I'm A Whimp..so This Is What Being "sick" On A Boat Is Like

[redbopeep]

I typically don't get sea sick.

It's been years since I've had a flu. I've not even had a cold since we moved aboard (in the boatyard) August 08. When we launched the boat in April of this year, I wondered what it would be like to ill and aboard. Now I know.

Yuck.

I came down with a flu quickly on Sunday evening. I've been unable to keep anything down since then. Hubby running to the store for ginger ale had all the usual logistics nightmares of getting from boat to shore to store and back. Luckily we keep a well stocked medicine chest of things we rarely use like Pepto Bismol (by the way, I really don't think that stuff works! It's more like--if you want to throw up, just take a dose of the pink stuff and you'll be throwing up alright!) and Tylenol. Normally we have fresh ginger root aboard but alas I've let the larder get pretty bare of late.

Well, I now understand a bit about folks getting seasick--as the winds came up this morning and the boat was buffeted around a bit and hunting I was hit with even more nausea. I'm so glad that we're not on a passage! I would be totally useless in this condition--between shivering from the chills and upchucking every time I try to ingest more than a teaspoon of water or ginger ale...I'm useless.

Tomorrow is my birthday; our original plan was to go to our favorite local restaurant for a nice dinner out (something we rarely do). Always thinking of the budget, that would typically be about $50. The new plan is to "splurge" by spending tomorrow at the courtesy dock at a nearby yacht club. The cost: $54.00. My birthday dinner becomes a nice hot shower and (hopefully) a calm night's sleep.

[JeanneP]

Ohhhhh, sorry to hear you're not well. Isn't fun when you don't have an electric blanket to toast yourself in, or all electrical gadgets to make you more comfortable.

Hot lemon tea, keep those fluids down, and Pepto doesn't work for viruses, just for bacteria. Get well soon!

And have a Merry Christmas.

J

[Lighthouse]

Get well soon "Red"!

[gslabbert5119]

Hey Red, get well soon and I feel for you, I am one of those unfortunate ones that get seasick. There was a time when I was running a commercial fishing vessel in PE that I was at sea for for a week then at home for a week and then at sea again for a week. I had this routine for about 18 months and each and EVERY time I left port I was sick for about 4 or 5 hours, turning green, blowing chunks etc...You would think that my system would get used to the motion, the sea and the lack of reference points, but it never happened. Even today when I sail and that is not too often I am sick for a period, though once I am over the sickness for that trip I am good for until my feet touch land again.

In my case I suspect that it is / was nervousness due to the responsibility of the peoples lives that were in my hands.

Get well soon and happy birthday

Gavin

[magwas]

Get well and happy birthday!

I guess you already know this, but anyway: the most important thing is to maintain water balance: drink as much as you are able to.

[chiroeurope]

As Already stated hot lemonade. Garlic works for some viruses but not all. spicy food that you can tolerate (soups are better). A hot water bottle or two under a good thick blanket with the bucket near by does a good good giving the body a chance to fight it off.

To you and yours a Blessed Christmas Season and a Happy New Year.

Michael

[redbopeep]

Thanks for the good wishes all. I feel like a wet rag but much better today. Not throwing up anymore but anything I drink makes its way right thru me in about 15 minutes

I love tea and have many strong black teas aboard but the only no-caffeine tea (herbal) that we had aboard was peppermint tea. I made a weak cup and it was the first thing I was able to keep down last night. Until then I'd only ingested about one liter of fluids total in 48 hours and had immediately thrown up anything I took in--even a teaspoon full. Thank goodness that phase of this flu is over.

We will be moving (in about an hour) over to the Southwestern Yacht Club for a day I had hoped that we'd spend my birthday sailing, but alas, I'm just happy that we'll spend my birthday luxuriously hooked up to shore power and water...oh I can't wait for that nice long hot shower.

Gavin--I just don't know how you manage the seasickness as you did! The only times I've felt seasick when sailing is when I've been upset/angry and seas are rough--I know it was the emotions ruling in those cases and I just had to "calm down." As long as I'm happy it seems I can go through a lot of sea motion without seasickness.

[gslabbert5119]

Originally Posted by redbopeep

Gavin--I just don't know how you manage the seasickness as you did!

Pretty easy really, follow these steps ...

1. Turn green

2. Start burping vile tasting stuff

3. Feel something lumpy in your mouth, probably morning's breakfast

4. Place head over rail

5. Open mouth and gravity will take over.

6. Wipe mouth and rail if in heavy seas

7. Go below to brush teeth

8. Goto step 1 ...



Sorry could not resist ...

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by gslabbert5119

Sorry could not resist ...

Oh, you're sooo funny--NOT.

I guess you must keep in good spirits about it, though, and that is a good thing!

[atavist]

Glad to hear you are feeling a bit better and hope the night in calmer waters helps....

... I too learned what it was like to be seasick for the first time this year when I got food poisoning from some bad shrimp the day we left Beaufort, NC... we were doing an outside run to Savanah... My crew was just one lovely young lady who had never been outside before... I was green and ill the whole time and we ended up putting in early at Charleston... ... and would you believe it she's still with me 2 months later

[JeanneP]

Originally Posted by atavist

My crew was just one lovely young lady who had never been outside before... I was green and ill the whole time and we ended up putting in early at Charleston... ... and would you believe it she's still with me 2 months later

Must be the charms of that lovely city, Charleston.

Good on ya!

[gslabbert5119]

Originally Posted by redbopeep

Oh, you're sooo funny--NOT.

Yeesh, you been talking to my wife ..

I guess you must keep in good spirits about it, though, and that is a good thing!

Choices were stay on land or deal with it and I am NOT a land lubber, though I did feel like jumping over the rail on occasion.

I am so glad that you are feeling better, and Atavist seems that you are a lucky man having a partner like that.

Gavin