What I Did On My Spring Break

(as told to Des by Craig)

Dimitri (the penguin hater) and I went to Florida. They were having a special on convertibles, so that's what we were driving around. This is where I got my first sunburn of the week. We saw some baseball games between the DC Nationals ("the Nats") and the NY Mets (the "Mets"). Just about everyone there was from New York, either visiting their favorite team's spring training, or recently relocated (read: retired) to sunny, sunny Florida.

As this was sunny, sunny Florida, and we couldn't spend all our time at baseball games, we went to the beach. I had forgotten my swim trunks and towel at home, so I bought more. Luckily this small beach town had numerous (2) surf shops where such provisions could be acquired. While on the beach, I got sunburned. Again. It may have happened somewhere between the margaritas and trips in & out of the water, forgetting to re-apply sunscreen, and the sleeping in the sun. Did I mention we had margaritas?

After 3 full days of sunny, sunny Florida, it was time to go home. I left the digital camera in the rental car, but was able to call them from the airport to have it mailed home. Our flight was delayed, because apparantly LaGuardia Airport was having some issues. It's always having issues. So after being in the air for plenty of time, our plane was not allowed to land. We kept circling and circling, slowly extending our 2- hour flight into a 4- hour flight. And they didn't even give us any more water.

When I finally do get home, Des is asleep of course. This was to be expected as it's after midnight and she has to work tomorrow. I wake her up briefly to announce my arrival and complain a little bit about my sunburn, then go to sleep myself. The next day, Des is already gone when I wake up, so I lounge about the house. I'm still very sleepy, and on Spring Break, so I allow myself a Pajama Day.

Then it is St. Patrick's Day. I am still sunburned, and starting to feel really sick. I don't eat all day, but am throwing up constantly. Can't even drink water. No fun. I call Des to have her come home early from work because something is really wrong with me. While I wait for her, I make myself an anti-dehydration concoction the the WHO invented to help people in Africa. It involves orange juice, baking soda, salt, and sugar. It helps a little, but I am still throwing up. When Des gets home she makes me take a bath, hoping it will help re-hydrate me. Unfortunately, I already used all the hot water, so the bath was cold. I tried to drink more of the concoction, but I just kept throwing it up. Time for medicine.

I make sure there is an urgent care clinic at the NYU health center, and there is. Open til 6. Off we go, taking the subway to the psuedo-hospital. We arrive and are admitted fairly quickly. I guess they won't be busy until people start drinking themselves to death. Everyone is very nice, and the NP's name is Happy. Luckily, they didn't spend any time convinced I was on drugs (as in previous trips to the ER) and hooked me up to a sodium chloride IV. Des politely looks away during the initial injection so she doesn't pass out. The saline is cold, and makes my arm all tingly and cold. I put it under the blankets and put a hot pack on it. That helps. The nurses check in on us every so often while I nap and Des reads. She knows from previous hospital trips to bring a book. Smart cookie. They empty almost 3 liters of saline into my body and give me an RX for an anti-nausea medicine. Then they essentially kick us out because they are closed. "Come back at 10 tomorrow if you need to." Super. I still feel sick.

We decide to spring for a cab on the way home, but forget that there was some sort of parade earlier in the day. Not a single on-duty empty cab to be had. So we crowd back onto the subway, as it is now rush hour. Maybe I was just over-sensitive because I was sick, but it seemed to me that the subway ride was even bumpier and more nausea-inducing than normal. When we finally get home, I am really sick. Haven't thrown up in a few hours, but I'm incredibly unhappy. I take another shower, as the hot water has returned, and make myself comfy in bed. Des sets up the (recently fixed) bedroom computer so I can watch the Simpsons. I take my medicine and wait for it to kick in, making me drowsy. Des watches a couple episodes with me, but eventually leaves to go eat dinner. Because she left work before lunch, she had barely eaten anything all day. I haven't eaten all day either, but I'm not complaining. Well, yes I am, but that's because I'm sick

My Spring Break isn't quite over (still have the weekend) but it's not turning out to be as much fun as I had hoped. Hospital trips tend to put a damper on things. Hopefully I am not sick much longer. Hydrate! Hydrate, damn you!

The moral of the story is:
Sunscreen! And if that doesn't work, drink plenty of fluids all the time!.


You can also check this out for an explanation.