Aloha!

[Guest guest]

I've been catching up a bit on the past week's messages. I'd taken myself off

the board for a month while ill in December and then on

vacation. Greetings to everybody!

In the midst of the discussion in early December on whether or not to get the

flu shot, I had a very mild case of the flu (no shot.)

Thought I was pretty lucky. A week later, I developed bronchitis and after

being prescribed penicillin found out I am now allergic to

penicillin (never before.) The doctor changed the prescription to septra to

which I had an even worse reaction, and I am now evidently

allergic to sulfa drugs. I am wondering if having pancreatitis has changed my

body chemistry? Since developing CP, one change

has been extremely dry skin, which I never had before living in a relatively

humid enviroment.

Has anyone else had this kind of experience?

My vacation had been planned for January 6 and I was just getting over the

bronchitis. I had a 15 day Panama Canal cruise with

almost perfect health the entire time. The Maitre d' onboard the Regal Princess

made sure the night before that whatever I chose for

dinner the next day would be prepared properly for me. Other than dinner, I

chose from the buffet and had plenty of healthy foods. The

only problem I had was the night of the French dinner when I couldn't pass up

the Escargot, Vichysoisse (sp?) and French Onion

Soup. Even taking extra enzymes didn't help. Won't do that again...

But I would like my doctor to prescribe more vacations and less medications

(especially those that make me worse.) I was talking

with a friend today who has a chronic illness and she pointed out that my

excellent health on vacation and the fact that I just came

down with a horrible stomach flu on returning to work demonstrates the role

stress may have.

Just wanted to say hello, and I'm back, and thank you all for being there.

in Hawaii