Sick...go or no go?

[joanchris]

In 2008 we took a trip to DW to kind of celebrate my DD getting over a long period of being pretty sick (in addition to her already diagnosed severe developmental issues she had begun to have more severe medical issues), finally figuring out what was wrong and what we thought was a successful surgery to alleviate the medical issues. VERY long story short, she ended up having emergency surgery the day after we arrived in Orlando (after being discharged from the hospital at home, surgeons saying she was fine, to go on our trip), and spent the entire week (plus an extra day) in the hospital after emergency surgery. She never even got onto disney property.
Finally, we're going back for Christmas, supposed to leave Friday, spend a night on the way and arrive Saturday.
She comes home from school today with a fever, almost 103. With the medical issues we had to do bloodwork today, and blood cultures (she has a central line). Two kids from her small class were sent home the past 2 days with fevers, so it's likley something from them, and not line related.
We will be going to the pediatrician tomorrow, who will likely say it's a virus, but I'm torn. I don't want to go with her not feeling well. But I also don't want to stay home for Christmas if she's going to be fine. Word around my local mommies group is that aside from flu (she's had the vax, though I know it's not a perfect match this year, but her ped. says everyone they've seen with it has not had the vax), a respiratory bug has been going around. Some "healthy" people have said they felt bad for about 48 hours.
What would you do? I know you can't really answer, but any ideas on how I can decide what do do? DH will lose his vacation time if we postpone, DD has surgery on Jan 7, so we could postpone by a week if we have to, and DH will just have to have less sick time for next year if he has to take sick days for our vacation

 

[davedmaine]

In 2008 we took a trip to DW to kind of celebrate my DD getting over a long period of being pretty sick (in addition to her already diagnosed severe developmental issues she had begun to have more severe medical issues), finally figuring out what was wrong and what we thought was a successful surgery to alleviate the medical issues. VERY long story short, she ended up having emergency surgery the day after we arrived in Orlando (after being discharged from the hospital at home, surgeons saying she was fine, to go on our trip), and spent the entire week (plus an extra day) in the hospital after emergency surgery. She never even got onto disney property.
Finally, we're going back for Christmas, supposed to leave Friday, spend a night on the way and arrive Saturday.
She comes home from school today with a fever, almost 103. With the medical issues we had to do bloodwork today, and blood cultures (she has a central line). Two kids from her small class were sent home the past 2 days with fevers, so it's likley something from them, and not line related.
We will be going to the pediatrician tomorrow, who will likely say it's a virus, but I'm torn. I don't want to go with her not feeling well. But I also don't want to stay home for Christmas if she's going to be fine. Word around my local mommies group is that aside from flu (she's had the vax, though I know it's not a perfect match this year, but her ped. says everyone they've seen with it has not had the vax), a respiratory bug has been going around. Some "healthy" people have said they felt bad for about 48 hours.
What would you do? I know you can't really answer, but any ideas on how I can decide what do do? DH will lose his vacation time if we postpone, DD has surgery on Jan 7, so we could postpone by a week if we have to, and DH will just have to have less sick time for next year if he has to take sick days for our vacation

Go with whatever the doc tells you tomorrow. Good luck with her health issues..

 

[disfan07]

Honestly, I would go with whatever the doctor tells you. Health always comes first.

We are supposed to leave for WDW on the 25th. Everything is planned and we are packing...BUT....we still havent been given the all clear by my allergist (who is also treating my asthma right now) or my cardiologist. We won't get full clearance until friday. We can't reschedule though if we cant go but if my doctors say no, its no.

 

[joanchris]

I'm just guessing the doctor is going to tell me to do what I want.....her regular doctor is not on today, and while I like the one we're seeing, I just don't know him well, since we almost always see one doctor.
Right now I'm thinking that we might just be able to delay til Sunday....we lose all our "less crowded but still super crowded" time at WDW but could still get there for Christmas.

 

[ReadingRainbow]

If the doc gives the OK, go with your gut. You know your kid. You know what is normal. You know when something is off. You know what a typical response and recovery looks like. You probably know in your gut what's needed.

It sounds like you do but just wish it weren't so. I know that feeling. Sometimes circumstances just STINK.

It sounds like there's a Disney trip at the end of this particular storm, though.

((((HUGS))))

 

[WheeledTraveler]

I agree with the go with your gut. You're the person who knows how long she takes to recover from "normal" illnesses (I really wish sometimes that anyone with chronic medical problems could get a pass and not have to deal with normal colds/flus/general ick ). You also are probably able to gauge how sick she actually is (I know that when you have pre-existing medical problems a high temperature doesn't always indicate as serious a problem as it sounds like it does.) You may also want to think about if she gets sicker, will it mess with her surgery date. I don't know how flexible the time frame is for this surgery, but it's something else to think about.

If you decide to go, you may want to be extra careful about conserving her energy. Maybe don't plan as long a time in the parks or plan time resting in FA. I don't know if your daughter would tolerate wearing a face mask over her eyes/mouth, but that would be another way to reduce the chance of her being exposed to something else while she's still getting over this.

If you decide it's not worth risking, know you have plenty of people here who can commiserate with you. I'm sure I'm far from the only poster who has had to cancel a major trip somewhere due to illness. It sucks, but it's usually better than being some place away from your normal doctors when someone is sick.

 

[joanchris]

Thanks for the helpful replies.
It's the flu (and she had the flu shot). There's no pneumonia (yet), she (and the rest of the family) has started Tamiflu, for whatever benefit that may give us.
The doctor has said wait at least a week. Not her regular doctor (who should be on tomorrow)....IF somehow she makes a quicker recovery we're leaving our options to still get there for Christmas, even if we drive Christmas eve.
I have also book our same hotel (earlier today they were booked solid, I checked again tonight and there was a vacancy--a 3 bedroom, but it's not much more than the 2 br we have booked) for the week after our scheduled week---so even if we make it partway through we'll have somewhere to stay to finish our week.
Talked to the trip insurance people, and our cancellation/change fees will be covered, though we've had to put out full payment for both hotel weeks (good thing DH got that bonus today!), AND I've secured some dining ressies for the second week if we're there. We'll have no table service food for the 30-31st of Dec if we're there during that time, but we'll manage.
I'm trying to be optimistic! Even if she's not 100% (heck, she's never 100%!) we can take it slow the first couple of days, especially if we manage to make it there for Christmas, I think we'll be so happy to just be there at that point we won't care if we DO anything!