Pride Parade – NYC

Sorry for the delayed post guys, I know I have been quiet for a few days, however it’s been a whirlwind experience in New York City. The amount of sight seeing we crammed into 4 days, as well as experiencing one of the biggest pride parades in the history of my life, was phenomenal. To see the original Pride flag from 1978, and to see some of the original members from Stonewall 50 years ago in the Pride was beyond believable.

Myself and my partner have seen the World Trade Centre memorial, The New Trade Centre (Freedom Tower), on a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and to Time Square (to name a few).

Our really good friends, Paul and Louis, arrived as well on a spur of a moment decision. We have been eating at all these amazing restaurants and was able to reconnect with our USA friend (Kevin), as well as with friends of ours from Amsterdam (Bob and Martijn), so it has been amazing.

I have been taking my medication and even though you are not allowed to drink on the medication, I have been really good and cheated but with limits in mind (one or two glasses max).

However after witnessing my dear friend go into a fit (basically like an elliptic fit), due to the heat and his electrolytes crashing; he was standing next to me and the next minute passed out on the floor knocking over a sidewalk stall and shaking back and forth in an uncontrollable fit…..well you can just imagine, my anxiety shot through the roof. Thank God, his partner Louis is a Doctor and was able to attend immediately to him. Although I was scared shitless (to put it, and excuse my french), the concern from passing Americans was overwhelming that they were willing to assist, if needed.

So basically I am trying to say that there are still some good people out there (giving us hope). Paul is a fellow suffer of a mental illness and has been another pillar of support during my vulnerable diagnoses of Bipolar Mood Disorder (So to see him in that state – you can imagine was extremely terrifying).

But after he came around and was back with us, we were able to laugh about it later on in the evening.

My Anxiety sky rocketed again though, this time during the actual NYC Pride festival, as the four of us got separated while a mass crowd began pushing and shoving. Mark and Paul got separated from Louis and myself. I began to shake uncontrollably and my hands were trembling as if I had Parkinson’s disease, however luckily I was able to grab Louis’s hand and immediately squeezed it, he immediately was able to sense that something was going on (he is also my GP after all). Something eventually switched in me and I just pulled Louis with me to get out of the crowd (it was like the fight or flight mode kicked in and took control of my body – like in autopilot mode).

This trip has been an absolute blessing but I must also admit that it has been a learning curve for me, as I am learning new things about myself. I have been lost for ages, and I am now able to start making sense of some of the things that happens in my thinking, when certain things happen – with that been said I would not have changed one thing on this trip.

I am blessed and I know it. So this blog currently comes to you guys while Mark and I wait to board our American Airlines flight to Chicago (The second leg of our journey). So as I get ready to board a flight, I wish you all a fabulous day/evening, and just wanted to take the chance to give you all an update as to why I have been a bit quiet.

This is me over and out.