24 hours to go... And We're All SICK!

[Rowan555]

It seems as though my family caught a bug on the Fantasy - we all had sore throats the day we returned, and now my son's asthma has kicked in and he's on nebulizer treatments 4 times a day. We're taking lots of vitamins and trying to rest, and I think my daughter and I will be fine by tomorrow - but my poor son is in bad shape. He can never get a "little cold" - it always sets off his asthma and then he's sick for weeks. In 24 hours we SHOULD be sitting in the terminal waiting to board the ship. Please shoot some good thoughts our way - I really don't want to miss this trip.

[zaandam_2]

deleted

[morriscats]

I know you don't want to miss your trip but do you really want to compromise your son further (not to mention passing this on to other cruisers). I got sick like that on a ship and 6 months later after 2 bouts with pneumonia and asthma I was finally better. What does his Dr. say??

[Marque]

My wife and I were on a Carribean cruise two years ago when an unknown passenger was nice enough to share their cold with us. As a result, we were in bed recovering for most of the cruise and missed all but two ports. So now we have to do that cruise again sometime to see what we missed. The cost to us of someone elses lack of common sense cost us several thousand dollars for the trip we essentially missed and probably several thousand dollars to do it all over again.

[florida cruiser girl]

Please so not put others at risk to be sick during the holidays! Not only could you risk getting someone, like an older person, sick to the point where it could go into pneumonia and they may not recover...but please just think of your son!

It also appears you have a family vacation to Gatlinburg planned in 2 weeks? you guys need to be tip top for that trip..don't you think??

I know it is very disappointing, but sometimes you just have to do the right thing for all concerned. Hope you all feel much better soon!

[Rowan555]

At this point it's all up in the air. I think we're all over the little headcold we got onboard - we're just feeling a bit wiped out from it. Based on past experience and doctor visits, we shouldn't be contagious at all. The main concern is my son - and I'm waiting to see what the doctor says. He's responding well to the Albuterol, so it all depends on how he does tonight.

 

Believe me, I wouldn't knowingly spread a cold or virus on a cruise ship or anywhere else. We must have caught it early on on our last cruise, as we began feeling sick the day we returned home and we're nearly over it now.

[Grits53]

How much will you enjoy the cruise if you're not feeling well? My husband and I were unfortunate enough to pick up a very nasty cold from someone on the Conquest last week, and we are still sick with it. (Fortunately, we didn't get sick until the day after the cruise.) I would hate to think of cruising right now, even though I'm in the end stages of the cold. Wouldn't it be better for your family to postpone the cruise until you're all feeling better?

[NorthAlabama]

I don't think this individual or their family is intentionally displaying a "lack or common sense" or being careless with others. If you read the post

carefully, you will see that the primary concern is with their sons

ASTHMA. Asthma is a medical condition that MANY MANY MANY people

deal with and live with on a day to day basis. Asthma flare ups can be

triggered by many factors including illness, smoke, dust, plants, cleaners......then list is endless! ASTHMA IS NOT A CONTAGIOUS

ILLNESS! This is a "CONDITION" and those who have it, learn how to

live with it.

Being on a ship, you WILL be in contact with germs. There is no way to

avoid it. People can be in the "incubation" periods of illness and they have

no way of knowing they are ill and spreading germs. Others can be in the

recovery phase and may sound sick, but be beyond the germ spreading

phase of the illness.

 

THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS TO PRACTICE GOOD HYGENE YOURSELVES AND TO INSURE GOOD HAND WASHING.

 

Honestly, no one is going to become sick from a child with asthma being on a ship.....

[nybumpkin]

Rowan - Good thoughts coming your way! My youngest son has asthma as well - fortunately, relatively mild, but he can get winded easily. We'll be bringing his medication along with us on Liberty in February.

[gwydiana]

I've had asthma my whole life -- I would still go on that cruise but I would start on a dose of Prednisone immediately. He'll be better in no time!!

[TexasAlexus]

I'm sending prayers and healthy wishes your way! I hope everyone is well enough to travel. Kids tend to be really resilient and get over illness quickly. I'm sure you will make your decision with your famiy's health in mind.

[Rowan555]

I've had asthma my whole life -- I would still go on that cruise but I would start on a dose of Prednisone immediately. He'll be better in no time!!

 

 

Thanks. I never did get any more Prednisone for him after Katrina (we had to throw everything out of the fridge - YUCK) - I will put another call in to the doc - with a dose of that, he'll be feeling better than US by tomorrow lol!

 

And I want to stress again that I do NOT believe any of us are contagious at this point. It's the remains of a bug we caught on the ship and we'll probably come home with another bug being that it's cold and flu season. As often as my son gets sick, and as many colds as are going around right now, I think it would be "going overboard" (excuse the pun) to cancel the trip. As long as he's not doing any worse in the morning, we'll be on the ship with the doctor's blessing.

[gwydiana]

Just remember that Prednisone is a 10+ day commitment! They'll taper his dose down. He will retain water so watch his salt intake and make sure he takes a daily does of Airborne to keep his immune system up.

 

Prednisone lowers the immune system so he'll be much more susceptible to virus germs on that ship. He'll be fine if you stock a large supply of EmergenC and Airborne and make him wash his hands ALOT!

[Rowan555]

Just remember that Prednisone is a 10+ day commitment! They'll taper his dose down. He will retain water so watch his salt intake and make sure he takes a daily does of Airborne to keep his immune system up.

 

Prednisone lowers the immune system so he'll be much more susceptible to virus germs on that ship. He'll be fine if you stock a large supply of EmergenC and Airborne and make him wash his hands ALOT!

 

I'm headed to Wal Mart now - thanks again!

[LHP]

Hope all are feeling better soon. Perhaps the salt sea air might even be good for "what ails ya". I know it won't cure asthma, but it does usually open up my sinus cavities...I guess kinda like a saline solution!

[Fun~N~Sun]

Just remember that Prednisone is a 10+ day commitment! They'll taper his dose down. He will retain water so watch his salt intake and make sure he takes a daily does of Airborne to keep his immune system up.

 

Prednisone lowers the immune system so he'll be much more susceptible to virus germs on that ship. He'll be fine if you stock a large supply of EmergenC and Airborne and make him wash his hands ALOT!

 

Prednisone is not always for ten days. Can be for as little as three. As for the rest of you, you should not be contagious when it is time to board. You were contagious before you even knew you were sick. And as for your son, asthma is not contagious. If anyone on the ship gets sick it will not be because of you or your family.

[flynrph]

Yep, if the Doc goes for it, a short term of prednisone should do the trick nicely. And the ships have a medical crew that could deal with this sort of thing.

[JudyKa]

Rowan, I was on that cruise with you.......while waiting in the buffet area to disembark in New Orleans, I saw a whole family of people from out of the U.S. who were constantly coughing, sneezing, and dabbing at their noses. Dh and I were thinking, "oh, great.....here comes the colds." Of course, they may have felt great when starting out on the cruise.

[badissa]

Just follow this advice and you should be ok:

For you and your daughter: lots of fluids to wipe that cold out and 2 packets of EmergenC/day. Don't over do it (re: stay up too late, drink too much booze, or wear yourselves down). Eat a good balence of protein and vegetables.

For your son: Along with the albuterol, talk to the Doc about prednisone or prednisolone for a 5-10 day tapered course and inquire about a long acting corticosteroid inhaler. Keep him well hydrated and just limit his activity.

For all of you: wash your hands like it's your job especially before AND after meal times.

You'll be ok, many other passengers are gonna get on that ship with worse stuff going on and they won't be as concerned as you seem to be. The thing about ships is that they are floating germ pools, mostly due to their ventilation systems. Get all the fresh salt air you can and hopefully you will come home refreshed. Have a marvelous time and God Bless

[Tweety1961]

I feel bad for you. My daughter has asthma, and when she gets a cough, it lasts forever. The worst part are the dirty looks people give you. It's not contagious, but just sounds bad. I work part time at my children's school, and the nurse probably sends home 10 kids or more a day at this time of year. The bad thing is most people won't stay home from a cruise because they are sick. They spent all that money and are going to go regardless of the number of people they infect on the plane and the ship. So, when you hear about so many people getting sick this time of year on a cruise, don't just blame the ship, think about the people who brought the germs on and spread them. You don't hear too often of a flu outbreak on the summer cruises. It's just not the season. So, we are scheduled to cruise in June!! Hopefully no viruses then!!!! Good luck!

[gwydiana]

Prednisone is not always for ten days. Can be for as little as three. As for the rest of you, you should not be contagious when it is time to board. You were contagious before you even knew you were sick. And as for your son, asthma is not contagious. If anyone on the ship gets sick it will not be because of you or your family.

 

Fun-n-sun, are you in the medical profession?

 

 

Having battled asthma for 44 years I can assure you that it has been my experience, when the asthma is severe, the prednisone is a 10+ day committment. They only prescribe shorter terms of prednisone for less severe maladies........such as poison ivy.

[cruisindoggie]

I hope you all feel better soon.

[Fun~N~Sun]

Fun-n-sun, are you in the medical profession?

 

 

Having battled asthma for 44 years I can assure you that it has been my experience, when the asthma is severe, the prednisone is a 10+ day committment. They only prescribe shorter terms of prednisone for less severe maladies........such as poison ivy.

 

As a matter of fact I am a nurse. Doses of Prednisone for children are much different than for adults. Also my husband has severe adult onset asthma. He didn't have asthma until he was 35 and he is 46 now. Unfortunately for him the only thing that does control his asthma is 60 mg. of Prednisone a day which is A LOT of Prednisone. He also gets a Xopenex injection once a month ($1500 a shot) and uses 3 different inhalers.

For this child depending on his severity of asthma along with antibiotics and his nebulizer treatments he may be able to benefit from a short dose of Prednisone even if it is given to him at a higher than ususal dose. Once he gets in the ocean breeze this should help him too.

[gwydiana]

As a matter of fact I am a nurse. Does of Prednisone for children are much different than for adults. Also my husband has severe adult onset asthma. He didn't have asthma until he was 35 and he is 46 now. Unfortunately for him the only thing that does control his asthma is 60 mg. of Prednisone a day which is A LOT of Prednisone. He also gets a Xopenex injection once a month ($1500 a shot) and uses 3 different inhalers.

For this child depending on his severity of asthma along with antibiotics and his nebulizer treatments he may be able to benefit from a short dose of Prednisone even if it is given to him at a higher than ususal dose. Once he gets in the ocean breeze this should help him too.

 

 

The ocean air truly does help! I can tell you, again from my experience only, that I've always had to have long term prednisone therapy even as a child. 60 megs is what I was normally started out on and it would taper down from there . I felt like a million bucks during that therapy but the side effects were horrendous.

[Fun~N~Sun]

The ocean air truly does help! I can tell you, again from my experience only, that I've always had to have long term prednisone therapy even as a child. 60 megs is what I was normally started out on and it would taper down from there . I felt like a million bucks during that therapy but the side effects were horrendous.

 

My husband's side effects are continuous since he cannot taper down past 60 mg. It has been a struggle for all of the family since this ordeal began with him. It has definitely altered his quality of life and what he can do and what he cannot do. He has almost been put on a ventilator twice in the past two years.

 

I have also worked in a pediatricians office where I have seen them give Prednisone to kids at a high dose for 3 days .... they hit them hard for 3 days with no taper. It works for kids because they respond much quicker than adults.