The friend I was staying with knows about my IBD all too well. We have stayed in very close contact over the past 12 years since I moved away from Washington, D.C., where she still lives, and staying as a guest in her home is very easy and comfortable. She stocks her fridge with things she knows I can eat, or I do a little shopping that first day I'm there and buy what I would like. She understands that sometimes my schedule has to change or stay fluid, and she didn't even look at me cross-eyed yesterday when I asked to sit in the aisle seat at the movie theater - it helps me to feel more comfortable knowing that I have a quick escape route if I do need to use the restroom.
I travel often and I now travel quite well even with IBD. I simply have to know, acknowledge, and accept my limitations - my husband is currently in India doing research for a book we are writing together. But, I knew that traveling in India is simply too risky for someone with IBD and even though I desperately wanted to participate in this adventure I had to make the decision to do what was best for me and my health, and that was not to go to India where there is a high risk of having a GI problem.
So, for all of you who may want to travel but feel unsure or scared of traveling I say, try it. Pack your "Emergency Travel Kit" and embark on your next trip with confidence.
