Contributed by Bob “Oxygen Man” Rawlins, oxygen user and consultant to CAIRE Inc. ~
So, are you traveling or just thinking about traveling while you are on oxygen therapy?
If your doctor says you can, then why aren’t you?
It can be a bit overwhelming at times and increase the anxiety slightly, but only if you let it.
Planning is key, but confidence is even a bigger need. Know yourself and your limitations.
Don’t try and do too much. Especially, if it is your first trip.
Here is what I found are some things to think about and plan for, coming from my own experiences.
- Talk through everything, especially with your doctor.
- Have a good caretaker travel with you – your family, good friend, or whomever.
- They need to understand your world.
- Consider making the first adventure local.
- A socializing party with good friends;
- A restaurant that is 45-60 minutes away; or
- A sporting event.
- Choose something that will allow you to plan and make sure you have the right equipment to keep you safe and breathing easy. 😊
Everything we do at times can require a bit of a challenge. Ask most horrible golfers, LOL. I know many.
Start small and build on that. There will be things we forget when we travel.
I gained confidence doing several of these 45 minutes to an hour travel experiences. I started with tanks. That will test your travel worthy skills no doubt.
I got around on tanks for almost a year, but started to research early for other opportunities when I got out of the hospital and was starting to recover a bit. My first experience was to a social party about an hour away. I needed double tanks and at least two others in the car for backup.
One of my best friends had a small get together. Found out it was kind of my coming out party. He wanted to show others and me how proud he was of me and my progress.
I remember sitting on his back porch with another good friend. They both had visited me often in the hospital. They looked at each other and then said, “I wasn’t sure if we’d be doing this again, anytime soon or ever.” As the three of us proceeded to toast one another.
That was a cool moment. It made me realize just how amazing these friends were, but it gave me the confidence to do more.
So, we planned a golf trip to Florida about a year later. Yes, I drove one year with oxygen and flew the next. Portable oxygen concentrators to travel and tanks at the destination.
Find and feel those moments – it is so good for the soul and so important to our own individual journeys. You are that same person, but just might move around a little differently. Who cares? You shouldn’t at all.
Traveling by car over longer distances:
- First, do it! With your doctor’s permission, of course.
- You can do it with tanks and concentrators.
- My first 8-9-hour car ride, I had tanks and placed an order for a home unit to be delivered to my destination with additional tanks as well.
- Requires lots of thinking it through.
- If you would happen to run out, don’t panic, call 911 and they will help get you some. But plan for two times more than you think you need.
- Ask your caregiver for a checklist of things you need to do before you plan this kind of trip, but do it!
Having a portable oxygen concentrator (POC) is the best way to travel, in my opinion.
Air Travel:
- Call the airlines you are flying with. Very important.
- Allow extra time.
- Find out their traveling requirements with people on oxygen. Here is a helpful link regarding the new FAA guidelines for POCs – https://www.caireinc.com/faqs-regarding-the-new-faa-guidelines-for-portable-oxygen-concentrators/.
- You will need a POC for your flight. (My resource: www.cairemedical.com)
- You will probably need a letter signed by your doctor that the airline requires you to have when you check-in at the ticket counter.
- You need two times your battery needs for the flight you are on, as a guideline.
- 4-hour flight, 7-8 hours of battery life.
- No tanks for the most part, but ask the airline
- Sit back and enjoy!
I have experienced all the above traveling experiences my friends.
Plan and travel don’t let the journey you may be on stop you. You can find all the excuses not to, but RISE ABOVE those negative thoughts. We only live once!
Till next time, Breathe-easy, touch-a-heart, Laugh every day,
Coach Bob
Bob Rawlins, 61, of Medina, Ohio, is husband to Terese and father to their 14-year-old triplets, a soccer coach, a hospital volunteer, band dad and chaperone, and marketing guru. He uses a FreeStyle Comfort portable oxygen concentrator and an eQuinox portable oxygen concentrator for overnight travel.
If you have been prescribed oxygen therapy, learn more about CAIRE by visiting www.caireinc.com/patients or by calling 1-877-704-0878 to talk to an oxygen advisor.
When using any oxygen therapy device please consult the applicable product instructions for use for product indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, and detailed safety information.