Quarantined on a Ship?

A funny thing happened to me this week...I got sick! I went underway on a training mission, and by day two I was feeling a sore throat and I had sinus pressure. No problem, right?

By day three I was in my rack sick as a sea dog and not looking to get better. I was SIQ (Sick in Quarters) for the remainder of the day. Day four I was supposed to come home, so Alicia and I had a decision to make.

Do I come home or do I quarantine myself on the ship? It was a tough choice. I wanted to be home badly (who doesn't when they are sick?), but my daughter's health was more important. So Alicia put in a call to Sam's CF Clinic and we waited, all the while trying to figure out what we should do.

Sam's doctor's nurse called back and suggested that I might be contagious. However, she didn't think I needed to be quarantined on the ship. She cautioned me not to touch Sam (or Timothy for that matter) any more than necessary and to wash my hands constantly, oh, and obviously we weren't to share any eating or drinking utensils.

Happily, I went home last night. It was the best night of rest I've had in days. The hot, hot shower did wonders for my sinuses and lungs, and my wife's Neti-pot was spectacular! And it just felt good to be home. What warmed me the most is that both kids, while obeying our order not to touch me, played games of how close could they get without actually touching. That warmed my heart a lot. Timothy even laid down on the floor next to me, in the exact position I was lying in, and scooted over to where he was just barely touching me. That was the nicest thing he could have done for me.

I realize there may be some folks who don't think I should have gone home, but humbly, I'd like to ask your thoughts anyway. If you were in my shoes, would you have stayed on the ship? Or would you have done like I did and gone home?