ProudGrandma Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 we take long trips several times a year, but usually we end up at my parents or my in laws home...but this trip we are staying in hotels every night (but 1) and most days we are driving....(and this trip is 10 days long)...my fear? that one os us will come down with the stomach flu. It's one thing to be in a home...it is totally another thing to be in a hotel room...but what is worse yet, is that the reason we are taking this trip is so my (pastor) husband can marry some friends of his in Phoenix....and if one of us gets sick...we will have to press on... and that thought worries me... what do i do about this fear? What can I do to ease my worry?? thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 How often does a member of your family get the stomach flu? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 You are not a worrywart, just an experienced mom who doesnt want her family to suffer. I try to always carry Zofran or phenergan and immodium when we travel. Perhaps you could talk to your children's pediatrician to see if this is a feasible option for your trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busymama7 Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 You are worrying because the stomach flu is horrible. And it's horrible times 1,000 away from home :( Wash hands carefully and do immune boosting stuff before you leave and while traveling. Possibly look into carrying activated charcoal with you and studying how to use it. It has worked well for us but I won't use it on anyone at risk of not making it to a receptacle because the vommit(should they vommit again) will stain anything. I think from your other post that your kids are old enough though. Carry Lysol wipes. Do all you can and then relax. It will most likely be just fine ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 The worry isn't that unreasonable. We were away 4 days and ds6 and I both spent 48 hours sick (different hours luckily) ds4 had it a week early. But some people were just born to worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City Mouse Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 On the other hand, my family has taken many long car trips and never gotten sick on those trips. (Did have some issues on a trip to Disney). I think you are actually more likely to get sick after being stuck in an airplane with a bunch of people you don't know and haven't already shared germs with. My kids do have motion sickness sometimes, so we have a routine of keeping some extra ziplock bags, wet wipes, towels etc handy, and if someone says "I'm going to get sick" we stop right then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 overall we are pretty healthy...a cold here and there...no big deal on that one...but this trip we hope to sight see all our way to Arizona and back...but it's the long cars trips (7 hours a day average, staying in a hotel and then getting up and doing it all again the next day. I am already flu-phobic and thimes like these escalate my phobic-ness. I am going to look into the Zofran or phenergan, but I know nothing about those really. Will a doctor easily prescribe those upon request even if they aren't immediatedly needed? What is the protocall for using these medicines? thanks for the support and the suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 One thing we carry with us on a road trip is a plastic 5qt ice cream pail with lid. In that are several plastic bags (like the walmart grocery bags or you could use small trash can bags) and paper towels or napkins. That bucket works as an emergency puke pail or porta potty. You can then tie up the bag and dispose of it without a ton of mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I try to always carry Zofran or phenergan and immodium when we travel. Perhaps you could talk to your children's pediatrician to see if this is a feasible option for your trip. I assume those drugs (other than Immodium) were left over from after a surgery or some other procedure? A responsible doctor likely won't prescribe Zofran for no reason--and fearing you might get a stomach bug isn't one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Just wash your hands frequently, and you should be fine. You're no more likely to get sick on a road trip than you are at home. And the stomach flu is usually a brief illness (in most cases, no more than 48 hours of vomiting), so it shouldn't derail any plans even if someone does get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 I realize that it's no bigger risk than being at home...but my fear is completely centered around the fact that we will either be in a car or a hotel room the entire trip...and if you have the stomach flu the last place you want to be are those 2 places...or being cooped up with a sick person in those 2 places...THAT is my fear. I just read that drinking LOTS of 100% purple grape juice can keep someone from GETTING the stomach flu (not to be consumed after you already have it)....something with changing the pH in your body so the flu virus doesn't like it...I think apple cidar vinegar and lemon will do the same thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 If it's a minor worry, stop fixating on it and think about something else. If it's causing you so much worry that it's impossible to change the subject when it comes to mind and stressing over it will make you miserable on the trip, you might consider talking to your doctor. I'd focus on treating the anxiety, not the imaginary illness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 we take long trips several times a year, but usually we end up at my parents or my in laws home...but this trip we are staying in hotels every night (but 1) and most days we are driving....(and this trip is 10 days long)...my fear? that one os us will come down with the stomach flu. It's one thing to be in a home...it is totally another thing to be in a hotel room...but what is worse yet, is that the reason we are taking this trip is so my (pastor) husband can marry some friends of his in Phoenix....and if one of us gets sick...we will have to press on... and that thought worries me... what do i do about this fear? What can I do to ease my worry?? thanks. :grouphug: :grouphug: I only know what has helped me. I used to worry myself sick about driving at night on the highway, so freaked out that I would hit a deer. That sounds silly, and while I've never hit a deer, I was living in an area where there was a great likelihood (and oh, how I charted those statistics too.) A friend kindly and gently pointed out that God does not give us a spirit of fear. That really convicted me, and while I still think about deer and consciously avoid making long distance highway driving at night, my stomach is no longer the mess it used to be. I definitely worry less, especially when compared to before. If I were in your situation, I would comfort myself by thinking that if one of us were to be sick, it must be God's way of protecting us from something worse, that our schedule would be thrown off and we'd be saved from, oh, a horrible car accident or something. I'd focus on God's perfect timing for ALL of my trip. (I'm really not as crazy as I sound. Yikes! Just being totally transparent here!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudGrandma Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 thank you for those words....I will take them to heart. I know I over think all of this stuff...I did this right before we went to Disney and everything was fine...I do this everytime we travel at Christmas...and normally everything is just fine...so I know I need to relax and just enjoy the trip... thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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