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Traveling With Cancer: 7 Tips To Maximize Safety – And Fun

03/09/2016 01:39PM | 7102 views

When she was younger, before the kids came along, Cindy Howard was a savvy, enthusiastic traveler. She would skip from one exotic locale to another, spending months at a time away from home and loving every minute of it.

Now, eight years after her Stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis, and even as she continues with her chemotherapy, Cindy is still on the go. And she’s still enjoying it.

“Cancer's not my identity,” she said. “Just my new reality.”

No question – Cindy’s “new reality” has changed things. Her trips are a bit shorter now, and she does careful planning before setting out. She paces herself, taking care not to overdo. She stockpiles her medications and stays mindful of the environment around her.

“I still travel as much as I can because it makes me feel like it always did – happy!” Cindy said.

At City of Hope, the focus is on treating both the body and the soul, and for many patients, travel nourishes the spirit. In most situations, there's no reason for a cancer diagnosis to interfere with a desire to see the world, take stress-relieving trips or even visit relatives for Christmas.  

“I don't want people to hold themselves back,” said Laura Kruper, M.D., head of breast surgery service at City of Hope. “If you feel well enough to travel, you should go.”

But you do need to be smart about it. Here are some common sense guidelines:
 

  1. Talk to your doctor. Keeping your doctor in the loop makes sense. If you're visiting a country that requires immunizations, for example, your doctor can tell you which, if any, may be harmful to you. Your doctor can also alert you to the risks of traveling too soon after treatment.

    “If you're within four to six weeks of surgery or chemotherapy, I'd recommend getting a doctor's clearance,” Kruper said. “On the other hand, I've had patients who traveled just days after major procedures.”

    If you're still in the middle of treatment, plan with your doctor how long you can go between sessions. For Cindy, that means limiting trips to 30 days, so she can stick to her chemo schedule.

    “I prefer doing (chemo treatments) at City of Hope rather than taking my chances with a strange hospital anywhere else,” she said.

    Whatever you decide, keep your doctor's name and phone number handy.
     
  2. Start small and go slow. Some patients, eager to get back to their pre-cancer lives, may rush into a long overseas trip or stressful family gathering before their strength has fully returned.

    “It can take as long as a year before you're back to your old self,” Kruper said. “Maybe, during that first year, it's a better idea to let your family come visit you.”

    That's exactly how Cindy handled things.

    “I missed a lot of holiday get-togethers that first year,” she said. “When I did resume traveling, we took short trips – a quick visit to Vegas, a couple of days in San Francisco. The better I got, the farther we went. Seattle. Canada. We have a trip to Hawaii coming up, and we're going to Europe in January.”
     
  3. Plan ahead. Before you go, load up on all of your medications. (“Make friends with your pharmacist,” Cindy said with a laugh.) Pack an ample supply in your carry-on bag, and not in your checked luggage, which can get lost.

    Carry a printout of your contact information, as well as of your diagnosis and treatment. Include the name of each medicine, preferably by generic name because brands vary from country to country. If you're going to a non-English-speaking place, make a copy of that list in the appropriate language.

    Keep your medications in their original packaging to avoid delays at airport security. If you need special medical equipment such as oxygen, make arrangements ahead of time to ensure that the airline will allow it onboard.

    Also, learn what will or won't be available at your destination. Many European cities, for example, are less handicap-accessible than in the U.S. Can you get on and off buses and trains easily? How much stair-climbing will you have to do at the hotel? Find out.  
     
  4. Fly or drive? For domestic travel, Kruper prefers that her patients take road trips rather than fly.

    “In your car, you can relax, go wherever you please, take breaks and rest when you need to,” Kruper said. “Airplanes and airports carry a whole set of extra stresses you may want to avoid.”

    If you do fly, be aware that long hours in a pressurized cabin after recent surgery can be painful. Arms or legs may swell if lymph nodes have been removed. (A pressure sleeve might help.) You could be at extra risk for blood clots, so make sure to get up and walk around frequently. Cindy recommends doing a few yoga stretches if you can find the space.

    At the airport, take advantage of every perk available to you. Ask for a wheelchair. Get priority check-in and board early. Ask about upgrading your seat for more legroom. Have airline staff meet and assist you at both ends of your flight. Don't be embarrassed to ask for help. Not only are you entitled to assistance, the airlines are accustomed to providing it. Your well-being matters.
     
  5. Burns and bites. Otherwise-simple ailments can be serious when you have cancer because your immune system may be compromised. Be extra careful in the sun – chemotherapy and/or radiation treatments can leave you especially sensitive to sunburn. Keep the sunblock – and the insect repellent – handy.
     
  6. Listen to your body. You may be eager to explore, but your stamina is likely not what it used to be. Be willing to give your body a break.

    “Take your time – allow yourself one or two days each way to recuperate from your flight,” advises Cindy. “And be realistic. You're going to get tired. Don't hesitate to tell your travel companions to go on without you from time to time.”

    Also keep your energy up with the right foods, plenty of fluids and enough sleep.

    “Eat healthy,” Kruper said. “Stay hydrated. Try some nutritional supplements. Maybe some vitamin C.”
     
  7. Attitude matters. Stay upbeat.  

    “If you see travel as exhausting and stressful, maybe think twice,” Kruper said. “But if travel excites and refreshes you, by all means, do it.”

    Cindy, who worked for many years as a registered nurse, remembers her trepidation when she started traveling again after her cancer diagnosis and treatment.

    “You may be terrified at first,” she said. “Sure, you won't feel as good as you used to, but you've got to be brave. You've got to decide to live your life.”
     

Her final bit of advice?

“Just think positive,” Cindy said. “And remember to laugh a lot.”

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