Somebody here mentioned travel recently, and how they spend half their month away from home. I looked and couldn’t find that post, but I thought we might be onto an interesting discussion topic. How do you adjust your travel, and what do you do, to accommodate your PsA-related needs?
I bit the bullet last year and bought a lightweight travel scooter. Trust me, I didn’t want to! I was NOT going to give in! I would just bring my cane and take lots of rests … ya, right! Well, we were about to cancel a vacation when I came to my senses and realized that I was going to make my DH stay home because I was too proud to ride a scooter … so I bit the bullet and got one. Once I got over it, the scooter was the best travel investment ever! The hard part was swallowing my pride, but once I did, going places was so much easier and less stressful.
I’m not on a biologic so I haven’t had to cope with travelling with injectables that need refrigeration, but I’m sure there are plenty of tricks to dealing with that as well.
Looking forward to reading this. I'll be traveling with my mom next month. It's just for one night, so I'm just going to bring my NSAIDs. But my mom? Well, she is WAY more complicated. She uses a walker, an insulin pump and all sorts of other meds. So we're getting a crash course on how to prepare for this. Oh, plus we're bringing home a puppy, so we had to study how to do this, right down to picking an airline that allows 8 wk old puppies.
Apparently, for (US) domestic travel, the TSA site has a wealth of information.
I too am looking forward to this discussion. I too am about to start my travel season with my children’s activities. I have a scooter as well and in have no problem using it.
Hi Seenie! We'll be flying, from NY metro area, to Seattle, and back. We'll be there just one night. We are picking up a new golden retriever puppy for my parents. My dad can't travel right now because he just had shoulder surgery. Initially I was going to go on my own, but my mom REALLY wants to see the whole litter, and pick out her puppy. I get it. But it would be too tough for her to go on her own. So I am her official travel companion.
I wouldn't travel so far for a puppy. But my parents train field dogs, and this is their thing. I would get a shelter dog, or other rescue, if/when I'm ready to get one. Right now 2 kids, 3 cats and a hamster are enough.
Seenie said:
So are you flying or driving, Stoney? And tell...what kind of puppy are you getting? ;-)
I also am very interested in this subject. My son, in college, loves to travel and does so at the drop of a hat. I never had the time or money until I was no longer working. Now I have time but still short on funds but I bought an American Tourister suitcase that only weighs 5 lbs and has a 360 degree spin to it's wheels. David is doing a semester in Florence Italy in the fall and has asked his Momma to come for a month and then spend Christmas in Vienna. We are thinking about it. I have also been looking at Travelsmith catalogs. They have great ideas on how and what to pack. I say this subject is timely, now if my Remicade would just kick in.......
Tips for travel… ALWAYS tick the box for special circumstances when you book your ticket (I’m talking planes now), unless you feel like a million dollars. Golf carts, wheelchairs, always VIP through security, customs and immigration!
The only real exception to this is if you are traveling business or first, and feel pretty good - but still remember that transits in big international airports are commonly 1km and up to 2 km, so if you are not doing the “requires assistance” thing, wear comfortable shoes.
For injectables, always carry the prescription and / or doctors note. In foreign countries, everyone seemed to know the word Epipen, and was comfortable with it.
Don’t travel through the UAE (eg Dubai / Abu Dhabi), unless you have familiarized yourself with the risk, and are comfortable with it.
(Two 50ish Canadian women were reported to be detained in jail for two months during 2008 because they were carrying celebrex, and the Dubai drug squad couldn’t figure out what it was).
Get an aisle seat. You will get so stiff sitting stationary on a plane, you need to get out and move
I totally agree, Jen! Don’t leave it to “see how I feel” when you get to the airport. Check the “need assistance” box (get a wheelchair, whether you are self-conscious about it or not) and if you arrive at the airport feeling in top form, and ready to stand in line for security and walk a km, you can always go it alone.
Last fall, I embarked on my first overseas trip with my scooter. I don’t know how many nights I lay awake worrying about getting my scooter onto the plane/train/public transit etc. I worried about being comfortable on the plane. I just got myself all in knots. Silly, really! The plane was no problem: I left my scooter at the plane door, and when we landed … well, by golly, there it was again! Magic. Trains and public transit in the UK are surprisingly accessible, and I was totally amazed at the number of offers of help I got every day. Met so many lovely locals along the way! People are so kind and so helpful… all that worry for nothing.
Jen’s right about comfort on the plane. I can’t afford first or business class, so an aisle seat is the best bet. The airline will try to seat you near the front, but I always ask for an aisle seat as far back as I can go. If the plane isn’t full, that’s where the empty seats are and I get some space to stretch out!
An aside: I went on a shopping expedition in the city with my crutches and my scooter today. I’ve come home with renewed faith in my fellow humans. People were so helpful, so kind and so friendly today! I guess when you’ve obviously got a problem, it brings out the best in people. It was a good day.
What a wonderful expedition! Do ask for a wheelchair for your Mom. And here’s a seating hint for the plane: if the seating is three together, choose a window and an aisle (so that there is a seat between you), and go to the back of the plane. The seat between you is one nobody will pick unless the plane is absolutely jam full, and that will give you some extra comfort room. If the plane is completely full, offer to switch the aisle or the window seat with the person in the middle. They will be your new best friend!
Something else I find useful for long flights (more than a couple of hours) is compression stockings. Besides preventing nasty things like blood clots, the really do prevent the leg and foot swelling discomfort. These days my legs are swollen and uncomfortable enough!
As for travelling with the puppy, I’ve never done that … let us know how it goes!
Stoney said:
Hi Seenie! We'll be flying, from NY metro area, to Seattle, and back. We'll be there just one night. We are picking up a new golden retriever puppy for my parents. My dad can't travel right now because he just had shoulder surgery. Initially I was going to go on my own, but my mom REALLY wants to see the whole litter, and pick out her puppy. I get it. But it would be too tough for her to go on her own. So I am her official travel companion.
I wouldn't travel so far for a puppy. But my parents train field dogs, and this is their thing. I would get a shelter dog, or other rescue, if/when I'm ready to get one. Right now 2 kids, 3 cats and a hamster are enough.
Seenie said:
So are you flying or driving, Stoney? And tell...what kind of puppy are you getting? ;-)
If your Remicade would just kick in, Michael, you’ll be on top of the world! Florence and that part of Italy is wonderful! When we were in Rome a couple of years ago, we got a wheelchair (bought it there, for reasons to complicated to explain here). I was so glad to have it, although it was very difficult on cobblestones, and generally I found the city not to be that accessible. But, even when I couldn’t ride it, bumping over the uneven streets, it made a pretty good walker, and I always had my chair with me! In tourist destinations, it isn’t always easy to find a place to rest. That was my first trip with “wheels”. It was OK, and not a hugely expensive investment. I’d be looking into getting a used wheelchair to take with you on the trip.
michael in vermont said:
I also am very interested in this subject. My son, in college, loves to travel and does so at the drop of a hat. I never had the time or money until I was no longer working. Now I have time but still short on funds but I bought an American Tourister suitcase that only weighs 5 lbs and has a 360 degree spin to it’s wheels. David is doing a semester in Florence Italy in the fall and has asked his Momma to come for a month and then spend Christmas in Vienna. We are thinking about it. I have also been looking at Travelsmith catalogs. They have great ideas on how and what to pack. I say this subject is timely, now if my Remicade would just kick in…
Great tip. I am awaiting my 4th, or first non-loading dose, on 3/7/13. I have my fingers crossed, don't tell anyone I can't un-cross them.....David and I are very excited about the possibility. I also looked up overnight trains from Florence to Vienna. I have enjoyed the dreaming even if nothing comes of it. Both David and I would love to go to on of the Vienna Balls that start New Year's Day. I have been too busy looking at Ball gowns that ship well to look up wheel chairs! Imagine dancing the Viennesse Waltz with my best guy (since my husband won't travel!) at a Viennesse Ball! I've got alot of day dream here.........
Sea tac airport is fairly easy to get around in and workers are very willing to help ie, wheel chais and such. Hopefully it will not be raining while you are here so you can see how pretty it really is. If weather changes bother your psa, you may just want to bring more than NSAIDS. Just a thought. I have found that most airlines are pet and wheel chair friendly.
Seenie said:
What a wonderful expedition! Do ask for a wheelchair for your Mom. And here’s a seating hint for the plane: if the seating is three together, choose a window and an aisle (so that there is a seat between you), and go to the back of the plane. The seat between you is one nobody will pick unless the plane is absolutely jam full, and that will give you some extra comfort room. If the plane is completely full, offer to switch the aisle or the window seat with the person in the middle. They will be your new best friend! Something else I find useful for long flights (more than a couple of hours) is compression stockings. Besides preventing nasty things like blood clots, the really do prevent the leg and foot swelling discomfort. These days my legs are swollen and uncomfortable enough!
As for travelling with the puppy, I’ve never done that … let us know how it goes!
Stoney said:
Hi Seenie! We’ll be flying, from NY metro area, to Seattle, and back. We’ll be there just one night. We are picking up a new golden retriever puppy for my parents. My dad can’t travel right now because he just had shoulder surgery. Initially I was going to go on my own, but my mom REALLY wants to see the whole litter, and pick out her puppy. I get it. But it would be too tough for her to go on her own. So I am her official travel companion.
I wouldn’t travel so far for a puppy. But my parents train field dogs, and this is their thing. I would get a shelter dog, or other rescue, if/when I’m ready to get one. Right now 2 kids, 3 cats and a hamster are enough.
Seenie said:
So are you flying or driving, Stoney? And tell…what kind of puppy are you getting?
How much success have folks had with assistance getting your bags on the plane (under the seat or overhead)? On my last trip, the flare up occurred before I made it home so I asked for wheelchair assistance, not really to help me walk (which was not too much of a problem) but so that I did not have to carry/drag the suitcases. I found that the third party contracting with the airline handles the wheelchair but a gate agent or flight attendant does the baggage. And, I was forgotten twice on the place waiting for someone to help move my suitcases off. I do pack light but still...
