7-24-09 Dianne, Antonio, Eliana & Soleil with Tulum Mayan Dancers in Mexico
Friends:
It was supposed to be an idyllic family vacation in Cancun, Mexico. Turquoise waters. Sugar sands. Mayan Ruins. Fun in the Caribbean sun. And it was. Until we got home.
7-25-09 Soleil and Eliana being goofy in the hotel room on our last night in Cancun
Our family (my husband, our 19 year old daughter, Soleil, our 9 year old daughter, Eliana, and I) vacationed in Cancun, Mexico from July 20-26, 2009 at Dreams Resort & Spa. On the last day we were there, Soleil didn’t feel well and stayed in bed while we went to Mercado 28 downtown and took a last dip at the beach. Before we left, Soleil asked if she could see the resort’s doctor but there was no time. We had a flight to catch.
7-26-09 Last day in Cancun, view from Dreams Spa & Resort hotel room balcony
We arrived home late Sunday night, July 26. Soleil went to work late on Monday. By Monday evening, she was complaining of a sore throat and asking for tea. She went to work on Tuesday but later that night, she began coughing and sneezing. She felt so bad that she decided not to go to work on Wednesday. By this time, her nose was dripping and we thought she had a really bad cold. She took over the counter medication, which provided little relief.
On Thursday morning (July 30), she barely had any voice. When I looked at her, she was flush. I touched her skin and she was burning up. When I took her temperature, she was running 102.5 F fever. She didn’t want to eat the soup I made for her and complained of achiness and chills. I was alarmed but I didn’t want to jump to conclusions. Still, my mind wandered… “We did just return from Mexico. She has all the flu symptoms.” I called the doctor’s office and talked to a nurse who advised me to bring her in right away.
So, of course, I did. While waiting for the doctor, she had uncontrollable chills and was still burning up. She wanted nothing more than to lie down. After a long wait at the “Urgent Care,” they finally called her name.
The doctor swabbed her nostrils and said she tested positive for Influenza A – H1N1, commonly referred to as the “swine flu.” Concerned about pneumonia, he took chest x-rays, which fortunately showed no signs of pneumonia. The doctor prescribed her Tamiflu, Ibuprofen 600 for the headache and aches, and Robitussin with codeine for her cough and mucus build-up. We were also given a “Swine Influenza” information sheet.
7-30-09 Soleil's Influenza A - H1N1 medications
After filling her prescriptions at our Neighborhood Wal-Mart, we went home where she promptly crawled into bed. Unfortunately, Soleil has to be quarantined. If she comes into the common areas of the house, she has to wear a mask. I am supposed to wear a mask when I enter her room. Because she is quarantined, I have to wait on her hand and foot. This, I don’t mind. I am her mother. That’s what mothers do… We take care of our children and we pray for their speedy recovery.
We had to send our 9 year old daughter, Eliana, away to stay with my mom. She is young and we wanted to minimize her exposure to the illness. This, I mind. She’s starting school soon and I am sad that I don’t get to spend as much time with her.
The swine flu is a costly illness. Soleil is missing a lot of work. Since she is a student worker, she does not get paid for the days she does not work. She has no “sick leave.” The doctor visit included the H1N1 swab, x-rays, and medication administered on-site. That will no doubt cost a pretty penny. Tamiflu is not cheap either. Fortunately, we have health insurance but all these costs add up and we pay for it, one way or another.
The good news is that Soleil seems to be responding well to the medications. Earlier today, she was listless and exhausted. This evening, she was sitting up in bed, asking for orange juice. She has been drinking a ton of water so dehydration shouldn’t be an issue.
When we booked our vacation, our resort promised a “swine-flu free guarantee” or they would give guests three free vacations. It is even advertised on the hotel’s Facebook page. As soon as we arrived home from the doctor, I wrote a letter, attached a photo of Soleil’s prescriptions, and emailed it to their customer service department. It will be interesting to see how they respond in the face of a claim. I will let you know how all this works out… Of course, I wouldn’t trade three free vacations for my daughter’s health any day. Her well-being is tantamount. But I do hope the hotel follows through with their guarantee as a show of good faith. One of the reasons we chose that hotel was because of that guarantee. We postponed our family vacation from May because of the swine flu epidemic and U.S. travel advisories.
Thank you to everyone who sent their well-wishes. Soleil is strong and is already conquering this swine flu. It too will become yet another story in our lives…
Until next time…
Warmly, Dianne
