Memory #4

Motion Sickness + Claustrophobia = Panic Attack

The setting: Universal Studios California
The Event: My Honeymoon
The Ride: Back to the Future

I'll admit, there was a sign posted at the entrance of the ride that said people who suffer from motion sickness, claustrophobia, and/or a number of other cowardly ailments should not go on the ride. In my defense, the Jurassic Park ride (and most of the other rides in the park for that matter) posted a similar disclaimer and they didn't bother me, so I thought I'd be fine.

So, we decide to go on the ride- we being me and my brand new husband who really don't even know each other very well yet (we weren't even at the farting in front of each other stage in our relationship yet).

They buckled us into the "Delorian" with six other people. I was getting a little anxious as soon as I saw the tiny thing. Totally strapped in with no chance for escape and the "roof" only inches from the top of my head. I mistakenly thought that sitting on the out side would help me feel a little more comfortable. No such luck.

The ride starts when the little cars are raised about ten feet into the air to face a wrap around screen. The show starts and it looks like you are driving. The buildings and trees are flying past on the sides of the big screen and then you "take off" in to the air. In the mean time the car is rocking and jerking in synchronization with the show to make it feel like you're flying too. Very realistic...a little too realistic for me. I started to get motion sick (I get motion sick on a swing, so this was WAY too much ). I thought, well, if I close my eyes it won't be so bad, right? WRONG! I was still sick and the fact that I couldn't get away from the feelings that were making me ill and I knew I was helpless, made it worse. The claustrophobia set in full force and I started to freak out. For those of you who have not ever experienced a panic attack, you won't understand, but I felt like if I didn't get out of there THIS MINUTE I would die. The world would implode, and that would be the end of me.

I started yelling : "I have to get off, I have to get off!" Poor Adam was just helplessly watching me flip out and didn't know what to do. Panic attacks are apparently accompanied by an adrenaline rush and a boost of super human strength, because I grabbed the lap bar and forced it off of my self, wiggled out of the shoulder harness and threw my self over the side of the car.

Luckily there was a platform around the car that I could step out on. I saw an exit and ran, but it was locked. So I just sat down. Meanwhile, Adam (who did not have the super human strength apparently) was stick in the car thinking I'd just propelled myself 10 feet to the ground.

Another interesting aspect of a panic attack is that as soon as you are removed from the distressing situation, you regain your senses and every thing is totally fine. That's when the embarrassment sets in. I'm sitting on the platform, next to the exit door, locked in with no way to escape. Then, orange lights started flashing and a voice over the loud speaker says "WARNING WARNING!" . I can see the other cars (at least 6) being lowered to the ground (apparently when you disengage the lap bar and jump from the ride, they don't like it, and they stop the ride). I can hear some guy complaining "Hey, I didn't pay sixty bucks for this!"

After a few minutes an employee opened the door and I just ran out into the sunshine to freedom- like I really wanted to wait around and explain what I was doing up there in the first place!

Adam was just exiting the ride when we found each other. The look of panic on his face was quickly replaced by one of relief when he saw that his new (crazy) bride was without bodily injury.

We spent the rest of the day on much tamer rides and enjoyed the rest of our trip. When we got on the air plane to come home though, I had to close my eyes and breathe deeply as the realization that I was trapped in the plane set in. When you have had one panic attack, it's much easier to have another one, I guess. I was OK, but I'm sure Adam was wondering what he'd gotten himself into. Luckily for me, he stuck around any way.