Destination Wedding

In a few weeks, I will be attending a destination wedding. Yep, you are all wondering where I am going. I am going to a Caribbean island to escape the cold weather that the Northeast has to offer. Even though I recently traveled to Greece this past summer for my honeymoon, I feel like there were fewer restrictions there than the Caribbean. Let’s just say that this island paradise is going to come with an emotional price to pay.

We live in a world now of viruses and sickness. I will tell you, I am pretty worried to travel to the Caribbean right now. I have not traveled to the Caribbean since 1998. At that time, I had no digestive issues and I was totally unaware of Crohn’s and colitis. I feel more nervous about getting sick in the Caribbean because these are third world countries. The medical attention is not as up to date as it is here in the states and when I traveled to Athens. That being said, I will be extremely careful to stay away from certain things.

Things I stay away from while traveling with Crohn's:

Can I drink liquor with Crohn's?

Being a Cohn’s patient, any liquor I drink is an irritant to my stomach. When I was younger with Cohn’s, I won't lie as I was quite the drinker. It isn’t worth it to me anymore as my next day is spent in the bathroom. Everything comes out of me. If I am going to a wedding, I have to be in tiptop shape during that time. I don’t want to be making a mad dash from the beach to a bathroom if I can avoid it.

Coconut milk and milk in the islands

I couldn’t figure out why this is such a problem in the islands. I drink it here, as it’s a great way to hydrate the body naturally. With running to the bathroom 25 times a day, I sometimes need it. Pure coconut water is not pasteurized. It’s like drinking unpasteurized milk. Our guts don’t have the enzyme to help digest it. Usually, the locals in the island climb the trees themselves and cut the coconut right there. They give you a straw, and off you go drinking it. I will be staying away from that.

Bottled water on vacation

Bottled water is a must. I have been doing a lot of reading and people always make the mistake of drinking tap water when brushing their teeth. They simply forget that they have to use bottled water. I already have tons of post-it notes packed with reminders to do this. I don’t want to go down that dark path of being sick on vacation.

It is a tough call when you have Crohn’s. I know that a lot of my friends will go on excursions while on the trip. That will be hard for me because of the lack of bathrooms off the resort. Also, I know the water will not be cleaned and purified when traveling in the small shantytowns of the Caribbean. Whatever the case may be, I will be very careful when traveling in a few weeks. Crohn’s or not, you have to know your body, the area, and the do’s and don’t’s.