplements, had my phone on "off" and went to bed relatively early. I woke up and knew I could go to "Wicked"...but I sure wasn't feeling "good." In fact, the more time I took in getting ready, I felt this fatigue and this "blah" like feeling rolling in. I had to walk down 2 flights of stairs to get my mail and I was breathing oddly on the way up.

Oh boy.

And I am going to New York City....the place where walking is king. "Concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do!"

My friends came to pick me up and we drove up to the city. Things that would have never bothered me bothered me. She was driving like an old lady. I actually said to her, "hey, go the speed limit...we'll never make it. " She was also talking incessantly about a high school friend who is going through so much drama that it is exhausting. Just my friend talking about it in the car was wearing me out. I started hyperventilating and feeling out of breath and more tired. I loathe drama. Loathe. It used to be something to talk about and think," thank God that isn't happening to me." Now I feel like it's happening to me, when it's not.

We got up to NYC and parked the car a long way from Broadway. We were on Canal street. I would have to say, this was my favorite part of the day. All of the "stuff" and the brightness and the people walking. It was a warmer day. I bought a cute knit red hat with a flower embroidered on the side. We ate dinner in a Chinese restaurant and afterwards tried to hail a cab.

We were having no luck getting a cab. We had to walk to a street that was more congested to get a cab. I became exhausted. We got in the cab and hustled to "Wicked" and were 15 minutes late. That bothered me. I hate being late to a play. An expensive one.

The Gershwin Theater is beautiful. Plus, everything about the play was great. The costumes are top notch, the special effects and lighting. Oz's silver huge mechanical head that had beaming red lights. This thing freaked me out and I am an adult! I know for many here, this would be a nightmare, and believe me, it wasn't easy dealing with all of this stimulation. I had to take two ativan to calm down. But the green witch and the singing was just wonderful. The flying monkeys attached to strings going above our heads. All I could think is, this is wonderful for the little ones. Their bright big eyes. How nice. :D I want to be a kid again. I was well when I was a kid.

Through the whole play, I was preoccupied with the pain that resided behind my eyes. How my thumbs were hurting and how this flu I have, whatever it is that has lasted for 2 months is driving me nuts! I have syrup running down the back of my throat and honestly, I am happy to be here and yet miserable all in one. I am on olive leaf extract and Oregano capsules to no avail.

I pushed these thoughts away. To look at all of the people. Are they from New York? They are dressed in black, they must be! New Jersey? Connecticut? Where are they from! Where are the women from in front of me because they are speaking a language I cannot recognize. It's so exciting and yet such a reminder of how I don't get out much. But I am lucky to get out at all. But we always want more and I want to be able to get out more.

The ride home was long and tiring. After midnight. My mind had hit a wall. I was brain dead. I came into my apartment and fell into bed. And I slept and woke up today at 1:30 in the afternoon. I sit here in my pajamas typing this. Silence. Total needed silence.

Was it a great experience...no. Was the play wonderful, YES. Do I wish I could do it again and have it better? YES. I am thankful I made it...you bet! I think of everyone who is too sick to go anywhere and I want to cry.

This play is a far cry from the Wizard of Oz as we know it, but I love the different interpretation of it and the many funny lines.

The play is wonderful because it is about 2 witches. One witch is green and one witch is blonde and beautiful. The green witch possesses the most power, the blonde witch....the guys swoon for...sort of. Until they realize the beauty that the green witch has...her beautiful heart. And unlike a love story, this story is about the underdog. The underdog who is picked on for her green skin. A friendship blossoms between beauty and the beast and that is what was beautiful about the play. I loved it.

Think GREEN for so many reasons! :D Green witch, green food, green lifestyle.

Comments

i enjoyed reading this. i am glad that you were able to see the play. so your friends know about your illness ?
 
This girl does not really get it. She has a sister who has Fibromyalgia. But she works full time! She had no idea how hard yesterday was with me and I do a good job at gauging if someone is capable of hearing it and if they would even get it; she would not be one of those people. I don't know her very well. We just both wanted to see Wicked so made that plan. I would love to go with another person with CFS. I would love to have a CFS pal in the flesh!
 
I'm glad you got to see it. Well, at least being sick makes us appreciate these things so much more. Any time I do get to do something away from home, I really appreciate it so much.
 
I am so pleased that you made it.:Retro smile:

Events earlier in the week didn't look hopeful for your energy levels - mental or physical.

The musical Wicked sounded fabulous. I didn't see it when it was here in Melbourne, and your blog made me wish I had (although, the cost of some of these shows make it impossible for me - noise, bright lights, sitting too long & ticket price ).
 
Yes, I am paying for it today! Indoors in bed. Took a shower, but that's about it. Bummer....
 
I really pay for it when I visit the East Coast - too much walking. I love visiting NY for short periods - such a stimulating interesting place - but I honestly think that even after a week of being careful I'd be toast. A tough place for CFSer's.
 
It's funny that you say that Cort because my friend wants me to go see a doc in NYC and I am thinking, "seriously?" It's too far and I am too sick to deal with it. I can't handle the subways and trains. It literally makes me sick.
 
I've always wanted to see New-York, small town drives me crazy....hours of driving just for a dr whom maybe understands something. Thanks for sharing Spitfire....hang in there, just when you think your dying of fatigue and there is no hope a little sun ray will always brake through the fog of hellish cfs.
 

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Author
Misfit Toy
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