After the stress of the few weeks leading up to my medical review and the shock of my doctors conclusions… I have to say our vacation to Fiji couldn’t have come at a better time.  We are back now – and I haven’t felt this relaxed in a very long time.

However… the trip wasn’t without incident.  All I wanted to do was forget I was sick while I was away – naturally my cruel little disease wouldn’t let that happen – no, of course not.

We left on March 8th at 4am.  There is quite the saga with the flight and Qantas and delays and changes…. but in the interest of being brief and remaining calm, I’m not going to get into it. I woke up that morning feeling really shady.  Stomach cramps… bloating… but I got dressed and got on with it.  Unfortunately we were flying out of Brisbane airport – about an hour drive north of Queensland’s Gold Coast – that sort of drive is always imposing, particularly when your not feeling well to start with.  We were holidaying with my partners family for the first time – and embarrassingly enough, we only made it to Logan (about half way) before my Crohn’s made its known.  We stopped at a petrol station (luckily I get warning when I need to stop – I know many don’t), where I spent about 15 minutes trying to sort out the situation.  Thank god I am the “plane Nazi” and insist on being at the airport at least an hour before we need to…. it has a bit to do with unscheduled Crohn’s stops – but more to do with duty free shopping (what can I say?).  Needless to say I was dying of embarrassment… for people who don’t spend much time with you and don’t understand what happens to see you like that – well… its pretty mortifying.

We made it in time.. plenty of time.  I was able to sit down, have something to eat and take all my morning medication before I heard my name over the loud speaker.  First thing through my head “they scanned my luggage, saw all my medication, think I’m a junkie and are going to put me in jail”.  Turns out that wasn’t it – our flight was moved so we could get around a rather serious weather front in Sydney.  Everything went surprisingly smoothly from there… we made all the flights, I duty free shopped like there’s no tomorrow, arrived unpacked and started our holiday.  I didn’t have any other problems until the following Tuesday – the day of our day trip to Robinson Crusoe Island.  I woke at about 6am with sharp pains followed by diarrhea that I can only compare to a session after having “the drink” they make you have before a scope.  It was horrific – but I (stupidly) forced myself on the hour bus rid and bot trip to the Island.  When I got there – I smelled lunch once and spent the rest of the day heaving my guts up or on the toilet…. with the entire family in tow.  It wasn’t really as bad as I can get – it was more food poisoning or water contamination than a Crohn’s flare (I stupidly drank a cocktail with ice in it against my doctors specific orders the night before) but I have no doubt that it was made worse by my underlying condition.   Through either a stroke of genius of dumb luck I threw my packet of Stemetil in Stockers backpack before leaving the room – I would say that was the only thing that saved me that day.  It was certainly the only thing that allowed me to get back on the boat and subsequent bus.

Even with all that happening and my almost dying of embarrassment from it all about a thousand times – I can still honestly say I had a great holiday and it has prepared me for the next few months.

I return to work(s) on Monday and I’m already counting down till the Easter break.  For now, I have people to harass for RSVP’s for the wedding – I’m sure I will regale everyone with more holiday stories and news of my impending MRI and surgical consult soon.