Here are some tips and tricks to make flying with an LM as comfortable as possible.
Air transport
I love traveling and have been fortunate enough to take over 50 flights since my accident—and counting! Along the way, I’ve learned some handy tips and tricks from my fellow travelers, which I’ll share in this article. While air travel is a little more complicated in an armchair, domestic and international travel are easy to manage with a little preparation and an open mind.
Knowledge is power
Due to my disability, I board the plane first so I have privacy and space for the crew to transfer me to my assigned seat, which is always an aisle seat.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed: I’m ready to deal with all the variables involved in traveling with a spinal cord injury. It’s essential to know the ins and outs of each step and prepare everything in advance.
I have my checklist to help me navigate the boarding process. Checklists vary from person to person, but mine includes the following:
Sounds weird, doesn’t it? Well, not really. I take my armrests, joystick, and anything else that might fall off my chair as carry-on luggage. It’s extra work, but it saves you from arriving at your destination and finding that your chair is missing something, broken, and unusable. Yes, I hear you saying it’s a lot of work, but having to wait for a repair takes longer within a state or in another country.
Skin, bladder and bowel care
As someone with a spinal cord injury, I need to be aware of pressure points that, for those unaware, can lead to a pressure sore. In my experience, pressure sores involve a long recovery period, ranging from several weeks to months, or even years. As a precaution, I sit on a travel pillow to prevent pressure sores. By sitting on this pillow, I increase my height and sit higher than the headrest. My travel companion adjusts this pillow during the flight, as it deflates as the plane gains altitude. Another tip I’ve learned is to time my bowel movements and bladder control based on flight times. To do this, I need to make sure I’m well hydrated without overdoing it! Before every flight, I take a break to prepare for a bathroom break to minimize bathroom breaks. On longer flights, restroom needs pose a different challenge, but it is very easy to manage and work around.
Keep it handy
Medical documents, pens, notepads, passports, medications, straws, incontinence products, phones, and clothing are all within easy reach. Once your bag is placed in the overhead compartment, it’s difficult to reach if the seatbelt warning light is on for extended periods. This means you should always have a backpack with all the items you need. On longer international flights, you have time to retrieve your items.