Day 20 #HAWMC Travel Time

Day 20 #HAWMC asks us to share: "if you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Why? We also know traveling with a chronic illness can be challenging, so any tips for others that you can share would be great!"

Hmm...I've always said I would love to travel to England and stay long enough to pick up the accent. I've always had an obsession with British accents; hunky British men and I would be remiss if I didn't mention British history...maybe one day. Having three kids with chronic illness; two of which are T1D, makes travel dollars non-existent.

We DID manage to travel to Florida last year during Spring Break and that was the FIRST long distance travel we had done in seven years! Let me be clear about this. Our lack of travel wasn't due to D. That wasn't it at all. It was lack of funds, scheduling issues and it just wasn't a priority to "get away". But last year it was a priority. We needed the beach. So we went.

As some of our readers know, my son is a severe hemophiliac (aka bleeder). So I had one whole suitcase dedicated to diabetes and hemophilia. I was also armed with a list of hospitals in the area should anything happen. Best tip: pack for the worst case scenario. If you don't think it can happen to you while on vacation...guess what?! It WILL!! So pack *it*! Also be sure to carry your insurance cards, letters from the Doctor of medical condition and medical necessity and phone numbers to your Endo office. Look, travel is fun but it's stressful too. I don't just worry if I packed my toothbrush and my underwear...it's did I pack the life saving insulin and blood clotting factor for my kids!! People with chronic illness travel ALL the time so don't let that stop you. I'm suggesting with some planning you can have a fun, relaxing and prepared vacation!

Day 20 Bonus Prompt...

The challenge prompts for today:

"a health moment I regret.."  or "alternative treatments/regimens/medicine. What do you support?What is crazy?"

I guess I'm lucky as I don't have a health moment I regret. And just thinking of alternative treatments etc has me rolling my eyes all the way back to last week..don't get me going. Insulin is what I support and administer. PERIOD.

So I have chosen to write a bonus prompt:

"write about traveling with your disease".

Have you ever traveled with diabetes? If you are lucky enough to have done so and survived yeah for you!! If not, I will gladly share my experiences with travel. As most of you know, who read our blog regularly, I have the two diabetic daughters and a hemophiliac son. Last November we traveled to Chicago for a National Hemophilia Conference...think Friends For Life but for the hemophilia community. I had to pack for one of my diabetics (as the other one hadn't been diagnosed yet) AND the hemophiliac son.

It was an entire suitcase for both with me carrying an extra bag with back up supplies!!

Imagine your diabetes cabinet x 2!! I was beyond stressed to make sure I packed EVERYTHING!! We were only there 3 days but a lot can happen in 3 days.

Diabetes:

Insulin, pump sites for everyday x 2 (just in case), reservoirs for everyday x 2 (just in case), alcohol swabs, CGM charger, CGM sensors x 2, numbing cream for CGM, CGM inserter, Tegaderm, glucagon, Emergency kit (that has one, if not more, of everything listed), juices, skittles and medical letter of necessity...have I forgotten anything?

Hemophilia:

Factor (medicine) x 4, sterile gloves x 4, IV butterfly x 8, empty syringes x 5, saline flushes x 8, alcohol swabs, gauze, band-aids and medical letter of necessity.

These supplies pretty much took up a carry on bag for the plane. There was no way I was checking that bag!! And then I had to throw extras of almost everything in my big, over sized, mammoth of a purse. But we HAD to be prepared. Worst case scenario we would be able to take care of anything. Things went well...no issues with either kid. (Thank ya Jesus!!) We came back with a full suitcase minus the things we used as expected.

Bottom line...don't let a luggage filled suitcase full of your medical supplies stop you from traveling. We would've missed many fun times if we stayed home and let this disease cripple us. Go out and DO!!