Jennifer and Lee Start the Day Right… At the Beach:
Jennifer and Lee on the Island Routes Catamaran at Sandals Negril:
Views of Sandals Negril Jamaica from Catamaran:
Photos of Sandals Negril Jamaica from the Catamaran:
Catamaran Ride from Sandals Negril to Rick’s Cafe in Jamaica:
Arrival at the World Famous Rick’s Cafe in Negril, Jamaica:
Cliff Jumping and Diving at Rick’s Cafe in Negril, Jamaica:
Photos of Rick’s Cafe in Negril, Jamaica:
Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, Negril, Jamaica:
Jennifer and Lee at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville in Negril, Jamaica (2012)
Jennifer and Lee at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville in New Orleans, Louisiana (2001)
We wanted to re-live the experience we had in New Orleans when we first met in 2001…
but Jennifer got sick.
While we were at Rick’s Cafe hanging out on the catamaran waiting on folks to swim to the shore, do some cliff jumping, and swim back, Jennifer got nausea again. Shortly after Lee returned from cliff jumping, Jennifer started feeling violently ill. We now know the common denominator for Jennifer’s nausea was not boat rides but when we were anchored in the water, swaying and moving with the waves. It happened to her again in 2014 when we went on a sea kayaking adventure with Outward Bound. The interesting part is Jennifer’s nausea issues developed at her second base in Cape Cod, Massachussetts. While everyone victim blamed her for not “drinking enough water,” she was pounding down water contaminated with lead and taking long, hot showers riddled with lead in base housing no one but the occasional traditional guardsman used. Jennifer was usually the only one staying in the dorms because she inherited a home in Rumford she didn’t want to give up while she was stop lossed at the 267th Combat Communications Squadron.
The chronic lead poisoning went undiagnosed for over two decades but not before Jennifer and Lee noticed there was a serious problem with Jennifer’s health. The healthcare system in Maine told both of us to f–k off with their gaslighting and dismissiveness. Nonetheless, we continued to take good care of ourselves and learned more about how to manage our health symptoms with mere life experience. We wanted to tell you this story because it actually revealed something beautiful about the people who worked for Island Routes. They helped Jennifer from beginning to end and actually got her feeling well enough again to get back on the boat and return to Sandals Resort. The last picture is the area the staff took Jennifer to so she could lay down on a lawn chair. Jennifer was so dizzy, sick and nauseous, she could not stand up or function. We all attributed it to sea sickness then but Jennifer and Lee knew Jennifer’s nausea problems developed during her military service.
Until this trip, we had never observed Jennifer get negatively impacted by sea sickness. This was a valuable lesson learned for us and we carried dramamine to help her with this new issue and also with other new symptoms that developed like car sickness. Jennifer also had a chemical sensitivity that would make her nauseous and sick. For example, the wrong perfume, air freshener, hair product, or plastic smells would set off the nausea and vomiting. Jennifer could not use her core too much either or that would make her sick. As a matter of fact, we have since learned that chronic lead poisoning wrecks your brain the most but also destroys your digestion system. We can confirm this after two decades with no treatment. As our cognitive health started improving with treatment, we recognized where the VA Maine Healthcare System and the Maine Healthcare System went awry: NO ONE WOULD GIVE US ADDITIONAL TESTING.
We would learn on this particular night that Jamaica doesn’t have ambulances, therefore folks have learned to find ways to help themselves. Although Jennifer did have a couple drinks on the catamaran (which we now know is not good for chronic lead poisoning), the last thing she wanted was more alcohol after getting sick. But, the staff’s cure for Jennifer’s “sea sickness” was vodka, lemon juice, and tonic water. Jennifer trusted the staff given their kindness and did what she had to do to make the dizziness and nausea stop. It worked. It was a fucking miracle. Something Jennifer did not feel like she could pull herself out of was alleviating. Thank God given there was no other choice. She wasn’t 100% but she was well enough to get back on the boat and return to the resort. The staff made sure she was okay along every step of the way. We want to thank these kind folks for taking care of someone who couldn’t take care of themselves.
The experience made Jennifer think about something that had happened to her in her past. She was drugged and taken advantage of. And unable to fight back or do anything. She realized how lucky she was that at a bar in Negril, Jamaica, no one took advantage of her debilitated state and instead took really good care of her. This was something we wouldn’t envision occurring in the United States. Although, being an ambulance ride away from the hospital is something that is available in the United States. It was an interesting experience to say the least. Of course, we had each other but it sure was nice to have a team of folks helping Jennifer get better. Jennifer was really touched by the experience and that’s why we’re spending the time now to tell you about it. Jamaica is a beautiful country with some genuine, loving people who not only loved their job but loved on us too. The colors of the flag speak volumes.
The Jamaican flag’s colors have specific meanings: gold represents the natural wealth and beauty of sunlight, green signifies hope and agricultural resources, and black symbolizes the strength and creativity of the Jamaican people. -AI Overview
Addendum to Original Post (April 21, 2012):
A couple days later we ran into the woman who helped Jennifer when she got sea sick on the catamaran ride and we got an opportunity to thank her for her kindness. We also asked her to take a picture with us and she obliged. The experience brought all three of us closer together because this Island Routes employee truly cared about Jennifer and indeed nursed her back to health from a debilitated state so she could return back to the resort. We now know it was complications from chronic lead poisoning but at the time, it was what it was… and Jennifer relied on trust.
Related Links:
Sandals Negril Jamaica
Day 1: Jennifer and Lee Arrived at Sandals Negril Jamaica (2012)
Day 2: Relaxing Beach Day at Sandals Negril Jamaica (2012)
Day 3: Island Routes Catamaran Ride to World Famous Rick’s Cafe (2012)
Day 4: Island Routes ATV Adventure Tour in Sandy Bay, Jamaica & Dino’s (2012)
Road Tripping in Sandy Bay and Negril on the Island of Jamaica (2012)
Day 5: Snorkeling, 7 Mile Beach Tour, Beach Day, and Sunset at Rick’s Cafe (2012)
Day 5: Jennifer and Lee Go Snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea at Sandals Negril (2012)
Day 6: Dining at Barefoot by the Sea and a Chill Beach Day at Sandals Negril (2012)
Day 7: Sunbathing on 7 Mile Beach & Dining at Kimonos Oriental Cuisine, Sandals (2012)
Day 8: Drive From the Sandals Negril Resort to the Airport, Montego Bay, Jamaica (2012)
Jennifer & Lee Celebrate 5 Year Wedding Anniversary in Jamaica (2012)
Jennifer and Lee: Until Death Do Us Part (2024)
Jennifer and Lee 