A Weekend Away With My Boyfriend

Going away for a weekend break or a holiday is one of my favorite things to do with my boyfriend. It still is even though our holidays have changed since I became sick.

Throughout the year my boyfriend and I will always take little holidays around Ireland. I love seeing new places. Often, we go to the same place because we love it so much.

I’m a planner, I always have been

Since being sick I need to plan a lot more. I make lists and have back up lists.

Because of Covid, I haven't been abroad yet since being sick. This is a big fear of mine. How will I deal with the airport? Sitting on a plane for a long time. I’m a nervous flyer so is this anxiety of mine going to cause me to be in more pain? Will the place where I stay have a bed I find comfortable? Is there going to be a lot of walking involved.. The questions go on.

I love going for a weekend away with my boyfriend, friends or family. But now, it has become a fear of mine. I still want to go, but I have a lot of anxious thoughts when it comes to going away.

I’m lucky that my family, friends and boyfriend try their best to understand my condition. But they will never truly understand.

When my boyfriend and I go away he is very understanding

He will always drive. He knows I need to be comfortable in the car, so he makes me a few hot water bottles to ease my back and neck. As you
know, sitting for periods of time causes us to be in more pain. So, he will always stop a few times throughout our car journey for me to get out and stretch or for us to go on a little walk.

Once we arrive at our hotel or Airbnb he knows that I need to rest. Again, he will make me hot water bottles and we will have a lie down for some time before our adventure begins.

What we decide to do depends on how I am feeling

Sometimes we can go for a walk and sometimes I’m not able to due to pain and fatigue.

The times that I’m not able to go for a walk we will drive somewhere pretty, he will get us a little snack in the shop, and we will look at the view from the car.

The times that we do go for a walk he knows that after it is time to go back to the hotel and rest again. And, time for more hot water bottles, and maybe even a bath.

Sometimes we will go out for dinner, and other times we will need to order take out to our hotel room. When I’m feeling bad it’s lovely to eat pizza in bed with my boyfriend and watch a movie.

My weekends away have changed a lot since becoming sick. I now must limit myself, even when I’m on holiday.  Even though my holidays have changed, I still enjoy them.  I was afraid that since I’m sick and I can’t do the things I used to be able to, that holidays would be one of those things. But it’s not.

Instead, my holidays just look a little different now. But, I still enjoy them.

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