In the lead-up to our trip, I told Joy that I knew something unpleasant and unexpected was inevitable. (This isn’t so much a vacation as real life on another continent—and annoying things happen in real life, right?)
Her response? “Well… at least it’ll be happening in Europe!”
Fast forward to this morning.
I’m writing this on the other side of a full-blown Nurse-Mom marathon: a floor covered in vomit (along with clothes and sheets), at least four showers for the patient, two loads of laundry (handled by John), and essentially zero sleep. How glamourous…
So yes—we’re wandering historic boulevards and soaking in beautiful views… AND I’m running on fumes. I’ve had two full nights of sleep since we landed (for various reasons), and now I’m bracing for what feels like an inevitable stomach bug tour of the entire family. (Please, no.)
I collapsed into bed around 6 am, woke up at 9:30, and feel completely discombobulated. I’m not used to starting the day this late, and everything feels off.
Small victories? Our AirBnB has an excellent coffee maker and I’m about to head over to pour my third mug.
There are more cheerful, touristy recaps to come. I might even post one later today; at this rate, I suspect we could be housebound for the next day or so!
But hey… at least it’s happening in Europe?!
Your turn:
- Have you ever gotten sick on a trip?
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At least it’s happening in Europe, Elisabeth!!
The upside of such a long stay is that a couple of slower days really don’t matter. You’ve got the luxury of time, and some proper rest can work wonders.
Wishing a speedy recovery to all the sick!!
YES! I am so glad this didn’t happen in Munich (or en route). Of all the places and all the times, this is a “good” point in our trip to get sick.
We have lots of time to take things slowly when health or other circumstances demand it!
Oh no! At least there’s Laundry facilities close at hand!
When the kids were younger, we had one trip to visit family where we all came down the a stomach virus which had symptoms at both ends. About 5 or 6 of us went down domino style. Not the best vacation. Another where one daughter spent most of her time sick – I think that’s when she started developing gluten sensitivity.
Hang in there – get some sleep when you can. Prayers!
I am SO thankful for having an in-apartment laundry machine. I cannot even imagine tackling a stomach bug without it.
Ugh. I live in fear of the domino effect! I remember one Christmas we were away when Belle was young and she was sick for THREE weeks. When we arrived at our first stop, within minutes she threw up all over the floor and basically never was well. That was also the year every single leg of our journey involved driving through snow storms. Then and there we vowed NEVER to travel for Christmas again 😉
The coffee is propelling me now. I have zero get up and go; really should rally and head out to grab a few groceries. My planned supper is NOT sensitive stomach friendly, so I need to rethink food plans for the day.
Every single one of us is still in PJs, though, and it’s a bit cozy (now that the vomit has stopped!!)
Oh no! I sincerely hope the rest of you can avoid the bug. I have gotten food poisoning on so many trips that I can hardly bear eating out. I prefer to get stuff at a grocery store, and I’ve never gotten sick since. (Knock on wood!) But a bug can come from anywhere, not just food, and there’s not much to do but rest and hope it passes quickly. Hang in there!
Eeks! Food poisoning sounds TERRIBLE and to have had it happen multiple times is positively awful, Michelle. I’ve never knowingly had food poisoning. I wonder if it’s all the public transit we’re taking? Lots of bugs circulating, I’m sure and in confined spaces.
Thankfully, the worst seems to be behind us (at least for Patient 0)
When I was 10, going on 11, my parents sent me alone to France to visit a family whose daughter we had hosted through an exchange program. I had just learned to ride a bike, and ended up falling off a bike and getting ten stitches in my forehead and a two-day stay in a hospital. I remember doctors and nurses crowding in the doorway to peer at me while the one doctor who spoke English chatted with me. He said they had never seen a little American girl on her own in their country. Suffice to say I do not recommend being alone, a child, and in a foreign hospital! Later I went back to France as a teenager and got very ill from the water or something in Nice, but it was a one-day thing.
Consider having all other families start a regime of purple grape juice a couple times a day. Some say it is preventive. If not, it is at least a yummy Old Wives Tale. I’ve used it many times with success.
Yipes! Yes at least it’s in Europe, and at least it’s early in the trip so the kiddos can be sick and get it over with. Hopefully the tummy bug will keep itself to the one kid.
ARRG! Well, thank goodness you’re there for a long stretch- imagine if you had one week to explore Vienna and this happened. I hope the rest of the family doesn’t get it (is that even possible???)
This is weird, but I can’t remember getting sick on a trip. Everyone else has such colorful stories. I guess this is a good thing to be boring with.
Looking forward to more recaps!!!