Why, you ask?
Because I woke up one morning and said to myself, “Self — Your life is disturbingly deficient in chaos at the moment… I know! Let’s plan a summer camping trip! You know — hours upon hours of gluten-free menu planning, tube-feeds without running water, barf bags, taking that ten-mile drive back into town just to hang out at the local laundromat… It’ll be a hoot!”
That’s called a joke around my place.
Actually, we decided as a family that we are long overdue for a vacation. Last time we went on a real vacation that involved more than a couple of nights and/or didn’t involve a medical trip was eight years ago — pre kids.
Our six-year-old (who between the ages of zero and five had 27 surgical procedures) doesn’t even know what a vacation is. I tried to explain it to her…
“It’s where you pack a suitcase and go someplace fun for a week or two.”
She gave me a puzzled look, and then flashed me an excited grin. “Oh! I know jess wat you mean! You mean like wen we pack-ded up evvy-fing an’ went to see Dr. W an’ his special hoz-piddle in Yoo Nork City!”
Nineteen days in a pediatric intensive care unit in a strange city. Sure. Sounds like a vacation to me.
I rubbed my temples as my eldest child piped up with another attempt to define the elusive concept of never-before-experienced leisure time. “Oh, Oh!! Now I know! You mean like wen we went-ded to see Dr. P and stop-ded to see that pretty waterfall on the way there an’ my little bruvver got mad an’ frew up all oh-ber Daddy!”
See what I mean? We need a vacation. All of us.
However, the economy being what it is and our post-medical-bills budget being how it is, we are left with shall we say, limited vacation options. Namely camping. As in tent. As in campfire. As in outside.
I like camping — well at least I used to. Back when we didn’t have children. When we didn’t know what reflux was. Back when we had no idea how to perform an emergency G-tube replacement and thought that CVS was only the name of a pharmaceutical chain.
I’m hoping I still like camping.
I’m hoping that this summer my kids get to make up for a little lost time. I’m hoping that we will all have a great time outdoors doing something that doesn’t involve a waiting room. I’m hoping that by going to the trouble of packing things like homemade gluten-free graham crackers, Prilosec tablets, a spare 14 fr 1.2cm Mic-Key button, decompression tubes, barf bags, extra shirts, and that “just-in-case” supply of Neocate Junior formula with gravity Kangaroo bags — I’m hoping that it will all be worth it.
Because I’m nothing, if not an optimist!
Have any tales you want to tell about your family camping experiences? I’m all ears!
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LOVE camping! I’m gonna post on it soon.
I have went but not in a tent lol and it was heck then even a few miles from home. We went to my moms camper at the lake one night was all and Brandon cried the whole time he would not sleep it was 100 or more outside. The only thing he did like was the boat. But you know what we are going to get out and do it again but this time with a tent and I think it will be fun. You cant let one bad expercience bring ya down. But I live in the south so we thrive on outdoorsie stuff lol.
Barbara — Yay! I’ll be watching for your post!
Amber — You sound like you vacation the way we do – LOL!
Children crying all night — isn’t that just the ultimate form of relaxation? 
Our last attempt was a “pseudo-camping” trip. Overnight at my parents farm — we had a great time visiting with family, but our youngest screamed the whole night and our oldest sneaked out and ate an entire box of non-gluten-free graham crackers, tripping a CVS episode. That was two summers ago and we decided we weren’t ready for the real thing. Hopefully this summer we will be
~Michelle
This mama does NOT camp unless a cabin with a jacuzzi bath and a hot tub on the deck overlooking the mountains counts as camping. Probably not. The husband LOVES to camp. I’m talking 100 pound backpack through the wilderness petting the moose type of camping.
More power to you. I’ll be praying…
hehe, Karin. Before children, we lived in the NW and everyone we knew loved venturing to primitive territory. Not.us. Since SH was a military man, for a while he told everyone that if he slept outside and not shower he expected to be paid. That kept ‘em off our backs for a while. Then we used this answer: roughing it for us is a hotel room without a tv remote. lol.
Children change things, as you all well know. I enjoy camping now, and as promised, will give-up more for its benefits in a post soon.
As much as I loved reading about the preparation for the camping trip…I cannot wait for the “after” stories and photos.
This was a great post. We DON’T camp – even before my daughter was born – camping wasn’t even on my radar. So more power to you…
Planning any trip with my daughter is a lot more challenging. We have to bring all of her formula since it cannot be bought in any store, all her meds, an extra g-tube & all the stuff that goes with g-tube feedings. Then all of her special equipment that we cannot function without. She has so much stuff she almost needs her own vehicle! But with all the extra work, you HAVE to go anyway, don’t you? Family trips (good or bad) should just be a part of growing up. : )
Good for you! We’ve done lots of camping with bottles etc…but I drew the line last summer when my 18 month old daughter was on an NG tube…I just couldn’t face 2 preschooler boys and all the stuff that goes with that AND the feeding issues. She’s off the tube now and only has minor feeding issues, so some camping is definitely in the plans this summer. Sure am looking forward to it! Have a great time!
You are amazing – in fact anyone who camps or travels with a child who has special requirements is AMAZING!!!
My daughter is 10 and is fed exclusively by g-tube, vomits with regularity, and we’ve spent time in the hospital so much that I’m not sure where we’ve been most – home or hospital.
We camped at DisneyWorld which is a nice place to camp, when Little Miss was 6. I hated it. It was so difficult -much more work than being at home. Of course I (you won’t believe this) do not like Disney World anyway. So I went in with a bias. But it was hot, sticky, sandy, dirty, noisy, uncomfortable, etc
The only way I get a break is if my husband takes them and I stay home. So he takes our two younger kids and they go off on wild trips all over the USA and I get to stay home and sleep in! They do well with all of it – camping, tube feedings in the car, cleaning syringes on the road, etc.
So the rest of you ROCK! You go! Tell the rest of us all about it and we’ll show the pictures to our kids so they can experience it through you! Ha ha! Have fun!
this is amazing,nice post!me and my family are planning to go for a camp this coming year, can you please help me what to do since i still don’t have any list of what gear am i going to buy,please help me and more power!i love this post
!two thumbs up!