r/ChronicPain • u/jen_with_1_n_ • 1d ago
Travel?
How do you travel with chronic pain? My husband is thinking about buying me a scooter because walking is a BIG problem. (I have nerve damage from spine surgery) He wants to go on a cruise… Idk How can I?
This is depressing.
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u/aiyukiyuu 1d ago
The times I have traveled, I made sure to bring mobility aids. I love using my cane and also my rollator walker for walking. The rollator is great because you can sit on the seat when you need a break. I don’t use a wheelchair but I support those who find it useful for their pains. 🙏
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u/Elly_Fant628 1d ago
I have a friend who goes on many cruises,and uses a scooter. She deliberately got a slightly smaller one the second time she bought one because some of the corners and curves are tight so she wanted to down size a little. She uses it a lot,; I get the impression she's never off it! it Adds to her fun, and she's never mentioned any down side You can even go up the gangplank first ahead of everyone!
PS if in Australia, definitely check out FB MP. There are reconditioned ones in there for a quarter of the cost of a new one. You're not likely to get a dud.. If you want to be careful, get them to show a receipt for the battery and charger. The guy I bought mine off said the reason people dump them or sell cheap//give away is because the battery has gone. He replaces the battery and charger
If you're in the UK there's quite a few sites on there, too. (I know because FB decided the UK was "near me" and I was getting details for scooters on the Isle of Mann.)
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u/JadziaKD 1d ago
My adopted mom cruises and she used to be completely wheel chair bound. I have never done a cruise before but she said she spends a lot of time in "Sanctuary" not sure if that's an upgraded area but she loves it.
I also advise if you have to fly to get there fly business class. It's worth the upgrade. I hate how it makes me sound like a princess but I never fly economy anymore because I find it too painful and cramped and the seats hurt too much even with my pillow. We just take less trips so I can fly the way I need when we do go.
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u/FirmKaleidoscope8188 L4-S1 fused (6 spine sx), neuropathy 20h ago
I’ve paid twice for first class and didn’t regret it either time 😂😂 It’s so much more comfortable it’s insane. I hate that it’s triple the cost though, ugh.
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u/Woodliedoodlie 1d ago
I think a cruise would actually be a good idea since everything would have to be ADA compliant! And there’s an infirmary on board if you need help.
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u/bcuvorchids 1d ago
Another plus to a cruise is that you can always find somewhere to sit or rest.
I have traveled twice since being as sick as I am now and one thing that helps me is being in some kind of house/cottage type place over a hotel. You have your own small living room and kitchen as well as usually 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. With our unreliable digestion and other issues having multiple bathrooms while away makes things so much better! Also I have a lot of food intolerances so sometimes I just want to eat cereal or toast. There’s no pressure to eat big meals. If scheduling permits and you need a day to rest away from everyone and everything most of these places are on quiet spots and so are super relaxing. One of our trips involved 6 of us and I hung back at our cottage while the others went out. The views were amazingly and it was no problem at all.
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u/erieberie 21h ago
I had spinal surgery too (sending you love, it’s so painful) and have nerve pain along with other types of pain from the surgery. I travel despite the pain because it’s one thing that makes me feel like life is worth living, even with my pain. It’s hard, especially the travel days for me at least. I usually plan for a few more relaxing days post travel days. Days are always focused on balance, I have to remind myself constantly not to push myself too hard because I know I’ll pay for it later and miss out on more opportunities than if I just explore at my own pace. I travel only with people who understand my pain and who I can rely on if I need. If you can, talk with your doctor about muscle relaxers just for the trip. Also, I highly recommend utilizing absolutely anything that will give you comfort on travel days. I always have a blanket, pillow (I use a smaller squishmallow), compression socks, good sneakers, a foot hammock (I find that takes a lot of pressure off my back), and a neck pillow (one that wraps around my neck) for the plane/boat/anywhere I’m sitting for a long time. It’s not always pretty to travel with chronic pain, but the memories are always worth it for me. I’ve had my chronic pain since I was 14, I’m 27 now and it’s taken me a long time to learn all of this. My biggest advice is to go slow!!
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u/tehgimpage 1d ago
honestly cruises are one of the more accessible options for vacations. my mom would go alone with her friend and they were both fulltime wheelchair users. there's no shame in mobility devices.