Going away - excitement and anxiety.

Soon (in just over a month) I will be going abroad for the first time in ages (I can't remember the last time I went abroad, but I think it was a couple of years ago). We will be going to Iceland (Reykjavik) for a week on a choir tour. This is both exciting and scary, as the last time I went away I was going to meet my mum, so had her to help me with mobility and all the other problems, and the last time I went abroad without her I was much less disabled than I am now. 

Although I did have to lean on surrounding infrastructure to remain upright.

Somehow, my 'to do' list for Iceland extends far beyond the usual researching the area, choosing clothes, packing toiletries, and so on. To give you an idea, here are some of the things I need to be thinking about now:

Ring Easyjet. Tell them about my wheelchair. Make sure they can help me to get around the airports, especially on the way home when I will have no-one to help me from the choir, as I am travelling back a day early and having to take two flights (transferring at Belfast).

As long as I don't turn up like this I'm probably fine.

Ring the hotel (pray they don’t only speak Icelandic). Inform them of wheelchair. Ask for extra pillows/seats so I can sleep sitting up, and a stool to sit on in the shower. Warn them about what might happen to me whilst I’m staying!

I hope they believe this!

Instruct my friends who are coming with me in what to do in case of: seizure (different types of seizure requiring different responses), fainting, POTS, sickness, weakness, needing salt, needing sugar, medication problems, accidentally eating foods with milk in.

Somehow I need to teach them the difference between these two...

Google image search Reykjavik to see how easy it will be to get around in my chair (I also tweeted the tourist board but they haven't got back to me yet).

It looks kind of flat...apart from that mountainous thing...

Get a letter from my doctor to allow me to take an extra bag onto the plane (which will contain medication, blood sugar monitor, blood pressure cuff, splints/braces/supports, physio equipment, tape, health logbook, etc). I will probably also need him to write a letter explaining my medical history to anybody that may need to treat me abroad.

I'm hoping it's acceptable to take this much medical equipment.

Remember to pack little things that will make a big difference to my health e.g. eye mask (long Icelandic summer days).

Icelandic horses enjoying the night.

Pack all my medication (this will take a good hour to sort out) including extras in case of delays/transport cock ups. Make sure medication is kept on my person at all times, but that I have spares of everything in my luggage just in case. Somehow foresee every possible problem so that I remember to take medication for any problem which could potentially rear its head abroad (e.g. steroid eye drops for iritis - otherwise I have to go to hospital).

Not keen for this to happen in Iceland.

Prepare medical information in English and Icelandic explaining allergies and EDS in case I need to go to hospital.

I need to make one of these in Icelandic...

Order an EHIC and find also appropriate private medical travel insurance.

Decide which sticks/crutches and which joint supports to take (hampered by knowing that I will need help carrying things on the way home).

Rig up a system of attaching my suitcase to my wheelchair so I can be as independent as possible during transfers. Ensure that all medication needed to eat anything is easily accessible at all times when I am travelling as I will be travelling home over lunch and dinner time. Also ensure that all medication required for me to deal with the after-effects of eating is accessible (e.g. anti-emetics, antacids, blood sugar test strips, etc.).

Because this is not ideal.

Plan how I am going to manage my energy across the whole trip. Make sure I factor in time for plenty of rest. This is especially important since as soon as I get back I will be going to the RDA National Championships, and then coxing Town Bumps in Cambridge the next week.

You'll either get this, or you won't. If you don't, never mind.

Learn about the possible problems in travelling abroad with a wheelchair - various government websites provide useful information and advice on this.

These are just the things I've thought of off the top of my head, but they make quite a daunting list. I'm sure there are more things I could and should be doing but I might have to wait until they occur to me!

I'm looking forward to going away and I'm very keen to go to such an exciting location. However, it will be my first foreign holiday with a wheelchair (although the last one was done on crutches, and flying out to meet my mum was much easier than I expected). I did use a chair in the Isle of Wight last year, but I feel that this will be a very different experience. I'm looking forward to doing it so that I know it's all manageable, but I'm still worried about some aspects of accessibility. I'm also very worried about night time and being able to sleep enough. There's something about swallowing down the bile and vomit in the middle of the night when everyone else is asleep that makes you feel very alone. This is hard enough at home but will feel even harder away. Hopefully I can just cope with it and keep myself calm at night and enjoy the daytime. Even so, a part of me will be a bit relieved once it's over.