HOW I SURVIVED MY NIGHTMARE IN PARADISE

We couldn’t wait!
My husband had been sick for weeks fighting a reaction to a pneumonia shot and a sinus infection.  He was nearing the end of his antibiotic prescription just in time for our trip to Hawaii.

Suitcases packed with new swimming suits and sunscreen, our dogs were at a friend’s house and we were off to paradise!

It started out great! The sun was warm. The ocean calm. The condo we rented was perfect.

Two days into the trip the nightmare began.  My husband’s antibiotics ran out and he began spiraling back into painful sinusitis. We contacted his doctor at home requesting a refill be called into a local pharmacy to get him back to “well.” We had site-seeing, sailing and dinners planned.  We were in Hawaii!

Then it was my turn. It began with a throat tickle that quickly moved to a cough and headache. Searching the local area, it took three tries to find an Urgent Care that was open on Saturday.  Full blown ear infections for me.  We visited yet another pharmacy for my prescription. Our cart was filled with cough drops, juices and tissues.

We were a pair as we carried our pillows from the bed in the morning to the couches for the day. He couldn’t breathe and I couldn’t hear. He would go from reading to napping in short segments of both. I was literally a hot mess- with a fever and exhausted from my incessant coughing. My only relief was propping pillows to stay upright and trying to rest.

We watched out our window as the trade winds blew in- bending the palm trees, causing whitecaps on the ocean and as much turmoil outside as we were experiencing inside.

We felt sorry for ourselves. The vacation we had planned and looked forward to for a year was ruined.

We canceled our romantic dinner reservations and dined on cheese, crackers and juice.

We canceled sightseeing. Our excitement became watching the geckos chase each other across our deck.

We canceled kayaking, paddle boarding, and our sunset sail.
We wanted to go home!
 
Then on the day before our vacation came to an end, in between coughs and sniffling, I said,
   “What is good about this situation?
      What’s great about our life?”

We came up with a list:
It was good that we were together.
It was good that we found pharmacies,
   doctors and medications - and we could
   afford to pay for them.
We were both miserable, but neither of our
   afflictions were life-threatening- we would
   get better.
In one of our first days, we met a lovely
   couple at the pool that we plan to stay in
​   contact with.
Even though we weren’t out in the sun we
   still had an amazing view of the ocean.
We were fortunate that we had rented a
   condo with a full kitchen and a separate
   bedroom instead of a small hotel room.
We have a warm and wonderful home to
   return to.
We have money in the bank.
We have a great family and friends.
We have two fur babies that we adore.

​We went on and on until our list of blessings was so long that we realized no one would, or should, feel sorry for us.
 
Now, home with the nightmare behind us, we are both feeling better. Our view out the window is of snow. We sit with warm coffee in hand, dogs on our laps and smile at each other.

We have been to Hawaii before and know what a magical place it is.
We will return, but for now... There’s no place like home!
 
Pennie’s Life Lesson:
“When you feel sorry for yourself, ask - what is great about your life and the situation you are in.  It’s hard to be down when your list of blessings keeps adding up!”

---

Pennie Heart to Heart
HOW I SURVIVED MY NIGHTMARE IN PARADISE

YOUR TURN - 
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