Prepping for a day trip when you have a chronic illness

The wind whipped my hair back and forth in front of my face obscuring my view. Pulling my hair back, I looked out over the boat at water so dark and black it looked like a soupy tar. The boat floated on top of the waves, taking us to swim with whale sharks in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. I gripped my knees tightly to my chest, feeling anxiety rising within me. I wasn’t nervous about swimming with Whale Sharks the largest fish in the world. Growing up in Michigan, I learned to swim when I was five, so being in the water felt as comfortable as being on land. My anxiety was about whether my health would hold up for a day trip that started well before 7am and would stretch into the afternoon. It had been a challenging few months health wise. My chronic illnesses normally in check, had been flaring dramatically after a bout of pneumonia. Though mostly back to normal activity levels, my confidence in my body had taken a hit.

I woke up feeling my chronic illness flare up. I had debated whether to cancel, deciding at the last minute to take a chance on my health. In the last minute I decided to trust my body, grabbing my bag and heading out the door. It was no small decision. Swimming with these majestic creatures meant five solid hours at sea. If I didn’t feel well, there was no going back to the hotel. I was on going to be on the boat for nearly an entire work day whether I felt well or not. Worse, it was early in the season so the whale sharks were harder to find. We’d been looking for them for an hour and a half, making a long day even longer.

I looked around at my fellow passengers. Two of the women had athletic bodies, the kind that looked like they could effortlessly complete a triathlon or run a marathon. They had the type of bodies I always longed for, strong and powerful, rather than one that doesn’t function well without a good deal of effort. Nearly all were certified scuba divers which meant they had proven endurance in the water. My anxiety notched higher.

Was my body prepared for this trip? Would I be able to keep up? What would happen if I suddenly got sick miles into the ocean? Was there going be an expensive helicopter trip in my near future? I gripped my knees tighter, worrying that I made a mistake going on this trip.

It was clear that concerns and prep list before the trip of my fellow passengers were much different from mine. They had waterproof bags that included professional gear like fins, snorkel, a 3mm wet suit and sunscreen. On my prep list were medicine, food I can eat, stretching and a good night’s sleep. I hadn’t even considered a wet suit let alone how thick it might need to be. I even almost forgot a towel, tucking it in my bag at the last moment. Their biggest concern was missing an opportunity to swim with the biggest fish in the ocean; mine that I would end up on the floor of the boat, too sick to move. Even though I’d taken extra self care measures to prepare, I still worried that it wouldn’t be enough, that I’d taken on too big of a challenge.

As the boat rocked from side to side, cutting through the swells of water, I grabbed on to the side of boat, gripping it hard. I hoped the others would see my white knuckles as a result of the choppy water rather than my growing concerns about my stamina.

Trip Essentials

Destination: Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Experience: Swimming with Whale Sharks (I went with the excellent Mexico Whale Sharks)

Trip length: Seven hours

Time of year: Summer

Preparing for a day trip when you have a chronic illness

Day trips can be hard on every body, doubly so when you have a physical or mental health condition. Managing your well-being definitely takes more effort. I used to let my health concerns stop me from going on day excursions but decided that I wasn’t going to let these concerns keep me from experiencing my travels fully. Here are four ways I prepare for a day trip:

1. Stick with your food routine. While many of these trips advertise breakfast and lunch, if you have any sort of food sensitivities like me, you’re not going to be able to eat them. I believe that food is medicine so having nutritious food can make a big difference in your energy and the experience you have. Falling out of your self care routine while on an excursion just makes it a miserable experience. Planning ahead maximizes your joy and minimizes the recovery afterward.

2. Take it at your own pace. Don’t worry about keeping up with the pack. Rest when you need to and adjust your activities to suit your physical capacity in the moment. I know this sounds fairly simple but when you’re out there with much more physically adept folks it’s easy to push yourself or feel shame for not being able to keep up. While I was able to keep up with the group on my trip, taking both my turns swimming with the whale sharks, I had mentally prepared myself to not take the plunge into the ocean if I wasn’t feeling up for it. Giving myself permission to go at my own speed allowed me not to judge myself and be happy with whatever I was able to do that day.

3. Pack comfort items. For me, that’s typically natural supplements that calm anxiety and other supplements that boost my energy. For this trip, I also packed a long sleeve linen shirt that I wrapped over my legs like a blanket. It made the two hour boat ride back much more comfortable and covered my legs so they didn’t burn in the blistering sun.

4. Limit your activities. I used to be the person who crammed in as many places and activities as I could when I traveled. Over time I began to streamline my trips, focusing on just one big activity for every place I go. While there were excursions I could have taken (snorkeling or nature parks) for this trip I picked just one. On this trip, being able to relax at the pool without having to be anywhere else allowed me to focus my energy on one big day allowed me to rest rather than over taxing my body. Since I’ve started doing this I come back from trips rested and healthy rather than sick and stressed.

Luckily we found the whale sharks a few minutes after my moment of doubt. By the time it was my turn to plunge into the Caribbean Sea to frolic with these beautiful creatures my confidence was back. I stopped thinking about what my body lacked, reminding myself that I was a strong swimmer and that I could trust my body. I took things at my own pace, as the others dove into the ocean for another swim, I took a moment to meditate and rest. I arrived back at the hotel a little tired but no more than a typical work day. Despite my health concerns I’m glad I took a chance, trusting on my body and resilience. Swimming with these creatures was magical, reminding me of my place in the world.

P.S. I didn’t get a good picture of the whale sharks. I was too focused on staying well and experiencing the moment fully so I left my go pro at home. Luckily there was a cinematographer on my boat.