[peonyprincess]

Hi all.

As some of you may know, I am now wearing 4L of oxygen 24/7. This really hasn't stopped me from traveling, but yeah, it has slowed me down a wee bit. Our local children's youth group/choir has invited to sing in London and Bath in June. My daughter is excited as I am. My question is, how can I travel cross country with my oxygen tanks? I have a few months to get this figured out, but I definately need to know what to do and what to expect. Any ideas?

Nancy

Yes, I'm from the states.

 

[Raglet]

personally I would ask your doctor how to set it all up. I do know that when I travel my 'excess baggage' (walker or wheelchair etc) are not subject to weight restriction as they are essential medical items. They get weighed separately from my baggage so they know how much is on the plane (essential for little things like calculating fuel!) but otherwise weight is not important.

I am sure many others have done this - you could also talk to the airline in advance (personally I would do this anonymously before you book) to find out how that part of it works.

Do you have a respiritory therapist or anyone like that that you could talk to ? Other these techy sort of people can be more helpful than doctors at sorting this stuff out.

hth, and bon voyage

raglet

I always remember reading about a woman who was put aboard a plane with her wheelchair parked on top of a pallet that was then lifted up by a fort hoist. She saw this as a real adventure, and I must say I like her style.

You're never too old or too sick for a good adventure is my motto

:lol:

 

[BigSis]

Hi Nancy I was wondering how you were faring

I would agree with Raglet that contacting the airline and any prospective hotel might be a good starting point.

Some of our babies are discharged home on oxygen but there amounts are so low (fractions of a litre/minute) that the portable cylinders are easy to manage and last a long time.

I'm sure your journey would be possible but I have a feeling it could work out to be very expensive for insurance reasons.

I'll get hold of the number of the O2 firm we use at work and email it to you if you like.

Good luck

 

[peonyprincess]

BigSis, if you could get the company name that would be great.

Currently I am using the machine in the house, with tubing strung thru out the place and then when I am out and about, I use cannisters. If I am driving, then I use the big ones and if I am out and about in stores, then I use the small cannisters. With being on 4L, the cannisters only last me about an hour, maybe a little longer. The larger cannisters, since I only use it for driving, can last me quite a while, like approximately 4 hours.

I will also call some of the airlines to see how that travel would be and then of course I need to find out what I would do once I am in England, what I would do for tanks.

Thanks!
Nancy

 

[cath]

HI Nancy,

I wonder if this link might help.....

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=22477

http://www.homeoxygen.nhs.uk/4.php

It looks like it should be possible to get oxygen organised for you, but probably quite a bit of organising.

One potential problem is that UK electricity is 240 volts, and the US is much less (you know what better than me), so electrical appliances aren't transferable without a voltage transformer and adaption plugs.

I don't know if you can hire an oxygen concentrator - quite probably.

Enjoy the holiday btw

X C X

 

[Clare.T]

Hello Nancy

You really do mean London and Bath in the UK! What an adventure Wow!
When you said travel across country I thought it must be places in the USA and I was thinking why would she need to bother about insurance.
There are some organisations here that deal with travel issues for the disabled which is what you count as I guess. Maybe there are similar in the USA? Maybe your State Department has advice for travellers with special needs.

You, or anybody who isn't all that fit, would definitely want assisted travel from the airline even if you don't usually use a wheel chair. The walking distances can require real stamina endless corridors and waiting in queues for immigration control after long flights is extremely wearing. If you travel 'assisted' you and your entourage get whizzed through.

I am one of those boring catastrophe fearing risk averse types who would never travel without insurance even to the UK where you would probably get emergency treatment free. I wouldn't know in what circs the emergency stops being one though.

I had the 'fork lift' experience once ! Very entertaining !:hehe: For some reason they were using steps up to the plane so there was a long walk down stairs then to the plane, then up the plane steps. This one was like a small hydraulic bus. You went in one end then it rose up and up and you came out the other end into the plane service door. Hehe.

I hope you can get it organised - good luck !

Clare

 

[Clare.T]

This site might be useful

http://www.miusa.org/ncde/tipsheets/oxygen/

Cheers
Clare