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Are You Traveling For Appointments?
On days like today, where Rhode Island and Massachusetts have been hit with a snowstorm, I wish I lived closer to my doctor’s offices so I wouldn’t have to get up so early ! I am from Rhode Island but receive my care in Boston and many of the outpatient clinics are all in Boston or right at the hospital that I go to (Brigham and Women’s).
The drive there is either an hour and a half or can be up to 3 hours with traffic if I go during rush hour. I try my best to schedule during times where I know the rush isn’t as bad (but you can never plan for accidents and road work!). I usually give myself some extra time.
Because I travel for appointments, I hardly ever go alone. My mom or one of my family members or boyfriend are usually the ones to take me to appointments, especially the ones where I have to make the extra drive.
Do you have to travel further for appointments? How do you help make this drive easier on yourself? Do you rely on family members to take you to appointments?
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8 Replies
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Hi Brittney,
First – I am originally from RI (Tiverton) now live in Washington State in the Cascades 5 hours away from my Pulmonologist. Winter appts. are difficult to schedule. I try to schedule my Pulmonologist and Rhumotologist at the same time – one early afternoon, spend the night and 1st thing in the morning for the other getting home back over the mts before dark. Always travel woth my husband. I would not advise anyone to travel by themselves – not just to help and be there for the drive but also be there with you for your appointments. I do remember Rt.128 to Boston clearly and Boston traffic, so please have someone with you.
All the very best,
Carol-
I’m glad that you have your husband to travel with you! I’m sure you guys think of some ways to make the “trip” feel less like a doctors visit. My mom and I (when I was able to eat) would usually stop somewhere for lunch after a visit and make a mini day trip out of the hike to Boston. So there was always a little something to look forward to after.
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I travel about an hour when I visit my local doctors. They are about 50 miles away. My son always goes with me to change my oxygen while I drive or if he drives. When I travel to the Duke Clinic in NC it takes 5 hours one way and I always have someone with me my sons or husband and it’s always an overnight stay. I travel with 20 tanks my concentrator, my Bipap and always a packed bags. That’s just for me. My last trip ended up hospitalized for 14 days. Anyway traveling while taking diuretics is the pits having to stop every 20 mins. Ugh!!
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Hi Sherry,
Luckily you have the support of your son and husband too. The one that is about 50 miles away doesn’t seem too bad of a drive but can’t even imagine taking a 5 hour trip! How often do you do that trip? That definitely would be an overnight one if I had to travel that far for a visit. And WOW that’s a lot of tanks to take with you. Have you looked into a POC so you don’t have to take as many tanks or would a POC not be best for you? Taking medical equipment whenever I go somewhere especially overnight can be such a hassle !! It’s like you need an extra few seats in the car and some extra space just for medical necessities !-
Hi Brittany,
Unfortunately I can’t use a POC. I’m on high flow, so I need above 6 ltrs to move around. I need 8 ltrs so it’s a no go for me. Someone mention liquid oxygen, but I’m assuming my insurance doesn’t pay for it, because I’ve been on oxygen for 10 years. I usually go twice a year to my Duke appointments. I don’t see the point in going because they do the same test my local doctors do. I did write to Dr. Greenspan in New York to see if he could communicate with my Pulmonary Doctor here to maybe get some ideas on treating all of my diseases. Thank you for responding.
Sincerely,
Sherry Berry -
Hi Sherry,
I’m glad that you’re reaching out and communicating with your doctors to try and coordinate the care that you’re getting. It’s hard to travel, especially with all of those oxygen tanks. I totally understand not being able to use a POC. I am on continuous liter flow and the pulse flow doesn’t work well for me right now so I have to rely on the oxygen tanks or take a ton of back up batteries with me if I were to fly with a portable oxygen because the batteries run out much faster when you are on continuous flow with the POC! That’s one downfall that a lot of people don’t realize about the smaller POC equipment, although if you are able to do it then I’m sure it could be a game changer for some!
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I do all the driving anymore and when I had appointments 2 hours away it usually requires getting up at 4am and then spend all day long testing and then drive home. We started to go the day before and stay in a hotel close by. It is a lot easier on me
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Hey Judy,
Even if its a few hours away, it still would make sense and I’m sure save a lot of energy if you make an overnight trip out of it. Do they have any type of hotel discounts in the area for those that are in the hospital? This would be an amazing thing for hotels nearby me to start doing too!
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