Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

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nonnie
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Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by nonnie »

We recently vacationed at an upscale resort to celebrate our 9th anniversary and my SOs recovery from extensive orthopaedic surgery and life threatening complications from pulmonary emboli after the surgery. Halfway through the one week stay I came down with the worst intestinal distress I've ever experienced (others at the resort also experienced this). Luckily it only lasted about 30 hours. The last night of our stay my SO got sick after dinner running a temp of 100 and by 4AM it was 104 with even worse symptoms than I had. To make a long story short, he ending up spending 4 days in the hospital (his temp was 105 by the time he got there) and almost died. I relapsed during that time and spent half a day in the ER. Final diagnosis was Shigella D or Shigellosis.

Luckily, the cost of our entire trip has been refunded and we're now almost completely recovered and need a "real" vacation which we'd like to take before the end of the year. We're willing to splurge once again--prefer to stay under $400/$500 night, can augment will miles or points, would like the convenience of all-inclusive but don't really want to stay in a high-rise, wealthy folks community so think cottage or low-rise within walking distance to restaurants would work. We prefer something warm and within 3-4 hours flight time from SFO. We're definitly not cruisers and need some seriour R&R but with recreational options. We've previously been to both Kaui and Maui and are leaning toward Maui or any other place that fits these parameters and would like to travel for about 10 days between 11/15 and 1/15. Suggestions or recommendations?
Laura
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by Laura »

Wow, I don't have a particular recommendation but it seems you do deserve some serious down time. So sorry to hear about the awful vacation.

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lillypie
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by lillypie »

San Diego
Cabo San Lucas

Have fun!
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corner559
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by corner559 »

I agree on Cabo. Also, Scottsdale has some nice resorts as does Palm Springs.
bluejello
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by bluejello »

I second the suggestion for Baja Sur — Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, and Todos Santos are all amazing. This place might not be your style if you like all-inclusives, but check out Rancho Pescadero in Todos Santos just north of Cabo San Lucas. It's a small boutique hotel with incredible service, good food, surfing, and a baby turtle sanctuary nearby. Or you could rent a Pedregal Hills villa in Cabo.

I've traveled all over the world and Baja Sur is still at the top of my list. Enjoy!
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heartwood
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by heartwood »

I'd avoid Cabo right now. Perhaps you missed the hurricane news.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/hur ... se-n203461

Tens of thousands stranded, airport closed for days, no power, etc. Truly a devastation.

Or at least confirm conditions.
dolphinsaremammals
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by dolphinsaremammals »

I think you should stay home.
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by The Wizard »

I'm going to Couples Negril (Jamaica) for nine days next month, so you could go there if you want all-inclusive, but flights are not so convenient from the Left Coast.
I did Maui in March and enjoyed it except for the excessive traffic.
You can get nonstop flights to Kauai from SFO area, so I'd do that if I was in your situation...
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nonnie
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by nonnie »

lillypie wrote:San Diego
Cabo San Lucas

Have fun!
Thanks but coincidentally recovery week and hospital was San Diego so don't think that's in the cards. Cabo San Lucas is not only my idea of hell but it's been devastated by a hurricane. :( I have been looking at Loretto, though, as they were spared hurricane damage.
bluejello
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by bluejello »

Tulum, Mexico is great if you prefer to be away from the crowds. Grand Cayman is good for R&R, golfing, and scuba diving.
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nonnie
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by nonnie »

bluejello wrote:I second the suggestion for Baja Sur — Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, and Todos Santos are all amazing. This place might not be your style if you like all-inclusives, but check out Rancho Pescadero in Todos Santos just north of Cabo San Lucas. It's a small boutique hotel with incredible service, good food, surfing, and a baby turtle sanctuary nearby. Or you could rent a Pedregal Hills villa in Cabo.

I've traveled all over the world and Baja Sur is still at the top of my list. Enjoy!
It's been about 15 years but I visited La Paz at least a half dozen times and got stranded one day in Todos Santos when the return bus didn't come. Come to think of it I actually got stranded in La Paz also for overnight when the plane home didn't come. Geez, I'm not sure I wanna look back at all my travel misadventures. No wonder I'm afraid to go to Europe! I'm mostly willing to take another chance on Mexico although my SO is less willing even though his illness didn't have anything to do with Mexico.I haven't checked but I'm fairly sure La Paz was affected by the hurricane.

I'd also forgotten the last time I was in Hawaii ten years ago was recuperating with my ex after he almost died from appendicitis. Maybe I'm a carrier :-).
Barefootgirl
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by Barefootgirl »

Given what your bodies have been through, health wise, I'd probably want to stay somewhere known for pristine facilities....gut biome and all that.

If you don't want to share the name of the resort here, I understand, but maybe you could give us a clue as to the general area?

What about Little Palm Island in Florida or one of the nicer Key West properties? low rise, funky tropical properties, lots of walking to nearby restaurants and entertainment, great atmosphere, but about a 5 hour flight for you...followed by a great car trip of a couple hours. Just a thought.


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drjazz
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by drjazz »

Check out LavaLava club on big Island; we spent a week there last January and it was fabulous. A few private cottages right on the beach, lots to see and do
GuyFromGeorgia
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by GuyFromGeorgia »

My wife and I did a week in St Lucia a couple years ago over Thanksgiving. Further than you might want to fly, but certainly very nice. Secluded area and this resort is adult only (no crying babies). A bit on the expensive side but the food was exceptional! http://www.travelocity.com/Anse-Cochon- ... nformation
Luke Duke
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by Luke Duke »

Go somewhere you haven't been. Have you been to Costa Rica or Belize? The official language in Belize is English, if that matters to you.
dolphinsaremammals
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by dolphinsaremammals »

bluejello wrote:Tulum, Mexico is great if you prefer to be away from the crowds.
Right. Just what DH needs after two near-death experiences, dysentery.
WhyNotUs
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by WhyNotUs »

Hawaii seems like a safe choice but not necessarily an all-inclusive. In Maui, you could stay in Kaanapali and walk to lots of restaurants.
Mexico and Dominican Rep. are AI kings right now but that seems like an unnecessary threat to your system.
My wife and I take annual adventures around the globe but are spending a month in Maui this winter just to chill and not have so much of an adventure.
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EnjoyIt
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by EnjoyIt »

Vegas staying at Encore.
great shows, great food, easy, clean water, upscale.
A time to EVALUATE your jitters: | viewtopic.php?p=1139732#p1139732
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by joe8d »

dolphinsaremammals wrote:I think you should stay home.
+1
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Beth*
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by Beth* »

How about Ventana or Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur? Probably not warm, but definitely good for R & R and close to home for you. I have never stayed at Post Ranch Inn, but we did stay at Ventana once for a wedding anniversary and it was lovely: warm pool, lots of hiking nearby, excellent restaurant. If I remember correctly, we had a large room with a fireplace.

There are some wonderful places in Mexico, but given your health experience I would avoid Mexico because of the chance of getting sick again. It's unlikely at a major resort, but still possible.
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nonnie
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by nonnie »

Luke Duke wrote:Go somewhere you haven't been. Have you been to Costa Rica or Belize? The official language in Belize is English, if that matters to you.
We starting to lean toward the "stay home" at least until the first of the year so as not to put undue pressure to recovery w/added stress of any kind of travel. Have been to Belize, Costa Rica is on our list to explore for first of year.
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nonnie
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by nonnie »

Beth* wrote:How about Ventana or Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur? Probably not warm, but definitely good for R & R and close to home for you. I have never stayed at Post Ranch Inn, but we did stay at Ventana once for a wedding anniversary and it was lovely: warm pool, lots of hiking nearby, excellent restaurant. If I remember correctly, we had a large room with a fireplace.

There are some wonderful places in Mexico, but given your health experience I would avoid Mexico because of the chance of getting sick again. It's unlikely at a major resort, but still possible.
Beth* wrote:How about Ventana or Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur? Probably not warm, but definitely good for R & R and close to home for you. I have never stayed at Post Ranch Inn, but we did stay at Ventana once for a wedding anniversary and it was lovely: warm pool, lots of hiking nearby, excellent restaurant. If I remember correctly, we had a large room with a fireplace.


Thanks for your response, have stayed at Ventana, don't think Post Ranch offers enough value and the chill and mist/fog at that time of year is not what we need.
Beth* wrote: There are some wonderful places in Mexico, but given your health experience I would avoid Mexico because of the chance of getting sick again. It's unlikely at a major resort, but still possible.
We got sick "at a major resort," upscale, world reknown, award winning property and it didn't matter if it was in Mexico or not. Shigella D or shigellosis in developed countries is most often bacillary dysentery and extreme cases are very serious as opposed to amoebic dysentery often found in third world countries with very poor sanitation. There are approximately 450,000 cases in the US every year (many, many more go unreported) and more than 600 deaths. It's an especially common disease among young children and can be contracted in water parks, it is associated with outbreaks in daycare centers, nursing homes, institutional settings (like prison), and cruise ships. Shigella is responsible for 16% of foodborne outbreaks on cruise ships. Last I heard, over a week agom CDC had not identified the source and one of the theories was that it was brought in by a guest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shigellosis
http://www.about-shigella.com/

So there's the scary "what should I worry about when I travel and come in contact with hundreds of people" story. It really, really has made me start thinking about a lot of things when I travel, things I've never really concentrated on before:

• What medical services does this hotel/property offer (our facility had a nurse--who in our opinion happened to be particularly inept--but at the very least I think a nurse practitioner is in order)?
• Are medical personnel trained in CPR?
• Does the facility have a defibrillator?
• How long will it take for an ambulance and where will they take me?
• Where is the nearest doctor, is he/she available in the middle of the night?
• What medications do they have available? What about IV?
• What's the nearest hospital and what facilities do they have?
• What about Medivac, can a helicopter land here?
• What happens in the case of a heart attack or stroke--an extra ten minutes might kill me.

Even though we're older, young 70s, we've never really thought about things like this in detail. I've worried about going to Europe and having something happen but never thought how the things I've stated above apply to almost any resort, hotel, etc. even in the US. I'm competent and assertive and I was surprised at how vulnerable I felt the first few days in San Diego without a home base. Overburdened nurses and hospital personnel were of very little help. Almost all hospitals put the patient under the care of a self-employed "hospitalist" and even when in close proximity to one's PCP, it is very difficult.

The hospitalist would NOT return my phone calls (I've had this same experience in two other hospitals near my home town), would not return the phone calls of our PCP and it was only when I caused a ruckus that they paged him and he finally interacted with me--even then he said he wished to discharge my SO, even before a diagnosis and as sick as he was (nurses confided doc is called Dr. Discharge) because he was "sure it was viral" (Shigella is bacterial) and the culture had not yet come back) and then said, "You can protest with Medicare but I always win." I asked, "just to clarify, you're going to advocate against us with Medicare?" "Yep" he said.

OK, I've gone on long enough but I hope I've provided food for thought and an education for travelers!
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by countmein »

big island! Not much happening in Loreto, and was hit by the hurricane to boot. hawaii is so easy from the bay area...
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by lululu »

nonnie wrote:
Almost all hospitals put the patient under the care of a self-employed "hospitalist" and even when in close proximity to one's PCP, it is very difficult.

The hospitalist would NOT return my phone calls (I've had this same experience in two other hospitals near my home town), would not return the phone calls of our PCP and it was only when I caused a ruckus that they paged him and he finally interacted with me--even then he said he wished to discharge my SO, even before a diagnosis and as sick as he was (nurses confided doc is called Dr. Discharge) because he was "sure it was viral" (Shigella is bacterial) and the culture had not yet come back) and then said, "You can protest with Medicare but I always win." I asked, "just to clarify, you're going to advocate against us with Medicare?" "Yep" he said.

OK, I've gone on long enough but I hope I've provided food for thought and an education for travelers!
Do us a favor and name the hospital. Also, I would write a letter to its CEO, just in case he or she is a responsible person.

Not all hospitalists are *holes. And my PCP and cardiologist have offices in the hospital's medical complex, and both stopped by to see me when I was hospitalized.
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by ResearchMed »

lululu wrote:
nonnie wrote:
Almost all hospitals put the patient under the care of a self-employed "hospitalist" and even when in close proximity to one's PCP, it is very difficult.

The hospitalist would NOT return my phone calls (I've had this same experience in two other hospitals near my home town), would not return the phone calls of our PCP and it was only when I caused a ruckus that they paged him and he finally interacted with me--even then he said he wished to discharge my SO, even before a diagnosis and as sick as he was (nurses confided doc is called Dr. Discharge) because he was "sure it was viral" (Shigella is bacterial) and the culture had not yet come back) and then said, "You can protest with Medicare but I always win." I asked, "just to clarify, you're going to advocate against us with Medicare?" "Yep" he said.

OK, I've gone on long enough but I hope I've provided food for thought and an education for travelers!
Do us a favor and name the hospital. Also, I would write a letter to its CEO, just in case he or she is a responsible person.

Not all hospitalists are *holes. And my PCP and cardiologist have offices in the hospital's medical complex, and both stopped by to see me when I was hospitalized.
Don't just write to the Hospital CEO.

Write to the Joint Commission that oversees ALL (or almost all??) licensed hospitals in the USA.

I encountered a nightmarish situation when sleeping in the hospital room of my dearest friend, 24/7, after her major surgery, with advance permission of hospital.
They brought in a roll-away bed for me for a few days.

One NEEDS an advocate.
Good thing. The errors I caught (we both have medical backgrounds, although neither of us are physicians) were unbelievable, and I started keeping a log.

Indeed, upon receiving our letter, the Joint Commission DID send a special inspection group, and all sorts of meetings took place. Much was actually documented in their own records, which we guess the staff originally intended as complaining "against her/us" ("that annoying friend" - compliment accepted!), but ended up working very much against them. (Can't go into detail without taking this into the actual medical practice realm, which will get it deleted.)
The apologIES from assorted hospital admin and service heads was unbelievable.
I would still NEVER allow anyone I cared about to go there, but it's not near where *we* live, so that's moot now.

RM
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by Grasshopper »

countmein wrote:big island! Not much happening in Loreto, and was hit by the hurricane to boot. hawaii is so easy from the bay area...
Loreto could be a little to quiet. I haven't changed plans for a fall trip from Cabos to Loreto flying into SJD airport.
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by lululu »

ResearchMed wrote:
Indeed, upon receiving our letter, the Joint Commission DID send a special inspection group, and all sorts of meetings took place. Much was actually documented in their own records, which we guess the staff originally intended as complaining "against her/us" ("that annoying friend" - compliment accepted!), but ended up working very much against them. (Can't go into detail without taking this into the actual medical practice realm, which will get it deleted.)
RM
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by LadyGeek »

Please stay on-topic, which is where to go on vacation.

We're straying into a general rant about hospital care, which is taking this discussion off-topic. Start a new thread if needed. Also, please don't post any hospital names or personal info.
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nonnie
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by nonnie »

LadyGeek wrote:Please stay on-topic, which is where to go on vacation.

We're straying into a general rant about hospital care, which is taking this discussion off-topic. Start a new thread if needed. Also, please don't post any hospital names or personal info.
Thanks. I was just about to do a post figuring I couldn't be accused of going off-topic with my own thread. :happy I'll start a new thread. Thanks much to all for the encouragement. I am going to take some action. No time now for more details but will start another thread as I think it's an important topic.

I'm have a long weekend manufactured spending conference planned in early November in Scottsdale and we're now thinking perhaps SO will either come with or join after for another four or five days. Probably need to start another thread for this also but if anyone has hotel/B&B/Cottage tips for this area, including, Sedona I'd welcome them. Haven't been in the area for a dozen years. Conference is at Kimpton but that's not a hotel conducive to relaxing.

Thanks again!
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by LadyGeek »

Try this thread: Sedona AZ [travel recs needed]

And this thread: Things to do in Phoenix for an afternoon/evening - I know that Scottsdale is notorious for speed traps. Drive carefully.
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Re: Splurge vacation recovery--Hawaii or?

Post by busdriver »

nonnie wrote:We prefer something warm and within 3-4 hours flight time from SFO.
Well that eliminates anywhere in the Hawaiian islands. While I've only been to Oahu, Maui and Hawaii, I could never tire of going again to any of those places and I have and continue to travel to many places over the globe. There is a reason Hawaii is called Paradise.

Should you be willing to travel 5 or so hours, I'd recommend Makena Beach Resort on Maui, (formerly known as the Prince Hotel), http://www.makenaresortmaui.com/default-en.html, or the Hilton Waikoloa Village on Hawaii, http://www.hiltonwaikoloavillage.com. Both are in quiet out of the way places with enough other things not far away to make for a very enjoyable and relaxing vacation.
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