Flip Flop My Hypothetical - What If YOU Were Sick?

Updated on December 16, 2011
H.M. asks from Boulder, CO
19 answers

So - we've all pretty much agreed that taking sick kiddos (puke/poop bug) on a plane is a definite no-no. But what if YOU were sick - everyone else was fine and raring to good - would you then put YOURSELF on the plane?

Same conditions apply - you'd lose your money, miss the big events, and your kiddos plus at home family would be disappointed - would it make a difference?

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So What Happened?

Interesting - I thought more M.'s would be willing to suck up their own illness for the sake of the family - glad to see it's not the case and we as M.'s don't always put ourselves last.

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I.G.

answers from Seattle on

Frankly, I will admit to being selfish and I would get on the plane. I would get on a bunch of meds to make it through the flight and go. I cannot be out of hundreds or thousands of $$ (I fly internationally frequently). Sorry for all of you, but until the airlines start refunding or rebooking passengers who have an illness, I am getting on that plane.

3 moms found this helpful

F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

NO!!! It doesn't make any difference. When you are truly sick like that, you are not going to give a rats a$$ if you lose money or not, you feel like you are dying and you are staying home in bed...where you should be!

3 moms found this helpful

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P.M.

answers from Portland on

I was in a very small waiting room yesterday, and an elderly couple came in coughing and sneezing energetically, making no attempt to cover their mouths or noses.

I got out of there as fast as I could. For me, that was terrifying, because for the past few years I've gotten such miserable cases of bronchitis following colds that the coughing has prevented sleep, caused vomiting and horrible flare-ups of painful hemorrhoids, and once even cracked a rib. These exhausting illnesses have lasted for 2 to 3 months at a time. Sometimes I am not fit to work for a week or more at a time myself.

And I'm one of the millions of under-insured: every cent of my medical care comes directly out of my pocket – I have a $6000 deductible yearly on my health insurance because that's all I can afford. So these bouts of bronchitis have ended up costing me a thousand dollars or more by the time I was finally okay again.

Many people reason that they "can't" stay home, and go out and spread the joy when they're sick. As a result, I have to stay home, miss events, and protect my health every winter, and even then, I am likely to get sick from my brief excursions out.

Please be aware, folks, there are fragile babies, children, immune-compromised patients, and oldsters who will probably end up exposed to whatever microbes you spread around. I know it's a sacrifice to give up a day or two on the job, or a trip you've been looking forward to, but you could be saving other people who can not afford to be ill a lot more than that.

4 moms found this helpful

M.J.

answers from Minneapolis on

hmm if I wasnt contagious, I didnt need to wear diapers, I could stand on my own, and I didnt have to crawl over 3 people to get to the toliet. Then I would go. IF any of those things were on that list, and was happening in my butt region, I would not go.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.D.

answers from Cincinnati on

Absolutely not! I can't imagine flying and puking and flying with the poops. i would have to buy depends knowing I might have to climb over a couple of people to get to the bathroom. Its not fair to infect the whole plane with an illness that is highly contagious.
I can see flying because you have motion sickness or are sick because of pregnancy.

2 moms found this helpful
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L.F.

answers from San Francisco on

Only if it was an absolute emergency. Otherwise, no--- I don't want to infect anyone or get sicker. Staying home would be best.

M

2 moms found this helpful
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K.R.

answers from Dallas on

I wish I was on the plane with most of you when I travelled for Thanksgiving this year. Take it, I didn't get stomach virus symptoms, but I still have the cough from when I got a really bad cold over the Thanksgiving holiday. I heard some people coughing up their lungs, or so it sounded, on one of my planes, and what do you know? 3 days later I am heaving because my cough is so bad and I'm coughing up so much phlegm that I can stop to breathe even. Terrible! And this cough thing needs to go away, every time I answer the phone at work I get a tickle in my throat and about 1 out of every 10 calls I get through without coughing. :( Stay home sick people!

2 moms found this helpful

J.✰.

answers from San Antonio on

So long as my husband were there to care for the kids 100% and all I had to do was take care of myself, I could probably do it. It would depend a lot on how bad I was though. Vomiting I could handle in public. Pooping myself in public b/c the airplane toilet was occupied - I could NOT handle in public.

If it were real bad, I'd send everyone else on the trip (so long as an adult were flying with them) and I'd stay home by myself.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.L.

answers from Chicago on

Only if necessary. This hypothetical is more real than not. I've had several friends who seemed to be near death's door so to speak and they had to fly to get home. If I was that ill I probably would delay the flight or cancel.

2 moms found this helpful
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C.J.

answers from Dallas on

If I had to get home, you bet I'd get on that plane. If the other way (leaving) I wouldn't be able to move - I am such a baby when I puke.
Travel insurance really does come in handy sometimes:)

1 mom found this helpful
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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

I'd send them without me, and change my ticket/ follow later, if there was 1 or more adults involved.

Or I'd go hit up my doctor for a compazine patch and rx strength immodium and wear a mask.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

No I would not go.
Because, I would not want to go, if I were that sick.
And, I would not want to contaminate anyone, on purpose.
Which is what you would be doing... by traveling on a plane on purpose while you know you are actively, sick.
Unless, you absolutely could not avoid it and it were an emergency.

For some people, getting even a common cold, is very dangerous.
I have Asthma for example.
I stay away, from people who are sick. Because of, my Asthma.

1 mom found this helpful

M.L.

answers from Houston on

Puking?... I'd probably stay home! It depends on the situation really. Is it a contagious thing, or am I so sick I can't function... then no. If it was food poisoning/pregnancy/motion sickness or something like that wasn't contagious, and I was still able to function, then probably yes go if I could keep it under control and sanitary.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

Well, I was in Guam and got sick with a sore throat. We had to fly home. I put on a mask and took tylenol and prayed I'd get back to Japan without being stopped in the airport.

Sounds bad. I know. I just really needed to get home.

There it is...
Dawn

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M.L.

answers from Colorado Springs on

This is an interesting question. My older son was into tae kwon do as a teenager, and participated in a tournament in Dallas. He picked up some sort of flu bug there, and then he went to the airport to catch his plane home, the airline people sent him back to his Grandma's with a "Come back when you're well - we'll find a space for you." I don't imagine airlines are as gracious now; we didn't have to get another ticket for him. But it was good for them not to let him aboard. When you're ill, you have to anticipate the worst that can happen.

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L.S.

answers from Grand Forks on

most adults i know would still go...wear a mask and carry hand sanitizer :)

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G.L.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Digestive trauma, definitely not. I've done it - I got a violent case of food poisoning mid-trip once, so there was no choosing whether or not to go - I was already halfway to Tokyo. I would never, ever do that to myself again.

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T.M.

answers from Tampa on

If I just had a cold, then yes I would go. If I was puking or something else, then plans would just have to change.

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J.V.

answers from Chicago on

I don't leave the house if I am puking. Diarrhea is a different matter.

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