MD Forum

[RabW]

I have not been on holiday abroad for over 6 years, but lately I've been thinking about how great it would be to go back to Florida, a place I've been to 4 times because I love it so much. But the logistics involved in arranging such a trip frightens me! I've never been abroad since I've been using a ventilator, and this is probably my main worry. What would I do if something went wrong with my ventilator whilst I am in America? The hospitals over there wouldn't know anything about my personal situation, i.e. what kind of ventilator I need and what settings I need etc., so the holiday would be ruined and I would need to come home. I have 2 ventilators which I could take, but this leads to my second problem - baggage allowance. Would I be able to take all my equipment (main ventilator, back-up ventilator, battery back-up, mattress, bed pan) without having to pay a lot more for the extra weight? Its things I can't do without, I need to be able to take them.

I know these are problems I would face when going on holiday abroad anywhere, not just to America. So can anyone give me their experiences of going abroad with a ventilator? I know Sharky that you went to Spain earlier this year, for example and you are on 24 hour ventillation, how did you manage with the flight and stuff? Did the airline have any problems with you using a ventilator during the flight? Because obviously you need it! Also does anyone know if its possible to sit on your wheelchair cushion on the plane, because I ended up with terrible pressure sores after the last flight I went on? I would love to go abroad, but there is a lot more for me to consider now than there was the last time I went abroad.
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[sharky1]

Cool! You so must arrange to go!

It may seem complicated and rather daunting but as long as you take time to plan it should work out well.

All your equipment including your chair will be classed as essential medical equipment meaning it should incur no baggage charge. You need to contact your airline, most of them have a special assistance number you should call on their website, who will probably send you a form asking you to detail each piece of equipment. (things like, make and model, dimensions and weight) You'll also need a letter from your GP or specialist confirming your fitness to travel. As long as you provide all that info to your airline they should then give you the okay. Also you must try to insist you can be taken to and from the aircraft door in your wheelchair, or at least into their rubbish one immediately before boarding.

Do speak to your ventilation specialist though, get a letter describing your condition and details what treatment you require should you need hospital treatment. You probably also need to sit on a decent cushion and sort out something for taking a pee!

A good company for insurance specialising in disability is Chartwell Insurance. I have also heard Virgin are really helpful.

I hope that gives you some encouragement.

Good luck.

[snugglebun123]

I totally agree. You definitely should go!!

Like sharky said, it'll probably take a bit of planning, but it will be worth it

I'm jealous that you've been 4 times already I've been once when I was about 9 or 10. I went with Dreamflight. Did you ever go with them? They are like a charity that take disabled children to Florida for a holiday without their parents...awesome haha.

Good luck with it all and I hope you keep us posted on how you get on. Fingers crossed for you

[RabW]

Thanks for the comments so far. Mark, your reply has helped me feel so much better, it certainly has given me some encouragement! I've usually been ok with getting transferred onto the plane, they transfer me on to the aisle seat not far from the door of the plane. Like you say the wee narrow aisle seat really is rubbish isn't it? I always feel as if I'm going to fall out of it! The one at the other end in America is so much better, it has head support and a few straps to help you feel more secure.

Handily I've got an appointment with respiritory next Thursday so I'll speak to them and also get my neurologist to write a letter describing my condition. So are you allowed to sit on your wheelchair cushion on the plane? I use leg bags all the time so peeing is not an issue

One thing I hadn't thought of was getting my manual chair sorted. Ive mentioned it on other threads that I never take my electric wheelchair with me abroad in case anything happened to it, and also I couldnt get on any rides in Florida because you can get on some rides in your manual chair but my electric wheelchair would be too big. Anyway I got a new manual chair last year but I had never used it until Tuesday when I needed to go in it to fit in my grandparents' house, but it was really uncomfortable, my head wasn't sitting right and the lateral supports have gone wonky. So I'll need to get that sorted before we can book anything up, I couldn't cope being in that chair in its current state for 2 weeks!

Hi snugglebun123, thanks for your good wishes sorry I hadn't introduced myself before. Whereabouts in Scotland do you live? I'm over in the west. I've never been to Florida with Dreamflight, a few of my friends have but I've always went with my mum and dad, and my uncle came with us a couple of times. Did you enjoy the trip? I love it over there!
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[snugglebun123]

No worries Rab I live in the East. I wonder if I went the same year as some of your friends. Do you know what year they went? I loved my trip to Florida, it was probably my best holiday to be honest. How good are the rides for getting on with you chair? I didn't realise they had access for that? When I went, I came out my chair to get on the rides. If I went over now, I wouldnt be able to come out my chair that easily I dont think.

Emma

[RabW]

Hi there Emma, sorry for the delay in replying. I cant remember what year my friends went, I think one went about 10 years ago and another went about 14 years ago. Some rides you can get on in your (manual) wheelchair, obviously rollercoasters and stuff would be impossible, but there are a lot more rides that accomodate wheelchairs in the theme parks over in Florida than there are in the theme parks in Britain, especially Universal Studios. One of my particular favourites is the Men in Black ride, you get put on a special platform which they clamp you into while still in your wheelchair and they then push the platform (with you in it) onto the actual ride. Its amazing how they do it, and you need to be clamped in because it goes really fast and spins around quickly, its really cool.

Yeah Im the same, I cant really come out my chair anymore apart from one or two rides, so its great to know I can still experience many rides whilst remaining in my wheelchair. Can Sharky (or anyone else for that matter) tell me if you were allowed to sit on your wheelchair cushion on the flight? Does it not mean you are sitting up too high for the armrests or for your belt to fasten?
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[sjrose]

I can't see why you couldn't have your wheelchair cushion to sit on. How much taller will it make you in the seat? I used all sorts od props to help me get comfortable.

I took a soft toy dog that is stuffed with beans which moulds really well into makeshift support! I am sure people see it and think "ah that's so sweet, that girl has brought a cuddly toy with her!". Little do they realise it is a godsend and I am past caring what people think

The only issues I have had is with things that I have used to put under my feet as my feet don't always reach the floor. I had to do without it for take off and landing but on the whole the airline staff have been pretty accommodating.