Category Archives: Travel

Travel stories, tips and tricks

Wearing a mask on the bus

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Have any of you considered wearing a mask on public transit or on chartered buses? I have worn a mask when on larger chartered buses for longer trips, like 1 hr or more. I have never worn them on public transit. I will be taking a chartered bus at the end of the month and know, without any doubt that I will be wearing a mask. I have a stock at home and am ready to sit next to the window and strap my mask on. I’ve had reactions in buses before and wearing the mask makes me feel safe.

So what’s the difference with wearing a mask on local public transit over a chartered bus? Well, triggers are definitely the exact same, so the benefit would be the same. Well worth it! The difference is that I would get a whole lot more stares and feel much less comfortable on public transit. The crazy thing is that other countries wear masks all the time. But here it would get quite a bit of attention. People wear them for colds and illnesses, however wearing them for allergies might not actually be all that common, if in fact it happens at all.

How do you deal with triggers on the bus. Would you wear a mask?

Detective work for a stuffy nose…

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Snuffy

Friday afternoon we left for a weekend away and I had thought to pack one of my dust mite pillow covers and an extra pillow slip instead of bringing my pillow. Friday night I was so tired I fell asleep without putting the dust mite pillow cover and new slip on and had quite a night. I felt like the Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street! Being so tired I took some antihistamines, turned over and went back to sleep… Though I did go through an entire box of Kleenex!

I couldn’t figure out why my nose had been so stuffy. We opened the windows, aired out the cabin and I hoped for a better night’s sleep.

Just before bed, I remembered that I had packed the pillow cover and extra slip. How could I have forgotten! I zipped up the cover and that night I slept without a single sniffle. A simple cover made ALL the difference :)

Next time I sleep somewhere else I am going equipped with my own pillow, or at the very least, a dust mite cover and extra pillow slip. Do you ever get a stuffy nose when sleeping somewhere else? Does your pillow travel with you? I think I need a traveling pillow!

 

Do you Allow Pets?

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This weekend, I stayed at The Inn on Long Lake in Nanaimo and it was a wonderful experience! From start to finish. I was EXTREMELY pleased. I called in 48 hrs before our arrival date and mentioned that I had severe allergies to pets (cat and dog) and wanted to know whether they allowed pets. The women I spoke with was extremely understanding and explained that yes, they do accept pets. She said that they “try” to keep the third floor free of pets, though they cannot guarantee 100% that there has never been a pet in those rooms. She said that the decision would be up to me, dependent on how severe my allergy was.

I expressed that my allergies were VERY severe and she offered to put me on hold whilst she spoke to her manager. Only a few minutes later she returned. She explained that they did have a few rooms that were a little higher priced as they had a king size bed and were more spacious. For the extra $20.00 I decided it would be the best decision for me. Now, some might wonder… how did you decide? Well, considering I have had a tough time with my asthma the last few months and that Inns, Hotels etc. usually trigger allergies, due to the cleaning products they use and detergent for sheets and towels, the decision was a , “no-brainer” for me. No point adding another “possible” trigger into the mix!

I opened the patio door for the night (usual practice for me) and slept great.I had a great stay despite being a little itchy from the sheets and towels, which I have gotten used to.

I highly recommend their beautiful in, with views on long lake. What an amazing sunrise this morning.  :)

 

Allergies and Language Barriers

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Have you encountered a situation when you are unable to communicate your allergies and their severity due to an obvious language barrier? Perhaps you have traveled to a different country where they spoke primarily french, portugese, spanish or another language you may not be very familiar with. How have you dealt with these situations. Have you trusted them when they said that your food would be safe? Have you trusted the hotel staff who seemed convinced no animal had ever been in the room? Do you try and learn some phrases before your trip if you know that your language may not be spoken where you are going?

One trick my parents and I came up with a few years ago was to have someone translate a few key phrases and words for us and write them all on separate pieces of paper for us. When we went to the Dominican Republic years ago, we at least 3 different notes in spanish that we could give to the chef for assistance. One would say: “hello, my name is Erika and I have SEVERE, life-threatening allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, …” another said “can you please help me find something safe to eat?” and the notes went on. I found it extremely helpful to have everything written down, because I didn’t have to worry about not saying something correctly, or mispronouncing it. I felt safe, knowing the chef had very specific messages. The chef on this particular trip was awesome. He did not speak a word of English, though he would nod or shake his head when pointing at items in the buffet, to express whether I could eat it or not.

I find it truly amazing how despite talking, gestures and written communication can be a very successful means of expressing thoughts.

Are there times you have found it impossible to communicate your allergies? Maybe when eating out, or renting a room at a hotel, when you are asking them about cleaning products they use and their pet regulations… How have you felt in those situations? What have you done? Do your friends or family try and assist?

My thought on this topic is to try and have a few phrases in the languages of the place you know you will be visiting. If you live in British Columbia or any other province or territory.. and will be visiting Quebec, don’t worry, there is English and French, though it does not hurt to go prepared, with a few notes and phrases!

Asthma attacks and Flare-ups

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Have you or someone you know ever had to be on prednisone? After such a flare-up were you able to fully identify what the triggers were that lead to the asthma attack? Most of the time it is hard to know EXACTLY what the trigger/triggers were. Sometimes it is a combination of things and our body is not able to handle it.

The last 10 days have been hard as I had a flare up with my allergies and asthma which has resulted in my being on prednisone. As annoying as the side effects can be, I am glad to be feeling better. This is the first serious flare-up for me in quite some time and it makes me realize that though I have lots of support, a great allergist and family doctor, there are still some actions I can take, which would make me even better prepared for any similar attacks in the future.

Do you have an adequate “Asthma Team” in place? Here in Victoria, BC we have an Asthma Clinic which has a pulmonary specialist on call. Do you have a pulmonary specialist? What is your action plan, or the action plan for your son/daughter or loved one? Having a proper plan in place is very important. Do you have a peak flow meter and know how to use it? Knowing what your lung capacity is when you are feeling at your very best and when you are feeling tight provides a great way to monitor your lungs. The American Association of Allergy Asthma & Immunology has a great article on peak flow meters and how important they are; ”A peak flow meter for asthma is like a thermometer for a fever. It helps monitor what’s going on inside your body.” AAAAI

I highly recommend having a glance through National Asthma Patient Alliance – Asthma Society of Canada‘s website. Do you know many others who struggle with asthma? Are you wondering how others deal with their asthma and how they might have overcome some of the challenges we often face on a day to day basis? Have a read through some real-life stories on the Asthma Society of Canada’s website! It’s always nice to know you are not the only one :)

 

 

Traveling with Allergies

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Have you found yourself in a “pickle”, trying to weigh pros and cons and decide whether or not you will be able to travel safe? Ever turned down opportunities without trying to find a work around for your food allergies?

Here’s an article I wrote for the AAIA a few yrs ago, that is still very valid. Have a read, let me know what you think! =)

A Lifetime of Experiences - By Erika Ladouceur

 

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