Tips For Traveling

Now, it's time to talk about traveling guidelines unique to people diagnosed with schizophrenia, as well as any of us who also need reasonable accommodations while in transit.  I checked around with some friends who are frequent travelers, and they gave some good suggestions.

Marty:

Drink plenty of water.  Carry your medication in your carry-on bag.  Suitcases do get lost.  Get up from your seat every hour and walk the aisle, to prevent blood clots.  Ask the flight attendant for a cup of water on each walk-through.  Take a nap instead of watching the movie, to arrive well-rested.  Get enough sleep, because if you stay awake it could trigger a manic or other episode if you're vulnerable to that.

Take your medications at the times you would normally take them.  Flights to Europe often leave at night, so if you take your pills at night and in the morning, take one before you flight, and on the plane just before you arrive in the morning.  Place your meds in a 7-day pill box before you leave so you don't have to fumble with the bottles on a plane, possibly spilling out the pills.

Make sure you have your passport, and renew it early if it's about to expire.  You can download the forms at www. http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/forms/forms_841.html.  Don't travel alone internationally, especially if you have a medical condition.

George:

When making your reservations (on the phone, with the carrier), that's the time to request reasonable accommodations.  He explains he walks with a cane so needs an aisle seat at the bulkhead, the first row in coach so he can stretch his legs out.  At that time, he also asks that a wheelchair be made available in the airport when he picks up his tickets. (There is often an extra charge for these services, so that is why you call directly to make the reservations.) 

When he receives the e-mail confirmation with his flight information, he prints it up to take to the airport.  He arrives early to the ticket counter because it could take twenty minutes for the wheelchair to be sent.  It's a standing order on his ticket, and they usually notice his cane, but if necessary, he reminds the agent to call up for the chair. 

An attendant will be paged to bring the wheelchair and wheel him out and through the gate.  [He tips the person five dollars.]  Usually, if you're in a chair, and you go through security, you bypass the long lines and go over to a separate place to be let in.  They do check your shoes and you go through security; however, it's not as big a hassle.

A lot of times, rather than wheel him to a faraway gate, once he gets past the security check, there's invariably carts-like golf carts they drive around-and he'll be picked up along with other passengers. [Again, a five dollar tip for the cart driver is customary.]