Pass the Bucket Please

Just to let anyone know in advance in case somehow you meet me at a fairground, don’t sit next to me on rides. I won’t puke up on you (I’ll try not to), but I will start going green around the gills. So, just a little heads up. I’m not so bad travelling, but I can’t read books or comics in cars or be a back-seat passenger anymore or sit facing the opposite direction on trains. Yeah, sounds sucky I know but sadly it gets worse. It also expands to my gaming. *insert Nelson Muntz laugh here*

I’ve not always been queasy playing video games, there was a time when I had an iron stomach, but as I’ve gotten older my stomach has become more sensitive and now I get sick when that horrid Matalan advert comes on! It has become a burden because there are so many good games out there, but my motion sickness stops me from playing them, or I do end up playing them and then becoming ridiculously pukey afterwards. The last game that knocked me silly was the Xbox 360 version of Mirror’s Edge developed by EA. I had wanted to play the game for some time and I took the opportunity to experience it. To sum up how the game made me feel, please see the Penny Arcade comic strip below:

Yep, that’s how I felt and I could only complete the tutorial! I was pretty much down for the count and had to retire to bed for a few hours to recover, I am not kidding. So I do need to be careful when it comes to video games. I need my glass of water and some sweets on stand by for sugar or just a can of Cola. The only advice I’ve been given is either not play the games or if I decide to do so I have to have breaks and stop if the queasiness gets too much for me. It can be frustrating because I can’t play games like Portal, Army of Two or Unreal Tournament with friends, I have to watch them play and even that can set me off! I’ve been advised to get tablets from the doctor, but I feel it will be a waste of time and I believe my doctor will insist I stop playing computer games altogether and I’m not about to do that. It’s something I will have to live with.