Dearest Rachel –
I’ve sort of been denying it to myself for a couple of days now. I’ve been waking up with a raw and scratchy throat, which is always a harbinger of an oncoming cold. It’s a fairly common occurrence at this time of year, especially since it’s hard to predict how warm it’s going to be, and how to dress for it. In fact, it’s just a week or so ahead of throwing a wrench into Thanksgiving; I hardly have to remind you of our history with that holiday, particularly in the years right before and after your departure.
But last night, it was getting hard to ignore. The last couple of mornings, with my throat crying out (or trying to, unsuccessfully) for a hot and soothing beverage, could be ignored, and it would dissipate as the sun broke through the clouds, warming up the day, and myself, for the rest of the day. Last night, however, there was a new symptom; a shallow cough that the sunlight couldn’t burn away, especially since it had already gone down for the night. Additionally, my sinuses were unable to keep themselves both clear by the time I packed myself off to bed (and bid Daniel to do likewise, not that I expected him to follow myself right away; he’s your son, too), which would make getting to sleep that much more difficult.
Even as I attempted to medicate myself sufficiently to get a decent night’s sleep, I was thinking to myself “oh, this can’t be good.”
Now, under ordinary circumstances, colds happen. They’re a nuisance (and then some), they upset the schedule, they make you feel lousy for a couple of days, but with my ‘work’ schedule being what it is, they’re an inconvenience, at worst. I don’t deal with an angry boss, and I usually don’t have much going on during any given day that I have to give up on. I can just stay home and let myself recover. And if it’s just for today, that may be fine.
But if I’m dealing with this for too much longer, this could pose a serious problem. I don’t think I’ve mentioned this much up until now (Basel Syndrome rearing its ugly head again? Or maybe it’s just that it’s not so much of a big deal, in terms of a destination?), but Daniel and I are flying out to Florida on Friday for a Caribbean cruise. Of all the times to come down with something debilitating like this, it would have to happen now. To be fair, this isn’t the first time this has been an issue; the fact that this personal phenomenon has a name should tell you how common it is for me.
I suppose that, in many circumstances, this is why people buy travel insurance; if they’re incapacitated, they can just abandon their plans, collect what proceeds were covered, and reschedule their trip for a time when they’re more healthy. I might actually consider that, given my own past experiences.
But this particular trip doesn’t lend itself to rescheduling. What would be the point? We’re not going for the destinations, or even the ship (which we would if we were going on an Icon-class vessel, for instance). We’re going on this one specifically to meet, and hopefully hang out with, certain individuals who are prominent in our news circles. This isn’t something I can just say “oh well, better luck another time,” because there’s not likely to be a next time for some time to come. Indeed, the one fellow whose daily podcast we listen to fairly regularly (although we’re rarely driving around long enough in any given day to listen all the way through; it would be different if we were still attending or serving at the Des Plaines campus, though) has mentioned how long it’s been since he’s taken a vacation at all. Odds are, assuming this does happen again, it won’t be for years. So skipping out on this is pretty much out of the question.
Besides, I think the two of us have our hearts set on this; that’s the thing about making plans. When you’re flying by the seat of your pants, and something goes wrong to change what plans you’ve made, it’s no big deal. But when you’ve made arrangements months in advance – including little extras like a day or two in the embarkation city before and after the main tour – you build up this anticipation. At that point, it’s not a matter of an indifferent “well, that fell apart, but no biggie.” No, you’re been spending time getting your heart set on this trip, and come hell or high water, you’re going.
And then, this happens.
At the moment, I can only hope that this cold either peaked last night or is peaking now, so that I can recover a bit by the time Friday rolls around. If nothing else, by staying home, I can take the time to put some of my stuff together for the trip – I was wondering when I would have the time to pack up until now. Now I know.
Now, I’m trying to get away from that stock sign-off honey – it’s not as if I need a catchphrase or anything – but if I ever needed you to keep an eye on me, and for you to wish me well, this would be it. Thanks so much, and you’ll be hearing from me again soon enough.
