Curses

While not a superstitious person, I like to write about the supernatural. And I have begun to wonder if fiction is closer to reality than I initially believed. My daughter and I joke, but the question we laugh about has stayed with me for many months.

“Am I cursed?”

Sounds silly, right? But read the following and let me know what you think. My daughter and I often go on vacation together. While we have had many family vacations, sometimes, it is nice to plan getaways for just the two of us. Or is it? Looking back, all our plans seem doomed from the get go. Should I ever go on vacation again?

Ireland

Instead of a Sweet Sixteen party, my daughter and I headed for Ireland to celebrate, but it took a while to find that good feeling. The day before our trip to the Emerald Isle, my daughter came home from participating in a week-long service project. She brought back with her a double ear infection, sinus infection, and a virus with a lovely fever. After rushing to the walk in clinic, she was immediately prescribed a host of medicines so her ear drums wouldn’t explode and we were able to board the plane. I remember she slept a lot the first few days in Dublin, but at least we had a beautiful hotel and lots of tea and biscuits with clotted cream to enjoy. My daughter rallied and the last part of our vacation went fine.

Vermont

I had a Groupon for a weekend in Vermont and off my daughter and I went. This trip doesn’t sound too treacherous. Enter the off-road Segway ride. I lasted for about the first third of the Segway ride around the manicured hotel grounds, but even before entering the woods, I knew I was no Segway rider. My daughter persevered and ended up with an awful injury that made her leg look like she had been mauled by a bear. Luckily, it was our last day of the trip, but the curse decided to seep into the next few weeks. Even with antibiotics, the injury ended up infected and on a trip to visit a college friend, my daughter ended up in an emergency room in Virginia about a week after the initial accident. Curse or coincidence?

Costa Rica

Recently, my daughter and I decided to spend the winter break and celebrate the New Year in Costa Rica. Everything started out fine, but once we landed, it was obvious my daughter was, once again, not feeling well. We were out in the middle of nowhere, but luckily had brought a decent stash of Advil and antibiotics (for other possible ailments). Even without a thermometer, it was easy to tell she had a temperature and this lasted for three days of our trip. My daughter remained stoic and participated in all the events including hours of horseback riding and hiking to scenic waterfalls. When the illness finally abated, we finished out our stay in style at the Marriot in San Jose. Both of us enjoyed the trip, but the curse still hung around. Roughly, three weeks after the trip, my daughter was back in the emergency room, having developed blood clots in her lungs from the long plane trip.

You are wondering why I say, I am cursed rather than my daughter. As any mother knows, watching a child ill and in pain is the worst feeling possible and I would have done anything to take the ailments away. In addition, the special trips and moments together are marred by the injuries and illnesses that occurred.

Am I cursed? Is she? Both of us?

Cursed or coincidence? What do you think?

Either way it will make a great fictional story one day.