Holidays with sick people . . . would you go?

[jpcher]

I'm crushed! We were planning on going to my parents house (out of state) for a couple of days, leaving tomorrow morning. (We haven't seen them since June.)

My mother just called and told me that my father has a cold. He's been feeling pretty miserable the past few days but feels that he's on the mend. He says he won't be "top form" but would love to see us.

My DD#1 started feeling sniffely and stuffy yesterday. She went to work today, but this morning she was worse than yesterday and she usually gets pretty bad, miserable colds.

Rescheduling for later in the week is not an option due to DD#1's work schedule and other plans that DD#2 has (plus our spa overnight stay.) It probably won't be until spring break that the three of us will find time (schooling) to make the trip.

I am sooo looking forward to this trip!

Seeing as Mom is already exposed to Dad's cold and DD#2 and I are exposed to DD#1's cold . . . would you go anyway?



I left it with Mom that we would call each other in the morning to see how each others "patients" are doing.


What would you do?

[Amara]

Is there anything that having a bad cold would affect (like missing work)? If not, I'd go and accept the fact that everyone is likely to go through it.

[jpcher]

The only person that missing work would affect is DD#1, but she's already feeling the symptoms. DD#2 doesn't have to be back at school until after new years and I'm off for 2 weeks. My parents are retired.

[MrsCrazyPete]

I would ask DD#1 if she feels like making the trip. Traveling while ill can be just awful. If she wants to go though, I would say go. Everyone is already infected anyway.

[Venus193]

No, I wouldn't.

I just called the friend whose home I was to go to tomorrow; she isn't feeling any better than I am.  We will see each other on New Year's Day.  And that's just a subway ride away.

[Tea Drinker]

That's tricky, in part because "a cold" can be any of hundreds of different viruses (this is part of why you can get colds so often: having one doesn't make you immune to the next). There are generally a few going around at a time, in an area, but that's less true as the area gets wider: you may well have the same cold as all your coworkers, and your neighbor down the street, but it's more likely to be different than the cold that your cousin halfway across the country caught at the same time.

I think I would leave it up to DD1, since she's the one who would be most affected.

[Winterlight]

I wouldn't- travelling while sick is no fun at all.

[SoCalVal]

I wouldn't because I'm not; I'm the one who's had a cold since Thursday (and it got worse yesterday).

[Allyson]

Unless your daughter is feeling like travelling when sick would be really miserable and not worth it, I'd go. I don't know of too many people who would cancel a trip they were looking forward to that much due to colds, but I know that many people on this board have a much more wary view of seeing people when anyone is even a bit ill. So, I would not personally worry about it from a 'passing on sick' viewpoint, but if your daughter is not up to it, that would change my plans. It sounds like your dad wants to see you even if he's not super energetic.

[cicero]

I probably would, after giving everyone mega doses of vitamin C and some kind of homeopathic flu preventer (we're usually very successful with them), and lectures about washing hands with soap and water a LOT.

[sourwolf]

I would not go because I would be concerned about yor daughter further infecting your father or vice versa.

[Slartibartfast]

I'd go and just be extra-vigilant about washing hands and making sure everyone is following good food preparation hygiene.  Don't shake hands, don't share drinks, and just be generally conscious about points of body fluid contact, and you should be fine.

[RegionMom]

So, did you go?

Of course, if travelling across a few states, we will not know for quite a while!

My inlaws have been sick for a few days, but they live just a few roads over.  We did a "dump and run" of gifts that was also a well-check- she said she has no fever-true. Do they have fresh fruit?  yes.  The house was in order and their new doggie has been keeping them good company and not too much work.  Will check again if they need a doctor or just time, as they insisted.

One spring break, DD wound up sick and I had to stay with her on vacation while DH and DS used the tickets for fun.  Ours were refunded-- yeah for insurance!  But if we had stayed behind, we all would have been grumpy for various reasons. 

For only once or twice a year to see them, I might still go. 

So, did you go?

[jpcher]

Yes, we did go. DD#1 said she really wanted to go and she wasn't running a fever. G'pa (my dad) also said he felt up for a visit.

It's a 3-1/2 hour trip, so DD#1 slept the whole way there.

We pretty much did the gift exchange, a 2:00 feast of a dinner, then G'pa and DD#1 found comfy places on the couches in front of the TV for a long nap while G'ma, DD#2 and I had a real nice visit.

When they woke up we had a nice late supper and then relaxed in front of the TV (Carol Burnett Show! ) and early bed for them instead of the usual fun and games that we like to play 'til late into the night. Which was perfectly fine.

Absolutely no regrets about going, DD#2 and I loaded up on Airborne and Vitamin C. Neither DD#1 nor G'pa were allowed anywhere near the kitchen.



However we came back much earlier than planned (just got back 1/2 hour ago, planned on staying another night) because G'ma and I both agreed that the "sickies" needed to be in their own sick place.

It was a very nice visit.