Okay, what I've been up to.....

[Marilyn]

Well, I decided to post a thread to let y'all know where I've been and why I've not been on here lately.

Last fall before all the economic things began happening, some dear friends asked us to go with them on a cruise over spring break. Hubby and I had never been on a cruise and I'd always wanted to see what they are like. Melissa and Garrett went on a cruise for their honeymoon and thought it was wonderful. Now mind you, I am very succeptible to motion sickness and can get car sick in a parking lot, but with the scopalomine patches (Transderm Scope) I seem to do okay. Dramamine makes me spaced out for days so that was not an option.

We decided even after the economy began to falter to go ahead with the cruise even though hubby has a Parade of Homes in early May and his home is barely on schedule to be completed in time.

We went on Carnival Conquest from Galveston for 7 days and visited Key West, Freeport and Nassau in The Bahamas. I've gained a few pound since our last vacation two years ago, so I had to buy a few new clothes (Kohls had some great sales, thankfully).

So getting ready took some time, then we had the trip which was a wonderful break. No phones. We did have cell service, but when you get out in the Gulf, it's international calling, $2.29 per minute. I spoke to the girls, but just a few words to make sure all was okay on both ends. It was cold and rainy when we left. Key West was really nice. We would have liked to spend more time there. Freeport we could have skipped. It was cold and rainy there, and the island isn't that pretty. Industry and forrests of tall skinny pine trees with small palms under them. Not much else that we saw on our tour of the island. Our excursion was cut short by a big thunderstorm. Nassau was interesting. We visited Atlantis which is a huge, very expensive resort. Nassau is the capital of The Bahamas, and is very touristy. The weather was better, but it did rain there, too.

The time of the ship was really good. The food was great for the most part and you could eat 24 hours a day if you wanted too. They had soft serve ice cream available whenever you wanted it. The casino was smokey, so didn't spend much time there. The shows were nice & there were plenty of other things to do.

Something happened though when we got home that I was unprepared for. I mentioned the motion sickness problem. Well I had gotten 2 patches in advance of the trip. That's all my doctor would give me. I think there are restrictions on civilian use since the military has so many people deployed. It was a 7 day trip, do I did fine with the two patches. I got a little queezy on a glass bottom boat ride, but recovered. When we got home, I took the patch off because we are on solid ground, right....well people had told me to be prepared to walk a little funny until I got my land legs. No one told me that this equilibrium problem could cause me to experience motion sickness on land. We got home Sunday morning and I was a little wobbly on Sunday but felt okay. Monday morning I went to work and when I started looking up at the computer screen and down at the paperwork on my desk, it hit me. The earth began to move and I got so sick. I went home and spent the rest of the day and all night in bed taking some motion sickness pills we had not sure what they were, but they made me feel better and very sleepy. Tuesday was better. I went to work but was very careful not to make any sudden moves. By Wednesday I was almost normal. We got home on Marxch 22 and even now, I still feel a what is kinda like the earth dips every so often.

My husband is looking forward to doing an Alaska cruise someday, but on that Monday I was so sick, I told him never again. Now I would be willing to go, but would talk with the doctor before hand and be more prepared.

One side effect of the scopalomine patch that I experienced that I was unaware could happen was that mid-cruise I got up one morning and when I was putting on my mascara noticed that my right pupil was dialated. The vision in my right eye was fuzzy. It went away in a couple of hours. I had changed the patch that morning. I have since read that this is a side effect of the patch and usually occurs if you don't wash your hands properly after changing the patch and you touch your eye. Weird!! At least I know what caused it though and that it's not something serious.

Anyway, between getting ready for the cruise, going on the cruise, recovering from the cruise, and trying to catch up on things, I've missed a lot on here!!!!

Not sure when we will be able to go on another vacation, so have to enjoy it while we can.

I'll try to post some pics. We did have a good time, but we have both decided that this is not our favorite way to travel. We could have flown somewhere nice and spent a few days for the same amount of money and probably had and even better time. Cruising is relaxing though and may have been better for us in the long run than a flying trip somewhere.

Long post, but folks have been asking me where we've been. Don't ask if you don't want the answer, and yes, I know I'm long winded. That's just the way it is.

[Marilyn]

I feel a bit guilty taking a cruise when others are suffering with layoffs and such. As I said at the beginning of the post, we booked and paid for the trip before things got so bad. I didn't post and let y'all know before we left because I didn't want to say in an open forum that we would be away from our home for a week. Never know who's reading our posts, especially with people getting so desperate out there. Crime is up due to the economic problems.

Hope some of you get a chance to take a break. At least it was a chance to get away from everything for a few days. It does give you a different perspective.

[HALEY]

Im glad your back Marilyn, but so sorry that you got sick. I'm glad you told me about washing your hands after you use the patch, i'm going on the smokers patch next week, i don't want to touch Micah with that stuff..

[Marilyn]

I had washed my hands, but I guess not well enough. Patches are wonderful ways to take medication. I used a hormone replacement patch for years before they decided it wasn't healthy to take hormones. The pharmacist said it gives you a very consistent, regulated dosage of the medication. I'm not good at pill regimines, so I loved the once a week hormone patches.

[HALEY]

We decided on the patch i was going to take the Chantix, but the side effects scare the hell out of me, nightmares, stokes, depression, sick stomach, i can't be feeling down or depressed around Micah or bad dreams that i have no control over since i still sleep with Micah i would die if i ever hurt that child!!!!! I don't need a pill messing with my head, i'm goofy enough on my own

[donna1990]

Wow, Marilyn, what a trip!!!!!
Don't think I would ever go on another cruise.
Glad you are back.

[donna1990]

Originally Posted by HALEY

We decided on the patch i was going to take the Chantix, but the side effects scare the hell out of me, nightmares, stokes, depression, sick stomach, i can't be feeling down or depressed around Micah or bad dreams that i have no control over since i still sleep with Micah i would die if i ever hurt that child!!!!! I don't need a pill messing with my head, i'm goofy enough on my own

You and me too.

[Janet]

So glad you're back Marilyn. I've never been on a cruise and really not sure I want to. My mother loves going. I was a little oozy when we were in Florida and went on an all day fishing excursion.

Sounds like for the most part you enjoyed it, but does sound more exhausting than other trips. Hopefully if you decide to take another cruise, your Dr. can help you out more so you won't feel so 'off.'

I'm really looking forward to the pictures. I don't get out of Clinton County that often so I live vicariously through the rest of you....lol.

[HALEY]

Originally Posted by donna1990

You and me too.

Goofy or are you going to stop smoking????

[DianaB]

I would love to go on a cruise. My Mom and some of her sisters with their husbands went on a cruise a few years ago and they loved it. One of my uncles had been on cruises and he picked which one was best. They left from Florida and each morning, except for the last morning, they woke up to a new port. The sad thing is, I don't think that I will EVER talk Glen into one!! He's just not interested in that kind of thing. I guess that I could go without him.........hmmmmm.......

I'm glad that you're back home all safe and sound!! I'm sure that the break from work was just what you were needing. I would have never known that the patches could make you queasy after taking them off if you hadn't mentioned it. I hope that the dizziness is gone because that's an awful feeling. You know that we love pictures!!! I guess that I live vicariously through others too!!!!

[Marilyn]

The patch didn't make me queezy. It protected me from sea sickness while I was wearing it on the cruise. What happened is that your body gets accustomed to the motion of the ship & when you get off, you can still feel the motion. There is some kind of residual effect in our inner ears. At least for some of us. The sense of motion when there was none is what made me sick. I should have probably had another patch to use for a couple of days after we got home to help combat the effect. I was just totally unaware that something like this could happen, so was unprepared. If we do this again, I will consult with my doctor and see what we can do.

We would like, if the economy improves and we can someday, to do a cruise from Seattle or from Vancouver, BC to Alaska. We also want to do a Mediterannean cruise that loosely follows the apostle Paul's journeys. You begin in Jerusalem and end up in Rome. These are some of our dreams we've been planning and saving for that may not happen if our savings doesn't come back. We both love to travel.

One of the things that I may do in retirement is be a travel agent and plan group trips. The cruise we just went on was a group trip organized by a travel agency that belongs to two retired people who work out of their homes. One of the couples went with us to make sure all went well. They chartered a shuttle to take us from our town right to the boat and back home. We didn't have to deal with luggage or tipping or anything. Their travel was business expense. They can also take research trips that are tax deductable. What a deal!! They are also the ones who planned our Europe trip for us. They have been there so know where to stay and how things work. Kinda like your own personal Rick Steves.

[Tiramisu]

I'm glad you got away and you shouldn't feel guilty, but I do understand.

I worked with a lady who retired and actually started up her own travel agency. She hired some family members in and they all took turns traveling the world.

[gja1000]

Thanks for the great update, Marilyn. I have never heard of anyone having that residual motion sickness after a cruise - I'm glad to know that it can happen. I get very car sick, I have to drive all the time or I am sick. I used scopalamine patch and it worked great for me for the two cruises I have been on. My adult cousin (55 years old) rode a roller coaster a couple of years ago and she had motion sickness for 6 months afterwards. It's that inner ear thing. I knew it could happen, but didn't realize it might happen after a cruise.

My husband and I have been on two cruises (Alaska) - he's been on 3, he went with his sisters to the Carribean (sp?) but I didn't go. We do not care for cruising very much. We took the trip from Vancouver to Alaska and although it is beautiful, you only see a tiny tiny part of Alaska. Also the waters getting from Vancouver to Alaska are VERY rough at times. It happened the second morning out of Vancouver both times we went, half the ship had motion sickness. Gary and I both wear the patch and did fine, but it makes Gary very sleepy, so he misses half of what is happening because he is asleep! LOL!

If you want to see Alaska, fly to Anchorage, and take a Gray Lines tour on land. When you are on a land tour, you can take a day cruise to see the glaciers and sea life which is what you mostly see on a cruise. The second time we went to Alaska, we went with Gary's aunt and uncle and they wanted to do a cruise, so we did a 3-day cruise, started in Vancouver and then got off the ship in Skagway Alaska and took a 10 day land tour by bus and train. Now THAT was FABULOUS!!! And you can do it in reverse, take the land tour first and cruise last.

The third time we went to Alaska, we went two weeks on our own, that is really wonderful!

I'm looking forward to seeing the pictures!

[judy]

Dear Marilyn,

Yes, I am glad to know where you were, and also glad that you guys got to go on what sounds like a very interesting vacation, I can't wait to see pictures.

I would gain at least 10 pounds on a cruise. With food available 24 hours/day, and good food at that, they would be rolling me off the boat. How nice that you didn't have to cook for a week, got to relax and see new places. Sorry it rained though!

I got seasick when I went to see my cousin off on a boat. As soon as I stepped onto the dock, my equilibrium went south. Then I took a windjammer cruise and was determined not to be sick. This was before the patch came out. I was sick the first day, but by the second day, I found my "sea legs," and was fine. I had the same reaction though when we landed. I don't remember how long it lasted, but it is a weird thing if you don't expect it.

[Marilyn]

Originally Posted by gja1000

The second time we went to Alaska, we went with Gary's aunt and uncle and they wanted to do a cruise, so we did a 3-day cruise, started in Vancouver and then got off the ship in Skagway Alaska and took a 10 day land tour by bus and train. Now THAT was FABULOUS!!! And you can do it in reverse, take the land tour first and cruise last.

Gayle, thank you for the info. This sounds like something we would be very interested in. You get to see it all. We loved traveling by train in Europe. Is there a certain tour company or cruise line that put this trip together?