Bikini Free Zone
It’s been quite a day, full of packing, sorting, laundry and digestive remedies.
Two of my friends, lesbians of course, going on the trip suggested taking a “probiotic” to avoid the most uncomfortable effects of travelers diarrhea. I’m game because I have no idea what a probiotic is and they give me a name of one so I’m all set.
I check with the pediatrician, of course, not because I doubt their wisdom but because I was there for Zachary’s 10th check up, a mere four months late.
Clearly, I’m not a panicked sort.
Excellent idea, he says, but he also adds, there are worse things and it usually runs its course in a day or so. Don’t worry too much.
Along with buying my non-Costco sized shampoo and a just in case extra large box of tampons, I browse CVS for this probiotic.
Nothing.
So I ask the pharmacist who directs me to the Imodium, which I do get some of, but I really want the probiotic so off to Whole Foods because it’s clear to me this is up there with fish oil, flax, and red raspberry tea. Therapeutic but … odd.
I proceed to have a very long, very descriptive conversation with a lovely young man who tends to the herbal remedy aisle. I learn what a probiotic really is.
Bacteria.
A lot of it.
That you take on purpose!
Good to start it before you leave, he says.
Yeah, I think so.
Now I’m wishing that I stopped and picked up some of those preparation H travel wipes, too.
But I took my pills and I gave Ben his, that he eyed carefully.
Do I chew it?
No. At least he didn’t ask to take it with peanut butter like he did yesterday with the Advil I gave him for tooth pain.
And as if this wasn’t enough, I had a friend tell me this morning to drop the bikini idea.
Have you worn one before? She asked.
No, well, not since I was 8. And then I wore it topless because… well… I was 8 and desperately wanted to be a boy. A boy with pink flowered bikini bottom on but it was the seventies…
Don’t’ do it.
Why?
Think of the boys.
What about the boys?
Then she told me a story about a progressive camp she took her kids to- in the same freaky seventies- and how the parents were encouraged to go swimming with the kid’s au natural.
You did?
She nodded. My boys are 42 and 45? They still tell me, we REALLY didn’t need to see that.
So, the bikini is on hold. I might save it for when they all go to the chocolate factory tour. I think I look fine in my bikini- it’s not some little thong, it’s really a sports bra top, and board shorts because at heart, I’m still that little girl wanting to at least look like a boy- but I will stick to my one-piece Speedo.
I’ll wear the board shorts with it.
And hopefully will not need to run to the bathroom twenty times because I’m on my nifty probiotic.
Friday morning cannot come soon enough…
Two of my friends, lesbians of course, going on the trip suggested taking a “probiotic” to avoid the most uncomfortable effects of travelers diarrhea. I’m game because I have no idea what a probiotic is and they give me a name of one so I’m all set.
I check with the pediatrician, of course, not because I doubt their wisdom but because I was there for Zachary’s 10th check up, a mere four months late.
Clearly, I’m not a panicked sort.
Excellent idea, he says, but he also adds, there are worse things and it usually runs its course in a day or so. Don’t worry too much.
Along with buying my non-Costco sized shampoo and a just in case extra large box of tampons, I browse CVS for this probiotic.
Nothing.
So I ask the pharmacist who directs me to the Imodium, which I do get some of, but I really want the probiotic so off to Whole Foods because it’s clear to me this is up there with fish oil, flax, and red raspberry tea. Therapeutic but … odd.
I proceed to have a very long, very descriptive conversation with a lovely young man who tends to the herbal remedy aisle. I learn what a probiotic really is.
Bacteria.
A lot of it.
That you take on purpose!
Good to start it before you leave, he says.
Yeah, I think so.
Now I’m wishing that I stopped and picked up some of those preparation H travel wipes, too.
But I took my pills and I gave Ben his, that he eyed carefully.
Do I chew it?
No. At least he didn’t ask to take it with peanut butter like he did yesterday with the Advil I gave him for tooth pain.
And as if this wasn’t enough, I had a friend tell me this morning to drop the bikini idea.
Have you worn one before? She asked.
No, well, not since I was 8. And then I wore it topless because… well… I was 8 and desperately wanted to be a boy. A boy with pink flowered bikini bottom on but it was the seventies…
Don’t’ do it.
Why?
Think of the boys.
What about the boys?
Then she told me a story about a progressive camp she took her kids to- in the same freaky seventies- and how the parents were encouraged to go swimming with the kid’s au natural.
You did?
She nodded. My boys are 42 and 45? They still tell me, we REALLY didn’t need to see that.
So, the bikini is on hold. I might save it for when they all go to the chocolate factory tour. I think I look fine in my bikini- it’s not some little thong, it’s really a sports bra top, and board shorts because at heart, I’m still that little girl wanting to at least look like a boy- but I will stick to my one-piece Speedo.
I’ll wear the board shorts with it.
And hopefully will not need to run to the bathroom twenty times because I’m on my nifty probiotic.
Friday morning cannot come soon enough…
Labels: lesbian mom in bikini, probiotic, Vacation
posted by Sara at 4:15 PM
8 Comments:
Wow. So much to consider! Hope your probiotic keeps you nice and regular so you can enjoy your trip!
i can't wait to see those pictures! will make sure allan takes plenty. have a great time, and go get the prep h wipes!! LOL
You could just eat yogurt while you're there....
Same bacteria if I'm not mistaken. Plus- tasty!
I don't know about Costa Rica but Mexico has about a hundred times more types of yogurt and yogurt drinks in the grocery than we do here.
The bacteria in the yogurt may be dead. A lot of companies pasteurise the product before it goes out, so it won't develop further from that point.
The idea of the probiotic is that the bacteria - the good sort - are so numerous that they crowd out any small or large number of bad ones you might ingest. It really is biological warfare.
oh, THAT makes me feel better, Ulla...
It also comes in handy after taking antibiotics for other things so you dont get a yeast infections after stopping the antibiotics. I hate when that happens. Have a great time and be safe.
love ya.
ttfn
I didn't mean to gross anyone out, I just think it is real nifty to sort of rally the good bacteria to marginalize the bad, instead of trying to kill the bad ones. It seems almost loving and accepting :-)
It would probably even work on a human scale in Iraq, come to think of it.
Now, here is the radical scientific solution, via Andrew Sullivan
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/12/a-fecal-transpl.html --- ENJOY...
oh, you did not gross me out, I'm just being high strung...
I know, hard to believe.
will go read andrew now.
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