They say that the meaning lies in the journey rather than the destination, which summarizes the appeal of road trips. If you suffer from a chronic condition, road trips can provide some additional challenges to overcome. With some preparation prior to your journey, you can take care of yourself on the road and experience all the excitement your road trip has to offer. Here’s how to accommodate your chronic condition without letting it stop you from experiencing adventure on the road.
It’s Dangerous to Go Alone
Having company is often one of the best bonuses to road tripping: it’s all about who you get to share time with. Whether you’re preparing for an excursion with the guys from college or the wife and kids, having company and support can go a long way.
Make sure you pick companions who already know about your self-care practices and conditions. If they’re not already aware, tell them about your medical issues prior to the journey. Most people are considerate as long as they know beforehand.
When it comes to sharing driving responsibilities, it’s especially important to be up front about these issues. Whether you’re affected by arthritis pain in the hands or chronic fatigue, it’s your responsibility to keep you and your traveling companions safe by switching out when you have a need. Resist the temptation to “push through” or “man up,” as health and safety are the most important things here.
List Your Triggers and Solutions
Most people with chronic illnesses experience triggers. Common triggers for chronic illness patients include:
- Weather and temperature changes
- Food and seasonal allergies
- Change in activity level
- Stress
- Dehydration
- Swelling
Obviously, you can’t control the presence of many of these triggers while on your road trip, but knowing is half the battle. Speak with your doctor: you may be able to medicate preventatively to ensure success. You can also consider packing some of your own food and drink and planning specific restaurant destinations, making sure you have over-the-counter medication refills for things that don’t seem as important as your primary medications, and planning ahead to make the trip less stressful. If you count medical marijuana among your medications, make sure you know the laws for any state you drive through.
Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of monitoring everything related to your chronic condition while on vacation, especially when traveling through different timezones and losing track of time. You may consider adding a health app to your smartphone to help you keep track of medication times, food and water intake, exercise, and more.
For all drivers, it’s important to get out of the car and move around a bit. If you suffer from stiffness, this is especially necessary for you. For those with Crohn’s Disease or IBS, frequent bathroom trips are a major possibility. Take advantage of rest stops liberally, and make sure you have a plan for remote or unsafe areas that may not be ideal for bathroom breaks.
Compression socks are also a lifesaver for many suffering from inflammation and swelling. Even if you don’t normally experience swelling in your legs, it’s possible that it will occur on a long journey. Wearing compression socks when you drive can help with this.
Make a Mental Health Checklist
When you have a chronic illness, your body doesn’t always cope with change as well as you’d like, and this can result in some mental health effects. If you’re one of the many chronic health sufferers who also have depression, ensure you have the right tools available to maintain good mental health. Suggestions include:
- Speaking with your mental health professional prior to the road trip. They might have additional suggestions or methods for you to practice while you’re on the road.
- Setting a regular alarm or timer on your phone as a self-reminder to do a mental health check in. Alternatively, you can do this whenever you take your medication or stop for a bathroom break.
- Asking your road trip buddy to check in with you.
- Having a remote accountability buddy to text you and check in. Set the expectation that you will only respond when you are not behind the wheel.
- Considering naps, meditation, and other grounding exercises when you’re not behind the wheel. Your mental health professional can suggest some simple solutions for you to help you re-center yourself.
Budget Time and Money Accordingly
When it comes to time and money, you can put these resources to work for your health. Planning extra days into your trip means less guilt and feeling like you let yourself (and your traveling companions) down when you need more hours or days of rest. After all, it’s part of the plan!
Investing in more comfortable hotels or sleeping accommodations can be especially helpful when it comes to getting rest. Uncomfortable beds do not help achy bodies. If you’re traveling in an RV, this might mean doing a “test run” by sleeping in your camper before your journey.
Select Destinations to Accommodate
What are you going to see on your road trip and where are you going? Make sure these destinations have options for you, especially if you need to use an assistive device. For many with chronic health issues, this can mean anything from wheelchair ramps to elevators to air conditioning.
National parks are great picks because they’re required to be ADA compliant.
Get the Right Gadgets
Traveling with the right accessories can also aid you on your journey. Backpacks are a common culprit of back pain. If you’re a dad, you also know that being on dad duty can mean carrying diaper bags and the family’s supplies.
Whether you’re toting camping gear with buddies or making sure your children have what they need, a backpack usually isn’t the best solution for patients with chronic conditions because backpacks cause back and shoulder strain. Instead, consider a bag on wheels. Specifically, look for bags with multi-directional wheels. Now that you’re not hauling gear, you can consider a small hydration backpack to ensure you stay hydrated, too.
Cool water is more enticing, and if you have diabetes or other chronic conditions requiring insulin or refrigerated medicine, coolers are mandatory. Consider packing your meds in a small insulated lunch pack within a larger cooler.
With the right preparation, traveling buddies and gear, you can have an enjoyable and comfortable road trip experience despite your chronic pain. What does your next adventure look like?