Question
Have you changed your holiday plans because of the swine flu?
I'm not fond of holiday travel as it is, but now add this swine flu epidemic on top of that and I'm ready to stay home and bolt the doors. Crazy airports, recirculated air in planes, even crowded malls -- this kind of exposure to the general public has got to up your chances of getting sick, right?
On the other hand, it is the holidays and for some people it's the only time all year your family will get together.
So what's a body to do? Have you changed your holiday plans because of the flu?
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9 Answers
Nope, but we weren't planning to travel in the first place. We have family coming to us because we're the only ones with a kid, and we have a new house that we want very much to celebrate in! I'm not sure if it would change my plans if we were going to travel...I might buy masks for all of us if we were flying because airplane air makes me nervous anyway, but other than that, lots of hand washing and sanitzers would do the trick! (Of course, if I wasn't able to get the vaccine that might be a different story.)
But I just can't see altering my life to that extent. Now if this thing gets worse, ask me again and I might have a different answer.
Patti
SAHM in SoCal and administrator of the Sleep Forum group, http://www.mothersclick.com/group/sleep-forum and Tri-Counties Moms, http://www.mothersclick.com/moms-club/tri-counties-moms-sb-ventura-slo-c...
Yes, we have. I don't plan to get the vaccine or my daughter vaccinated, so we've made a decision in our family to stay away this year. We may rent a cabin and spend Thanksgiving in it, but hopefully by Christmas, the rest o fthe family will have gotten their vaccines. But, it's not just the swine flu, there seem to be alot of things floating around here lately that sound dangerous to me being pregnant.
A friend got strep throat and she had a fever that, no matter what she took, would not go down. That is one of the main concerns for a pregnant woman. So, it's not just the swine flu we have to fear, there are many others
And this year seems to be so much worse around here for some reason, we've all noticed. Everyone I talk to is or knows someone very sick.
I figure, it's one year, there, Lord willing, will be so many many more. I just want to be as safe as I can. It's going to be a little sad not being with them this year, but 1) we see them throughout the year, not just on the holidays and 2) I decided to look at it from purely a health point of view as well as thinking about the fatigue I won't have to experience from all the running around (we are SO tired every year after the Chritmas plans our families do) it sounds bad, but it'll be kind of nice not to have to do all the running around!
I'm looking forward to having a quiet Christmas at home (or at a cabin, whichever we decide), going hiking all day during the days my husband has off work and not having to worry about being on time to whatever plan, staying in, cooking, watching Christmas movies, building fires, roasting marshmellows, just taking it easy.....my husband and I jokingly said, after this year, we might like it so much we'll be wanting to do it every year
NO! We wouldn't!!
Maybe you won't want to do it every year, but Ido have my little fantasy sometimes about spending Christmas with just my little family. So if that's what you end up doing, enjoy it! (Although, even though I talk big, I think I'd really end up missing the rest of my family too much.)
Patti
SAHM in SoCal and administrator of the Sleep Forum group, http://www.mothersclick.com/group/sleep-forum and Tri-Counties Moms, http://www.mothersclick.com/moms-club/tri-counties-moms-sb-ventura-slo-c...
I know, it's funny, I've had that fantasy in past years too
But it's always in the midst of everything, you know what I mean?
My parents are divorced and my husband's family does a TON, so between dinners at his house, both my parent's houses, his aunt and uncle's house, the Christmas family weekend on the 2nd weekend in December, Christmas Eve with my family, Christmas morning at his parent's, then Christmas day dinner at his cousin's house.....and then you have your friend's Christmas parties and then you want to fit in time with just each other, so it can be a pretty exhausting time of the year.
And I think we're the only ones who go to everything on BOTH sides. His other cousins will do one year with one side of their family, then the next with the other's, so some years we don't see some of them at all because it's their turn with the wife's family.
When I see that, I always ask my husband why we go to everything when others do things like that, but for some reason we just always wind up everywhere to not disappoint anyone.
Every year, after Christmas morning, we go home, are there for about an hour, then have to head out again to go to the dinnner. And we always want to just stay home and relax by then. But, we drag ourselves out the door....
In fact, after last year, I told my husband that he should suggest having that dinner on a different day just to split it up a little and give everyone a break, but that's easier said than done.
So, yes, I am actually looking forward to skipping all of that this year and doing our own thing
It'll only be this one year, so we're going to do exactly what you suggest and enjoy the peace and quiet, living out our previous year's fantasies this once 
Of course we'd never tell our families this!
Actually, I did tell my sister because she can totally relate to me (as usual!). In fact, 2 different years, she and her husband decided to take a break from it and took their boys skiing! I complained and complained to her about that, but at the same time, was so envious
And don't get me wrong, it's not that we don't love our families and that Chritmas isn't a very very special time for us, but because of our circumstances, everyone will understand, which will be nice to have a break and without any guilt!
It sounds more and more like we're going to go to that cabin, so it'll be neat to have a Christmas in the mountains in a cabin with fires and all of that stuff
Puleeze! I'm not about to let the swine flu ruin my holidays! We likely won't alter our plans at all this year.
I do remember one year that everyone in the house got some kind of stomach bug and that kept us from a long standing family tradition. We'll be on our guard and make sure to wash hands and cover mouths and be cautious but I don't think I'll bolt any doors!
Quite possibly. I am also pregnant, and not very trusting of what is going on with the whole government distribution of the swine flu vaccine (did you see that Wall st. got doses, while the "regular" folks are waiting for hours in lines??!) Anyways.....I didn't do Halloween this year......my son's only 2, so he wouldn't know anyways, but......I had a friend who's son had the swine flu last weekend and she still let him go trick-or-treating.....not to mention, I have friends who are teachers and they have been telling me stories about how parents are sending their kids to school with 104 fevers, another got off the bus puking.....and told the driver his mom made him come to school because he needed to be there......SOOOOO.......Holidays......My husband's work has a Christmas party and we won't be going. Lots of kids and who knows what viruses they'll have. We usually have our large family over to our house on Christmas, but it MAY be low-key this year, depending on how everyone's doing. I'm playing it safe this year.....and praying to God that we all stay healthy and safe.
I am so completely appalled to hear of people letting their kids go trick-or-treating and go to school when they're still dealing with illnesses. I think school ought to fine parents who send their kids to school with fevers -- and then use the money to provide immunizations to the students!
Patti
SAHM in SoCal and administrator of the Sleep Forum group, http://www.mothersclick.com/group/sleep-forum and Tri-Counties Moms, http://www.mothersclick.com/moms-club/tri-counties-moms-sb-ventura-slo-c...
Yes. I am 6 months pregnant and have had some complications up until this point. We were suppose to fly for Thanksgiving but with all of the scares and worries over the swine flu, I do not feel comfortable flying. More importantly, Im not comfortable with being in the airport. So many people, traveling from all over, who knows if all of those people have been vaccinated. The odds are that someone in that terminal will have it and Im not willing to take that risk. Home for the holidays for sure.
Oh man I can definitely see not wanting to deal with all this when you've already had some complications with your pregnancy. You are smart not to take any unnecessary risks. Good luck to you!
Patti
SAHM in SoCal and administrator of the Sleep Forum group, http://www.mothersclick.com/group/sleep-forum and Tri-Counties Moms, http://www.mothersclick.com/moms-club/tri-counties-moms-sb-ventura-slo-c...