What Not to do on your Winter Vacation

Wow, it's been a long time since I posted here! I've been working, twittering and using Facebook a lot and forget to write longer posts here.

We just returned from a short getaway to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I didn't post about going away anywhere else because a local guy contacted me (he "liked my picture") and I was freaked about the whole thing. I especially didn't want to mention being out of town!

George, Mom and I flew out to Albuquerque Saturday and returned yesterday. It was wonderful, beautiful, cold, dry and fun. We stayed in a great hotel operated by one of the pueblos, with lots of charm and luxury. We explored as much as we could, limited by my mom's mobility issues. We all handled the altitiude well, and had a great time shopping, sightseeing and learning.

Monday evening, Mom was tired out so George and I went to dinner at a local cafe that features "New Mexican" fare. It is definitely different than the Tex-Mex we get here at home, but I loved it.

Around midnight, I woke up and felt poorly, so I went into the tiny bathroom and was sick. I lay down again for a little while, but had to get up again because of my stomach. This time, I sat on the potty and just felt extremely dizzy and faint. I remember thinking, I should yell for George and get on the floor so I don't fall over.

The next thing I knew, I came to with George shouting desparately, "Kath, give me your hand! Wake up! Give me your hand!" He was reaching around the bathroom door, shaking my leg, trying to get me to regain consciousness. I had passed out, and in the tiny bathroom I was wedged between the door, the tub and the commode. I was able to sit up and crawl around so he could get me up and onto the bed.

George took one look at my face and called the front desk for directions to the ER. We got to spend the night in St. Vincent's hospital. Lovely as the people were, I don't really recommend it as a vacation destination.

Bottom line: Either the food made me sick, or I had a very light touch of the terrible stomach flu that is attacking Santa Fe. Although I thought I handled the change in altitude well (I live at sea level), the vomiting caused my blood pressure to drop and I passed out. I was unconscious for less than a minute, thank goodness.

Final tally: no cervical breaks (many x-rays of neck); no concussion (but a big goose-egg above my right temple); no broken bones in knee (but a severe contusion that hurts worse than anything); and a fucking broken nose. Right at the bridge of the nose - I must have planted my face on the bathtub rim. Fortunately, everything seems to be in alignment. I have to see a specialist once the swelling goes down, just to be sure no surgery will be required. I already have a deviated septum that interferes with airflow, so we'll see.

Poor George got to spend his birthday carting me to the hospital, spending 7 hours listening to the sounds of an ER, taking care of me and then having to tell my mother everything that happened and hoping she didn't go blippy from being upset about me (she has a history of that).

Soooooo, I rested up one day and then we flew back home yesterday as planned. I was so leery of people on the plane putting their bags in the overhead bin - I cover my face automatically, lest someone bump my nose! I can't wear my glasses very well - they are down at the end of my nose and I peer through them like a strict schoolmarm.

George has pictures of me at the hospital, so I'll probably post them - if we can get them off the cell phone and onto the computer.

Anyway, we had a good trip. I am seriously blessed that my injuries were relatively minor. One of George's work friends was killed as a result of a bathroom fall 12 years ago. Linda climbed on the toilet to change a light bulb, slipped and fell, breaking her neck and killing her. I just have a swollen nose and black and blue face and knee.

Despite my little adventure, I absolutely loved the trip. New Mexico is a place that I have a soul-reaction to - for some places that I travel, I just feel an instant connection deep within me. This is one of them. I want to go back for a real vacation, an active one, sometime soon.

But I will be extra careful in the bathroom, anywhere, I promise you.