It is important to realize that your trip will likely look different from what it did before your diagnosis.
It is and remains holidays, so try to focus mainly on the positive things. You experience new things, see family and friends, get away from the daily grind for a while, and have fun.
Below, are some tips to start the holidays prepared:
- plan the trip according to your own rhythm: what used to be ordinary and went smoothly may now take more time (think about meals, getting dressed, etc.);
- plan enough time for rest and relaxation: filling every minute of the holidays, it seems beforehand like a good idea. At the very moment, you’re likely going to enjoy activities less if you’re exhausted. So choose a few things you definitely want to do and build enough rest around them so that you can go everywhere fit;
- be prepared regarding support and care: if you are used to a certain standard at home when it comes to care, it can be very disruptive not to have this on vacation. So make sure you are prepared for different situations and that you can seek equal comfort at any time;
- do research: check if your hotel or accommodation has all the necessary facilities. Wheelchair users can (or have someone) check in advance if there are accessible toilets;
- try to avoid large crowds, as crowds can be very tiring;
- are you traveling by plane? Then definitely check if your aids and BiPAP can be taken on the plane! If you normally don’t use mobility aids, you can often borrow them at airports. Long trips can be very exhausting;
- wear a medical alert badge and carry a detailed letter from your doctor in explaining words your medical condition, medication and recent test results or procedures so that you can quickly notify another doctor – translate this document (use Google Translate or similar programs) eventually into the language of the location where you will be staying;
- if you travel abroad, be sure to first check with your own health insurance company and make sure you have a travel assistance insurance.
At the end of each day, and when you come home from your trip, it might be that you decide you couldn’t visit as much as you could in the past. It’s possible that you didn’t see or do everything you had planned. But that’s totally OK. The purpose of traveling is to see, and to enjoy and to do what you can, and you will surely have done that!