One might have thought that by visiting our Honeymoon page that you would just find pictures and information about where we traveled to on our honeymoon, but, our story is a little different. Unfortunately, there aren't any pictures of us basking in the sun in Florida or having the time of our life, instead, you will get to read about The Worse Honeymoon Ever. Some people have told me that this true story could be entered into a contest for The Worse Honeymoon Ever. After, you read our story, perhaps you can decide.

The Worse Honeymoon Ever

When we first got engaged, we knew where we wanted to go for our Honeymoon and that was to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. David had never been there before and it had been years since I was there. Several months before the trip, reservations were made and the trip was paid for before we left. The package we choose was one that was recommended by a friend of mine. We stayed at the Old Key West Resort right in Disney World. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were included in our package as well as entrance to all of the parks there. The room suite had everything you needed, including a kitchen, washer and dryer, and a Jacuzzi tub.

We left for our honeymoon the morning after the wedding, May 14, 2000. Our parents gave us a ride to the airport in South Bend, Indiana. All went well and we arrived there safely that evening. We spent the first couple days going to some parks and enjoying our room. Although it was very hot, in the high 80's and humid, we enjoyed our first couple days there and explored as much as possible of Disney World. If only, the heat had been our only problem, we could say that we had a great time. However, it wasn't!

What we call 'The Worse Honeymoon Ever' or 'The Honeymoon From Hell' began that Wednesday, May 17, 2000. The 'In sickness and in health' part of our vows crept up very fast and we learned the hard way just what that meant, more so my husband, then myself.

That day, I wasn't feeling well, so we decided to stay in our room. I wasn't feeling awful, but felt like something was creeping up on me. Unfortunately, that evening around 5pm, it hit me, I became very ill. I knew I had a temperature, although at the time, we didn't have a thermometer. I was shaking horribly due to my high temperature (my body trying to fight off the temperature). I was freezing and felt like I had gotten hit with the worse case of the flu! I had the blanket of the bed in my mouth to prevent my teeth from chattering so badly. My husband became very scared, not knowing what to do, he called 911. An ambulance showed up within minutes. They told us they could take me to the hospital or see if the temperature decreased and I started feeling better. We decided at that point that I would try to stay in bed and fight it off. They gave us some advice, like cold wash clothes, etc. to try to fight the fever. However, things only got worse!

Over the course of the night, my husband was wetting wash clothes (even chilling water in the fridge and using it) to lie over my body to try and fight my fever. He also purchased a thermometer so we could tell just how bad it was. The temperatures ranged from 101 to 103. Most of the time staying at 103. Every four hours, I was taking Tylenol to try and fight the fevers. From the severe shaking in my body, nearly every muscle hurt afterwards. And, sleeping on and off, was the only way I could relax.

The next day, Thursday, only got worse. The fever only went down some and never completely went away. I also started vomiting and spent most of my time in the bathroom. The shakes got worse, I felt horrible! My husband again, called 911 and told them the situation. They had asked how bad I was and what the problem was. I do remember him saying "Can you here her?" My teeth were chattering so bad and I felt so awful, I was crying. The ambulance came and took me to the hospital. This was my first ride in an ambulance. Although, they tried to get an IV in my arm, they had no success. For some reason, finding a vein in my arms wasn't easy. My husband rode in the front of the ambulance. Once, we arrived at the hospital, they were able to get an IV in me and gave me some antibiotics. I did a urine test and it came back that I had a urinary tract infection. The doctor called it honeymoon cystitis. They never really told me that the urinary tract infection was causing me to be this ill. I had them in the past and never had gotten this sick. Perhaps, I was so ill, I never put two and two together to realize that was causing the problem. I was there for a few hours. Once, released, and given antibiotics, we took a cab back to the motel. Afterwards, I felt 90% better and thought for sure; it could only get better. However, it got much more worse!

Thursday evening around 11pm, the temperature came back along with the horrible shakes, from trying to fight off the fever. My fever rose back up to 103 degrees. I stood in a cold shower to try and shake it as Tylenol, cold rags; nothing could shake the fevers. Vomiting continued and I felt just as bad as I had before, if not worse. That night continued with my husband running like a chicken with his head cut off, wetting ice cold towels for me, retrieving Tylenol, and getting as much sleep as possible.

Friday came, and I didn't feel any better. The shakes, high temperatures, and vomiting continued. It was getting to the point where I knew I couldn't take this anymore. I needed more help. And, my husband was exhausted. Not only, did he have to take care of me, but he also had to take care of himself. He became very tired of the restaurant located by our hotel. Although, we had food included in our plan, I really hadn't used a meal since Wednesday afternoon, and it wasn't covered in the plan if they had to deliver it. Which he had to do a few times in order to stay in the room with me!

Late Friday evening, I told him, I couldn't take this anymore. He contacted the front desk and had them call a cab to take us to the hospital. The hotel manager knew of the situation, because of the night before and came back to ask us if we needed any help. I went to the ER, where they asked me how I was feeling and for a medical history. I had told them I was there the night before. The nurse then clarified it for me, that the infection was what was causing my sickness. I was then given an IV, by this idiot who shouldn't have been a nurse. In the process of putting a needle in my hand, he got my blood all over me. But, at that point, I was so nauseated and ill, I didn't much care, the only thing that mattered, was to feel better! The doctor in the ER, said he had no problem admitting me. I told him PLEASE do! I couldn't take this anymore and felt antibiotics through an IV would ONLY increase my chance of feeling better sooner. I also told them that we were on our Honeymoon and was far away from home. I was then admitted that evening, around midnight, I got into my room. Shortly, after I was admitted, they took me to do an ultrasound on my kidneys to see how far the infection spread. My husband then went back to the hotel room to get some sleep.

My husband was in constant contact with our parents, in Michigan, who were so worried; they almost got tickets and came down to Florida to be with us. I was so out of it at the time, I believe, I slipped in and out of consciousness, and I never really realized what a toll this was taking on my husband. He was so worried about things, was spending all day in the hospital with me, and bored out of his mind. Another problem is, we were supposed to be flying out that Saturday to head home. Unfortunately, there was no way that would happen. There was no possible way I could get on a plane. He then spent most of Saturday afternoon calling the airport to cancel our tickets, but really couldn't schedule a flight out until we knew when I would be released. We were able to find out from the doctor that he thought Monday I could be released if things went okay. My husband, then booked a flight for Tuesday and would have to change it if, I wasn't released by then. Unfortunately, he couldn't stay at the Old Key West since the room was already booked. His uncle, Bruce, lived about 1 hour and a half away. He called him and Bruce helped him bring his luggage from the hotel to the hospital. He had called several motels that night before finally finding a room and reserved it; however, he decided to stay at the hospital with me.

That was the first time, I met his uncle, Bruce. I will never forget how we were introduced. He came into my room; I was awake at the time, said Hello, and immediately after, had to run into the bathroom to vomit! What a pleasant way to meet someone.

I had some good times and was awake to know what was going on at some points. However, I did wake up a few times throughout the weekend and didn't know what day it was. I was lucky at some points to even hold my head up by myself.

As the end of the weekend came, I think nearly every muscle in my body hurt. I was starting to feel better although still very sick. The doctor came in each day to see how I was doing. As I was starting to feel better, I only realized how much more I hated the hospital. I am not sure at which point; I realized the name of the hospital was Celebration Hospital. What a name for a hospital!

My IV, that I was given in my hand had gone bad and they had to redo it Saturday evening. Unfortunately, finding a vein in my arms was still no easy task. They were also taking blood each day to see if the antibiotics were fighting off the infection. And of course, they couldn't take blood from the IV they already had in my arm. I asked them about that and told them it was stupid. God forbid to try and make it easier for the patient. I know for sure that they had to poke me with needles at least two times before they fixed the IV Saturday night and each day that they took blood, they had to poke me at least two more times before they got blood. I wasn't able to eat either and tried to feed the food to my husband. He almost gagged on some cereal that he tried. To see his face, gave me the first laugh I had in several days.

As I was feeling a lot better that Sunday, I practically begged one of the nurses to let me take a shower. They weren't too keen on it at first, but I had felt awful, from the sweats, fevers, and lying in bed for those days. They in turn put a latex hospital glove over my IV and my husband helped me take a shower. I felt so much better after then, although was still very weak and had to sit down right away in order to prevent from passing out.

Monday came and things were looking very good. I was feeling much better although still very weak and not fully recovered. The doctor came and told me he was releasing me that day. Which was extremely good news! I think what I mostly anticipated was getting to a hotel room and out of that damn hospital. Sunday night, I could have killed the nurses. Over the last few days, they came in a couple times a day to check my vitals, temperature, etc. Sunday evening, the nurse came and told me that they wouldn't be back early morning so I should be able to get some sleep. Sleep around there was not an easy thing. However, early that Monday morning, another nurse came in sometime between 2 and 5, turned all the lights on in the room, woke me up, took my vitals and left. It made me so mad. How rude is that? Oh, the things I could have said!

That Monday morning, they had asked me what I could eat for lunch before I left. That was really the first day since Wednesday afternoon I was able to eat anything and keep it down, or even had a appetite. Also, they had someone give us a form for the airlines to try and waive the transfer fee for the tickets. The fee to change the flight date was $75 per person.

After being released from the hospital, we took a cab to a hotel room, my husband called to reserve for that night. Our flight out was for Tuesday morning. Although, very sore, arms bruised, and weak, we made it to the hotel room, where we stayed until Tuesday morning for our flight out. I managed to take a shower, but wasn't able to do much at all.

Once we got to the airport, I had to use a wheelchair to be wheeled to our gate after checking in. In order to have our $150.00 fee waived for having to change the tickets we talked to a person at the check in desk. We gave her the form from the hospital and explained the situation. She said and I quote "Well, I guess I'll waive it!" How considerate of her, like this was something we planned on. GEES! The flight back to South Bend, Indiana was fine and my parents picked us up at the airport. And, although my mother wanted us to stay the night, all I wanted was to go home and sleep in my own bed. That afternoon we headed for home. About, an hour and a half drive to Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I spent the rest of the week recuperating at home and returned to work the following week for three days.

Although, we did have a couple good days in Disney World, our $4000 trip turned out to be a huge waste of money. And, although the hotel did refund us about $400 for food, that was all we got back. However, I do think we were fortunate that it didn't happen the day before the wedding, since the wedding cost considerably more.

One of the most important things I had to do right when I got back was to call the doctor's office and explain to him what happened in order for them to give a referral to the insurance company to cover the costs. The referral had to come through the primary care physician or in most cases they wouldn't cover the expenses. After several months passed, we received statements and bills from the insurance, the total in bills from the hospital was close to $6000 for those days. Luckily, we only had to pay about $300 of it.

As you can imagine, now we can laugh and joke about that awful honeymoon. However, at the time, I just wanted to die, I felt so awful! We haven't been on a vacation anywhere since then and always joke; I will get a complete physical before I leave for the next one! Because, after that illness, I have still had problems with infections.

THE END