Traveling with Transplant (part 1)

Oh how we loved Paris.  Here’s a peek at my album.

 

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But before we got there, we had to get through here….

 

And after my scare over Memorial Day weekend, I decided I better take extra precautions to stay healthy as we joined herds of other travelers at the height of tourist season.

Here’s how I traveled smart as a transplant patient:

• Wear mask.  I do this on airplanes, security lines, metro, whenever I’m pushed up against hoards of other people.  I don’t know if others think I’m sick or if I’m trying to avoid their germs, but I have to just not worry about how I look.
• Sanitize often.  My antibacterial gel and wipes come out after touching elevator buttons, doorknobs, extensive handling of anything.  My family gets a squirt every time too.
  

  

  

  How many Lews can you fit into a Paris apartment elevator? Don’t forget to sanitize after pushing the elevator button. Better yet use your elbow.  If you can.

• Have important health info ready.  I keep a paper and digital copy of my Kaiser insurance card, medication list, phone numbers, emergency contacts, passports, IDs, local address and host, the U.S. Embassy, etc.   To be extra prepared I wear my medical ID necklace too when I travel.

 

• Know where to get local help. My friend Kathy referred me to her friend Debbie in Paris who gave me the names of some bilingual doctor friends.  My apartment rental host and our phone rental service were also super helpful.   If I need medical attention I know where the resources are.
• Watch what you eat. Kind of strange advice when you’re vacationing in a food heaven like Paris, but one thing I later remembered about the French:  They love their meat rare.  So a steak cooked medium well is still pink, and I have to beware of undercooked foods.  As always I avoid grapefruit.  I carry snacks on the airplane I know are safe for me.  And when traveling in general it’s important to check the safety of the local tap water. Paris has great water but I double check to be sure.  Immunosuppressed people are just more vulnerable to illness.

  

  One of our favorite meals in Paris (yes, I know this cut is too rare for me)

• Slather on the sunscreen.  In Paris the sun doesn’t even go down until 10pm in late July.  So with all that walking and biking all day in Paris (and row-boating in Versailles!), protection from those rays is crucial.  I hope we’re all using sunscreen daily anyway, but since my transplant medications make me sensitive to sun exposure and highly susceptible to skin cancer, I apply and re-apply often.   

  

  On our way to the Musée de L’Armée

“Duck! I need Mom and T in the picture too.” (See Versailles Palace?)

One of several gardens at Versailles Palace.  Some strange folks here.

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Those are some of my travel tips.  Next blog post:  Traveling with medication.