# Worst. Thanksgiving. Ever! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 2, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293 "2013-12-02T16:45:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/1 "2013-12-02T16:45:13Z")
I love Thanksgiving. I love the food, I love just hanging out with friends, it’s probably my favorite holiday. I cook a ton every year and invite anyone who doesn’t already have plans due to no family in the area, no desire to cook, etc. I went to the gym in the morning and felt a little “off:” my legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill but I powered through and was able to finish the workout still feeling relatively ok. So I get all the food done without too much hassle-- there’s way too much of everything, but the turkey looks good, potatoes are whipped to perfection, gravy came out well, blah blah blah. Everyone’s having a good time and I make it through about 1/2 of my plate of food and … I start to feel weird. I literally can’t eat another bite. I run (hobble) upstairs and sit there for a few minutes… start sweating profusely… mouth goes dry… I haven’t thrown up in probably 20 years but here we are, violently emptying the contents of my stomach into the toilet. I clean up and make it back downstairs, feeling marginally better. I don’t want anyone to know anything is wrong so I try to make conversation but it ain’t easy. I’m sure I look pale and sickly. I’m fine for maybe 20, 30 minutes-- but I can feel it coming back, and I slowly make my way upstairs again for more quality time with the toilet. I was horrified that maybe something was wrong with the food and but the party continued just fine and everyone else was thankfully unaffected. I guess it’s just a terrible coincidence that I came down with the stomach flu on Thanksgiving. But the worst part? Now Thanksgiving food-- even just the smell-- is setting off my gag reflex something fierce. Hopefully by Thanksgiving '14, I’ll be back to normal ☹ ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/2 "2013-12-02T17:02:50Z")
Had a similar experience years ago. Felt and thought just like you - that I’d never enjoy another Thanksgiving spread again. This too shall pass. Glad you didn’t die and ruin Thanksgiving for everyone else. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/3 "2013-12-02T18:57:55Z")
I had an almost exactly similar experience at an Easter dinner a few years back. It was months before I could even look at the word “ham” without tasting bile coming up in my throat. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/4 "2013-12-02T18:58:55Z")
Sounds like my Christmas of 2011. Best wishes to you on a speedy recovery. And happy holidays! ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/5 "2013-12-02T20:05:39Z")
Well, there’s no such thing as stomach flu. You had food poisoning. But maybe you were exposed before you started preparing the meal. Glad you’re feeling better, and that your guests didn’t get ill. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/6 "2013-12-02T20:10:17Z")
I had this in January. Vomiting and diarrhea for almost 24 hours. It was 2 weeks before I felt normal. I blame it on the bagged salad I ate that day. It took me months to eat a salad again. By T-Day 2014 you will be fine. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/7 "2013-12-02T20:11:21Z")
Here I thought I had a bad Thanksgiving when my brine dyed my turkey pink… ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/8 "2013-12-02T20:12:55Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > Well, there’s no such thing as stomach flu. You had food poisoning. There are plenty of viruses that cause gastroenteritis. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/9 "2013-12-02T20:15:49Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > Well, there’s no such thing as stomach flu. You had food poisoning. But maybe you were exposed before you started preparing the meal. Glad you’re feeling better, and that your guests didn’t get ill. Norovirus can do that too. ---
**Author:** ![InsomniaMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ad7895/32.png) [@InsomniaMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InsomniaMama)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/10 "2013-12-02T20:29:47Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > Here I thought I had a bad Thanksgiving when my brine dyed my turkey pink… Festive! I’m jealous… ---
**Author:** ![James\_Toothpaste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@James\_Toothpaste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Toothpaste)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/11 "2013-12-02T20:58:31Z")
Oh, that’s terrible. I thought I had a bad thanksgiving when I overcooked an old stiff goose. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/12 "2013-12-02T22:32:16Z")
Oooh, my sympathies. I had a stomach virus a couple years ago that knocked me flat for 3 days. Woke up in the middle of the night, and it was the first time since I was maybe 8 years old that I simply didn’t have time to get to the toilet before vomiting. Thankfully I had randomly kept a plastic bucket under my bed and was able to throw up in that, or it would have been all over the carpet. The next 36 hours were pretty much the same with anything I swallowed before it started to let up. It was completely miserable. I remember once eating a Wendy’s salad, feeling odd and excusing myself to the bathroom, throwing up everything I’d just eaten, and then coming back and finishing the salad with no problem. I think it was a reaction to antibiotics. But it was the first time in my life that I’d thrown up while eating something and not developed an aversion to it. 20 years later and I still can’t drink fruit punch. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/13 "2013-12-02T23:01:38Z")
> [@James\_Toothpaste](#): > > Oh, that’s terrible. I thought I had a bad thanksgiving when I overcooked an old stiff goose. :rolleyes: You think that’s bad. Ask me about the time I goosed an old overcooked stiff. ---
**Author:** ![Marion\_Wormer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Marion\_Wormer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marion_Wormer)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/14 "2013-12-02T23:12:28Z")
I once had laryngitis on Thanksgiving. The rejoicing could be heard for miles. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/15 "2013-12-03T00:28:16Z")
> [@chizzuk](#): > > I remember once eating a Wendy’s salad, feeling odd and excusing myself to the bathroom, throwing up everything I’d just eaten, and then coming back and finishing the salad with no problem. I think it was a reaction to antibiotics. But it was the first time in my life that I’d thrown up while eating something and not developed an aversion to it. 20 years later and I still can’t drink fruit punch. I’ve heard of pregnant women doing things like that. Wow. I couldn’t imagine finishing a meal immediately after having thrown up the first half of it. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/16 "2013-12-03T01:35:16Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > Well, there’s no such thing as stomach flu. You had food poisoning. But maybe you were exposed before you started preparing the meal. Glad you’re feeling better, and that your guests didn’t get ill. > [@Sattua](#): > > There are plenty of viruses that cause gastroenteritis. That’s what I was going to say - I had cause to research this last week\*, and there are a number of common viruses that cause what people call “stomach flu.” \*Came down with gastroenteritis on Tuesday, and was sick until Friday. My birthday was Wednesday. ☹ ETA: Forgot to say, sorry you had a crappy Thanksgiving, and hope you’re feeling better, **amaguri**. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/17 "2013-12-03T11:05:19Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > Well, there’s no such thing as stomach flu. You had food poisoning. But maybe you were exposed before you started preparing the meal. Glad you’re feeling better, and that your guests didn’t get ill. You could have accidentally touched something while your hands had uncooked poultry ‘blood’ and then eaten it. Cross contamination can happen easily. One year our roomie set a whole chicken on a top shelf of the fridge to thaw and it dripped chicken slime on everything and we took almost 3 hours cleaning and decontaminating everything, and lost everything in the veggie drawer:( ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2013, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-thanksgiving-ever/675293/18 "2013-12-03T12:01:54Z")
> [@InsomniaMama](#): > > Festive! I’m jealous… Use cheap cranberry juice concentrate that’s chock full of red food coloring.