BALI OR BUST?

I need a holiday and so does the husband. In fact he needs a holiday more than I do as the hours he

has been working of late are totally and utterly ridiculous. He assures me that the busy season is coming to an end. It had better be or I may become the first woman ever to be charged with kidnapping her husband.

I'm so envious of people who decide on a holiday, book it and go. I've heard of people who book today and are by a pool sipping cocktails within hours. How is this possible? Planning and taking a holiday when you have Cowden's Syndrome goes something like this:

1. We need a holiday. Let's check the calendar and see which dates are not taken up by doctors' appointments, checkups or hospitals. 
2. As my daughter also has Cowden's  I need to check her medical schedule too as she usually needs my support.
3. I've identified a " window of opportunity". Yahoo! There is actually a week no doctor wants to know me or her.
4. Where to go? Vietnam would be nice.
5. Google hospitals in Vietnam, just in case I need them. Not convinced anyone there would know about Cowden's syndrome so not really a safe choice.
6. Change location to Bali. Hospital situation still no good but only 3 hours flight to mainland Australia. Decide to risk it as have risked it before to this location.
7. Book flight.
8. Fill out "1 million" forms to attempt to get travel insurance. There is no box to tick for Cowden's syndrome or any box for anything close to my condition. I tick the box to ask some one to ring me.
9. I notice that if family member remaining home has medical condition that may require you to return home in an emergency, it needs to be declared.
10. I fill out another " million" forms about daughter's condition and tick the box again.
    
11. Accommodation and flights booked, but not insured.
12. Specialist rings to see if appointment can be moved back a week. This clashes with holiday so no go. Appointment rescheduled for 3 months time. I really needed that appointment.
13. Insurance writes back. They need more information from GP. Visit GP for said information. GP writes what I wrote in first place, but signs it doctor.
14. Insurance for me declined. Insurance in event of daughter requiring help possible, for the cost of a small island nation. Looks like I'm travelling uninsured once again, unless I break a leg or fall off something, like normal people do.
15. Packing medication. Going to Bali and they're a bit " tough" on drugs. All medication to be in original box for checking if needed. I take 6 different meds and a few vitamins. The boxes fill my case and I feel like a drug mule. Visions of every drug related news programme fill my mind.
16. Pack large sunscreen as no wish to increase my already greater melanoma risk. Now I really have little room left in suitcase.
    
17. Worry about allergies so pack large Phenergan, in original case of course. One holiday with no Phenergan ended up in Malaysian hospital. Would like to pack sleeping pills but decide to medicate with alcohol if desperate. It is a holiday after all.
18. Pack snacks in case of food intolerances to Balinese food. Unpack snacks as need to pack clothes. Remind myself Bali has supermarkets.
19. Chastise myself for not sending medic alert paper work off. Check if possible to receive medic alert before departure date. Pharmacist laughs and I take that as a no.
20. Compile list of my doctors contact numbers back home, in case of emergency. It's happened before so don't tell me to stop worrying.
21. Day before flight lie awake regretting decision to " risk it" in Bali. Worry about everything under the sun that could go wrong. Imagine myself on Channel 7 news as an emergency case flown to Perth.
22. Get on plane. 
23. Worry about daughters back home, the one with CS and the one without, for whole week I'm away. What are they not telling me?

I'm sure you all think I'm a hypochondriac by this stage. 

Only another person with a chronic condition will truly understand that it can never be " book, pack and go" for us. Anyway, I'm off to google hotels in Bali. Despite everything to worry about, we did have a nice time eventually.

Beautiful Bali

Till next time...xxx