We all have memorable stories of being sick. They become part of our own folklore. The tales can be sad, inspiring, funny or combos of many feelings. Here are some of the Sip Advisor’s most unforgettable illness anecdotes:

The Bad Kind of Shot

To get immunized against Hepatitis B, students in my neck of the woods received a series of shots in grade six and again in grade nine. Following each of the shots delivered in grade six, I became very ill. We’re talking delirious dreams, high fever, chills, the whole gamut. The family theory is that my undiagnosed kidney issue was to blame for times when my body was also working through the immunizations. After having my failing kidney removed in grade seven, I never experienced any issues during the grade nine treatments.

Double Hatty

On another occasion, I was feeling sick enough to not go to school, but missing sport commitments was another thing. That season, I was chasing the league lead for goals and points in roller hockey and nothing could stop me from suiting up that night. In the end, I managed to score six goals, pushing through all the symptoms that were affecting me. Following our game, it was back to bed rest, completely spent.

Travel Troubles

One of the worst times to get sick is while travelling. When Mrs. Sip and I were in Egypt in 2008, I fell ill on the day before our week-long tour was set to leave. I spent the rest of that day downing water and sleeping, trying to flush whatever ailed me out of my system. It mostly worked, but I spent the rest of that trip being apprehensive about what was safe to eat and always cognizant of where the nearest bathroom was located.

What Happens in Vegas…

In a similar vein, when Mrs. Sip and I spent New Year’s Eve 2009 in Vegas, I caught a case of food poisoning that hit when I arrived home. Somehow, I survived the plane ride back, but knew something was up. Both ends were affected by this bug, which was made all the more funny/embarrassing when I discovered late at night, while trying to switch bathrooms, that I wasn’t alone in my parent’s home, as I had originally believed, my brother and his girlfriend also at the abode.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

In 2010, Mrs. Sip and I were celebrating our first Christmas while living together. It was going to be that much more special, as I had planned to ask her to marry me on Christmas morning. One problem: we both felt terribly sick with colds on Christmas Eve. We retired to our bedroom early that night, taking doses of various medications. This was during the brief time we had a TV in our room and decided to watch Babes in Toyland. You want to talk delirious dreams!? I considered bumping my proposal, but everything was already set in place, so I soldiered ahead. By the end of the day, which included telling both our families of our big news, Mrs. Sip had completely lost her voice and we were both running on fumes.

More Than All-Inclusive

Sadly, I’ve become ill on a few of our all-inclusive getaways and not from over-indulging. In Cabo (2013), the Dominican Republic (2014) and Mayan Riviera (2023), something did not agree with my system and I was forced to spend a day or more recovering. A true highlight of these occasions, was when I arranged for a special romantic multi-course dinner to celebrate Mrs. Sip’s 30^th birthday, but was unable to eat any of the amazing food offered to us. When I raced to the railing of our gazebo setting to be sick, our server thought I was simply suffering from heat stroke and dumped a pitcher of cold water over my head. It was hilarious and humiliating all at the same time!

Covid-iot

2020 saw a great change to everyone’s lives, as the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world. The Sip Advisor was finally afflicted by the disease in July 2021 and man did it knock me on my ass. Mrs. Sip and I were to attend an adult waterpark event the first day I felt ill and in an attempt to get my body right, I cracked open a vodka soda after my work day finished. Well, not even that could cure what ails me, so Mrs. Sip suggested I take a Covid test. Sure enough, it was evident very quickly that I was positive. I missed four days of work, completely glued to the couch. Even when I returned to work, I needed midday naps to get me through the shift.

Cocktail Corner: Cold Comfort

• 1.5 oz White Rum
• Splash of Lime Juice
• Dash of Honey Syrup
• Garnish with a Lime Wedge

Thankfully, I’ve never suffered from any serious illnesses, kidney removal aside. Hopefully this trend continues for your friendly neighbourhood Sip Advisor!