Wherever you are, be all there~Jim Elliot
Hello Again!
I haven't made a new blog post in quite some times (a couple of years to be exact...) but I've begun a new adventure that has the potential to pose some serious challenges to my diabetes management: study abroad!!
I am currently in Edinburgh, Scotland, and will be here until the end of May. I could not be happier with my decision to study abroad here. While it is definitely a major change (attending a university versus a college, living in a city for the first time, trying to understand Scottish and British accents), Edinburgh is a charming, and most importantly, comfortable city. I was worried about getting lost when wandering around by myself, but I've never been more than 5-10 minutes out of my way and I have always felt very safe.
Anyways, enough about my new home. I wanted to bring back this blog and dedicate this post to the preparation I needed to do before leaving the country and offer some advice to prevent some of the challenges I've encountered while flying and traveling.
First and foremost, start planning your trip and make a list of everything you'll need far enough ahead of time. I don't enjoy planning ahead and I feel uncomfortable whenever I hear someone starting to make plans for something more than a week in advance. However, I've learned the hard way that to guarantee a stress and incident free trip, you must be over prepared. Talk to your doctors (endocrinologist, general practitioner, optometrist, dentist, psychiatrist, any other specialist you see) and let them know where you are planning to go, when you're leaving, and how long you'll be gone for as soon as possible. Be open and honest about what you hope to do and experience there- you never know where a potential health hazard could be hidden.
The US Department of State website has a great page that easily allows you to look up your destination and see any vaccines or travel warnings before you go. The webpage also provides links to the country's departments of health which help you research the legality of any medication you currently before leaving the country. Think about what prescriptions you will need while you're away. Will your insurance allow you to get several months of it in advance, or will you need to leave the country with a limited supply and fill a prescription at a foreign pharmacy?
Be sure to pack all of your medical supplies in a carry-on bag. While I was lucky enough to find all of my luggage waiting for me in the Edinburgh airport, several people on my flight were not. There would be nothing more stressful than waiting for your luggage to arrive while watching the insulin in your pump canister dwindle. The 3-1-1 rules for the amount of liquids you can have in your carry-on don't apply to medical supplies, so don't worry about replacing your favorite hand lotion for vials of Novolog. Remember to have everything specifically labeled and in separate, clear bags that can be easily removed from your carry-on and inspected by security. It's always difficult to know how strict security officers will be, but I've usually found them very understanding. Wear your medical ID, have letters from your doctors stating what medication you need to have with you at all times, and even carry prescriptions for the medicine on you. It never hurts to be over prepared when you're trying to make it through long security lines and get to your flight on time.
Additionally, be sure to have glucose in a convenient spot in your carry on. It can be difficult to fit everything in a small bag and even more difficult to find something quickly in an emergency. Also be aware of time zone differences and remember to adjust your pump/meter settings. I've found that poor eating and sleeping habits while traveling usually make my blood sugars go high so when I make it through security I buy a bottle of water and sit down and test my blood sugar as often as possible.
It's terrifying thinking about leaving someplace comfortable and familiar and entering a new and foreign way of life, especially when you're on your own. There will be times when you'll feel like friends traveling with you don't understand the additional challenges you have to face when planning to go anywhere. But with time and enough preparation, you won't view your diabetes as a barrier to exploring the world like other young people. Traveling anywhere, and especially abroad, is an incredibly empowering experience, and it gives you an even greater sense of control over your own health, wellbeing, and happiness.
