Roadtrip
If you are traveling by car, plan to stop for a few minutes every hour or two. Get out of the car, stretch and walk around a little. Staying in any one position too long will cause you to become stiff, increasing your pain. Plan your seating strategy. If there is room in the car, make a bed in the backseat so you can lie down when necessary. Try out a variety of sitting positions and note how many pillows you will need to take to keep you as comfortable as possible.
Theme Parks/Tourist Attractions
Most theme parks and large tourist attractions are well designed to accommodate handicapped needs. Do not let your pride get in the way of your comfort and fun. Even if you never use a wheelchair in your daily life, consider renting a wheelchair or scooter at theme parks… unless you can handle walking for miles and standing for hours without pain. At most attractions if you are in a wheelchair, you and those accompanying you can go right in without waiting in line. A wheelchair or scooter will allow you to do a lot more and suffer a lot less.
Traveling Companions
When you are planning your trip, sit down with your family or travel companion and make sure they understand ahead of time that you may not be able to do everything they want to do. The most stressful part of a trip can be trying to meet someone else’s expectations. Before you leave home, come to an agreement on how to handle the times you need to rest. Do you mind if they go somewhere without you one day? Are they willing to let you rest without making you feel guilty? Discuss possible scenarios and how you will handle them. Knowing you are free to say, “I’m really tired. I think I’ll skip Water World this afternoon” enables you to relax and enjoy yourself.
With a little planning, your vacation will be the pleasurable experience it is meant to be.
Reprinted with permission, National Fibromyalgia Association, “Fibromyalgia AWARE”, June-September 2003
