Christmas Vacation Part 1 - Merry Sickmas

Christmas Eve - Dave, Paige, Ashley, and the "throw-up bowl"

This year our Christmas vacation to Utah was no "Griswold Family Christmas" but we did have our share of mishaps. Our mishaps didn't involve Christmas lights or squirrels they involved coughing, vomiting, toilets, throw-up bowls, etc. Our family was sick for almost the whole two weeks were in Utah. We obviously didn't make for good company or house guests. Just ask Grandma Smith who washed our sheets mutiple times, made us chicken noodle soup, and basically put up with us throwing up all over her house. Grandma's misfortune was our good fortune as we were very lucky to have someone to take care of us! SORRY, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH!

We actually arrived in Utah a little under-the-weather. I had been battling a cold since the first of December, it wasn't getting better and I had also passed it onto Dave. By the time we left for Utah on Dec. 16th, I had been diagnosed with bronchitis and the constant coughing had strained the muscles in my neck causing them to painfully spasm. After a difficult flight, Dave and I arrived in Utah in less than our best condition. Our respiratory colds, were only aggravated by a weather inversion in Utah that resulted in the second worst air quality in the nation. Dave, with his cold and asthma, had a hard time even going outside.

Little did we know that this wasn't the worst of it. A few days into our trip, Paige woke up vomiting and was very sick the whole day. We felt bad for her until about 36 hours later when Ashley and Dave got sick, and not to be left out, me about 8 hours after them. We were so sick that it was basically every man for himself---you couldn't worry about anyone else because you felt so horrible yourself. I won't give too many gruesome details, but I have never been so sick in my life! This stomach bug lasted about 24 hours and made you violently ill as your body purged everything. I might have thought food poisoning but there was nothing that we all ate in common and once the vomiting and other stuff stopped, you still felt icky for a few days after.

Good Times with Dave and Paige - sick on the couch


The Family Christmas Eve party was cancelled, as no one wanted to risk catching whatever we had, but fortunately, the worst of it was over by Christmas Day and were able to enjoy some time with family.

Looking back we can now laugh at this whole experience. This will be a Christmas that will keep in our memories, as we of course recognize that our difficulties are of small consequence.