Yes, I am back from what felt like death.
I dropped off my blog 3 weeks ago to prepare for what was suppose to be a month's vacation with the entire family ("entire" includes both kids and my mom) to San Miguel de Allende, a place Bossy seems to know well. Right before we left, the month was cut down to 2 weeks due to a conflict with my job, but nonetheless, 2 weeks was still a lot of packing for me to tackle and hence my disappearing act.
I will spare you (some of) the gory details, and will jump right to the good stuff. The "vacation" was doomed from the start.... First it was cut in half, which in hindsight was a good thing. Then when we arrived in Mexico, we left one of the suitcases at the airport (picture 3 adults trying to manage 4 suitcases, 6 carry-ons, 2 kids, 2 strollers and 2 car seats -- all after 8 hours of flying and 2 flights). Then, 3 days into the "vacation" Justin got so sick we had to call an ambulance and have him rushed to the local hospital. He had a fever of 105.5, a double ear infection, and a swollen throat, all of which was making it hard for him to breathe. The ER staff actually thought he was choking on something, despite my futile attempts to explain in broken Spanish the contrary.
To add to the drama at the hospital, the ER doctor saw a bruise across Justin's back which he had gotten earlier in the day after an innocent spill on some rocks. When questioned about the bruise, Husband turned to me and said, "Is it from the fall?" In my panic over the fever and other ailments, I had forgotten about the fall and replied, "What fall?" to which the ER doctor quipped, "You know, in Mexico we take child abuse very seriously." An image of Husband and I rotting in a Mexican jail instantly flashed before my eyes as I heard Husband yell, "He falls all the time! He falls all the time! He just learned to walk!"
Seemingly satisfied by Husband's reply, or panic, the staff moved on to treating Justin. Three hours and $1,234.52 pesos later, we were discharged with a potent dose of an antibiotic that made Justin even more sick and did nothing to break his fever. By this time, I myself was so sick with diarrhea I stopped eating.
Thirty-six hours after the hospital stint Justin was still terribly sick -- he had completely stopped eating and would only nurse (hence part two of my post title: breastmilk saved my baby's life), his fever hovered between 103 and 104, not to mention I myself couldn't keep anything in, so Husband and I decided we had to get out of dodge.
A week after we left for San Miguel, we landed back in PHL with a sigh of relief. The night before we returned home Justin was so sick I thought we were going to have to take him back to the hospital. There was actually a moment where I was afraid he was dying.... Husband and I discussed my taking him to the children's hospital in Houston where we had a layover, but thankfully Justin pulled through and tolerated the flight home. But it was still another 4 days before there was any obvious sign that he was feeling better.
Within 24 hours of returning home, Lucas was sick with the same viral infection and had a fever of 104 for 6 days. And me, I was not able to keep anything in me for a torturous 10 days (Get it? It's all fun and games until you lose your small intestine....). My doctor had finally written a script for me to leave "a sample" for analysis when I turned the corner. Husband got sick our last day in Mexico and thankfully began to feel better today. The only person to get out of Mexico unscathed was my mom. Go figure!
And lest you are thinking to yourself, "It was the water," IT WAS NOT THE WATER! We drank only bottled water and stayed clear of ice. Not to mention the house we rented while in San Miguel had a filtration system for showering and brushing teeth.
If you haven't read enough, email me and I will fill you in on the unusual thunder and lightening storms that flooded the streets and houses every night we were there and in which Husband, Lucas and I almost got swept away. Oh, and did I mention the fact that my husband had to work every day while on "vacation"? Like I said, we just weren't meant to be there. At least not then.
So how is everyone else's summer going?
wow. So when are you scheduling the vacation to recover from your vacation?
Posted by: digsite | July 28, 2007 at 01:18 PM
Bossy is speechless. Guess you didn't have any Margaritas at Cafe Jacaranda, huh?
Bossy's friend from San Miguel was just visiting and told the story of a friend of her's with a t-shirt which reads "I went to (the hospital in San Miguel) and lived."
Posted by: BOSSY | July 24, 2007 at 09:30 AM
That sounds like the worst vacation ever!!!!! I was having a pity party at not being able to take a vacation this year. I think now, I'll just pour myself a margarita, sit on my own couch and watch my kids play with their toys. I'm sorry your vacation was so bad, but it made me take a mini one after reading about it :)
Posted by: Mary Boston | July 23, 2007 at 11:33 PM
I thought I had the worst Mexico story (15 hours in a Mexican jail for allegidly copulating on the beach) But yours beats even that! I'm so glad you're all on the mend! Breast IS best!
Posted by: nutmeg | July 22, 2007 at 11:07 AM
so sorry about your vacation. glad to hear that you are feeling better. poor babies! :( and poor mama & daddy.
Posted by: Amanda | July 20, 2007 at 11:51 PM
Holy crap, Melissa. Sorry that is probably the last word you want to hear.
I was just stopping by to see if you posted. I am so sorry your trip was a total nightmare ... I mean super scary stuff.
I am glad you are all home safe and healthy.
Posted by: Leah | July 20, 2007 at 10:38 PM
Oh, Melissa, what a nightmare. I am so glad you are home and recovering at last. How frightening to have your little one so ill at home, much less in a foreign country where you are not sure of the quality of medical care, there is a language barrier, and then are afraid of getting caught up in their legal system over questions of child abuse! Ok. Next vacation to somewhere warm and tropical? Florida. Where some people do still speak English (LOL!) and I can personally direct you to excellent medical care should you need it!
Posted by: Lisa | July 17, 2007 at 09:46 PM
that sounds so scary. i'm glad you all are feeling better, i don't think i would have left the hospital.
as for the doc accusing you of child abuse: they always seem to look at the innocent parents suspiciously before looking at the ones who are actually abusing their children. assholes.
so next year's vaca is in the backyard i presume?
Posted by: Diana | July 17, 2007 at 09:38 PM
How was Justin able to tolerate the flights home with double ear infections?
I'm so glad your home and safe, and I bet you are, too. Welcome back.
That certainly doesn't sound like a vacation; it sounds like my worst nightmare.
Did you ever get your suitcase back?
Posted by: Amy | July 16, 2007 at 11:16 PM