All last week, I was feeling great. New York was freezing, but we were gearing up for spring break vacation. Instead of doing our usual Park City ski trip in March, we decided to switch things up and go somewhere much warmer. Mike and I had promised the girls seven days of fun, sun and swimming at a resort in Mexico.
“You know how every time we go on a trip, all you guys want to do is go back to the hotel to swim in the pool? Well…on this vacation, we will barely leave the hotel and you can spend all day, every day swimming in the pool!”
“”YAY!!!!!!”
On Saturday, I packed up the kids and packed up myself. Mike took one look at our bags and said, “Are we moving to Mexico?” It wasn’t even my stuff that seemed extreme. It’s the girls. There are so many old summer dresses and rompers and sandals that I love and I keep thinking, “Will they be too small by the summer? Is this my last chance to see them in these clothes???” Moms get so sentimental about outfits.
We put the kids to bed in their comfy clothes for the plane. Then I set my alarm for 6am to get up and head out the door for the airport. I brushed my teeth, put my head down on my pillow, closed my eyes and BOOM.
Throat tickle. Nose suddenly stuffy out of nowhere. Oh fuck me. I was getting sick.
I say “was getting sick” because that’s the correct tense for the story. But the truth is, I am currently sick. In Mexico. Helloooo!!!! Achoo.
I know, woe is me. I’m not asking for anyone’s pity. I would just like to point out that this happens to me ALL. THE. TIME.
Remember when I took Mazzy to Paris? I was sick as a dog. I had the worst cold I’ve ever had in my life. Taking cold medicine just made it worse because I got so dry and clogged that I could barely blow my nose and it all just sat there, making me feel terrible. I was so stuffed up and coughing so much, I could not sleep at night. I know some people say that, even though technically, they are drifting in and out of sleep. That was not the case with me. I literally DID NOT SLEEP. So every day, in addition to my cold, a jetlag headache compounded on itself.
Still, I had an awesome time. We still did everything we planned to do and I just powered through. I even completely forgot that I was sick in Paris until recently, when I came across some vlogging footage of the trip. I was talking to camera and I sounded terrible. That’s why, when you go back and watch the Paris travel vlog, you’ll see I narrated the whole thing after the fact from my office.
There’s been many other vacations when I’ve been sick. I think it’s because my body keeps it together through regular work weeks and thinks it’s doing me a favor by waiting until I say, “This week we will relax and do NOTHING!” Then my body is like, “Nothing? Phew! Okay, so I’m going to unleash all this mucus that I’ve been busy storing up because I’m on break too!”
But, I will not stay in my room, resting in bed. I will go swimming and sight see and drink cocktails by the pool and go out at night and just pretend like all is well. I’ll just be doing it with a trail of dirty tissues in my wake. If you hear a man’s voice behind the camera on my Snapchat and you’re like, “Who the hell is that?” That’s not a man. That’s me with a throat cold!
A few years from now, just like with Paris and many vacations before it, I’ll look back at the photos and videos from this trip and not even remember I was sick. I’ll remember the beautiful weather and the adorable sundresses and the cocktails.
We’re in Mexico!!!! Cheers.
I am the exact same way!! I swear I get sick every time I go on vacation. But somehow it’s still better to be sick laying poolside, I just pretend the sunshine will cure me. Hope you feel better, I hear poolside cocktails are the best medicine anyway. Enjoy your trip, the pictures of the water slide fun, yummy food, and gorgeous pools are making me jealous 🙂
I would love to get your insider info on the best beach vacations to take with the kids. I have toddlers. My usnand wants to do Bali and I do, too, but maybe not with toddlers. I would love to hear more about Mexico and places you have stayed that are great with the kiddos. TIA!!
Flonase is a godsend. Seriously, after years of back to back sinus infections, constantly getting sick at all the wrong times (read: Thanksgiving). I finally listened to my doctors and started taking Flonase. It’s been a lifechanger, especially for us moms on the go.
Maybe your symptoms are allergies. Different flora and fauna can trigger a reaction that resembles a cold.