My childhood was made up of adventures. Parasailing over the Gulf of Mexico, hot air balloon rides into the sunset, snorkeling in caves with stalactites hanging over head, and reaching the top of the Empire State Building, just to name a few.
I was 6 months old when I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. But luckily for me, I grew up with a mother who refused to let a diagnosis hold me back from living life and experiencing so many exciting things. Traveling isn’t just my hobby, it’s my passion.
Traveling is meant to be fun and exciting, immersing yourself in different cultures. With CF, it can be all those things; you just might have to be a bit more prepared than the average person.
Rule number one: ALWAYS pack medications in a carry-on bag. Never, I repeat, NEVER check medications, nebulizers, or medical equipment at the airport. If the airline loses your luggage, you would be, for lack of a better word, screwed. I usually overpack like any other 20-something-year-old girl and check my bag with all my clothes and two too many pairs of shoes. When it comes to CF necessities, they go in a backpack and never leave my side. Worst case scenario, the airline loses your luggage, gives you a check, and you get to go shopping.
Most airlines let you have personal items and a carry-on. My carry-on is my vest, and my personal item is a backpack full of my medications and nebulizer. If the airline, for whatever reason, gives you any issues bringing a carry-on or says the vest bag is too big, fight them on it. Do NOT let them check it. Usually, they don’t care if you say it’s medical equipment.
Rule number two: Always overpack medications! You’ll never know if a flight could get canceled or delayed, and the last thing you want to do is run out of enzymes and make the decision to either starve or spend the remainder of your trip in a bathroom.
Rule number three: When preparing to travel abroad, Google what voltage they use for their wall outlets. I made the mistake once not doing this beforehand and totally fried my nebulizer. On the plus side, I discovered that some countries don’t require prescriptions for a lot of things, including a nebulizer. Not only that, but things tend to be cheaper as well. So, if something does happen to go wrong, don’t panic. There is always a way!
Rule number four: Bring disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer on the plane. Airports and airplanes are some of the germiest places to ever exist. I use the wipes to wipe down the chair and the tray table when I board. Also taking extra vitamin C and zinc can’t hurt either.
Rule number five: Don’t freak out about bringing Pulmozyme. Ideally, Pulmozyme is kept cool while traveling, but it can stay good for 24 hours without being refrigerated. Depending on how long the trip is, I just put it in my bag and move on. Now, if your travel day is going to be incredibly long, you’re traveling in a hot climate, or you can’t make it to a fridge within a day, you can most definitely bring a small cooler on the plane. Keeping some icepacks in your freezer from the pharmacy when they originally send you Pulmozyme in the mail comes in handy.
Rule number six: Don’t forget your inhaler! I rarely use mine because the nebulizer is more effective. However, it does serve a purpose when you're out and about for the entire day exploring if you become out of breath due to weather or altitude changes.
Rule number seven: Have fun! To be honest, cystic fibrosis is not usually at the forefront of my mind. With the help of the CF Foundation and extensive research, I think many of us are pretty fortunate to live life somewhat normally now. As long as you keep up on treatments and medications, you should be able to travel and have a great time just like anybody else would.
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