Hello everyone! I'm trying to get some suggestions on how to make airport travel less exhausting! I have a new position at work where I have to do some traveling and am finding it very exhausting. I have also discovered I absolutely HATE flying out of Chicago O'Hare and Denver airports. You can never find a cart to help get you from place to place and of course, the gates you need to get to between flights are on the opposite ends of the airport!!!!
And I stop at the info centers or where ever I find airport or airline personal and ask them to call the electric cart for me. So far it has worked out. Even a long wait for the cart is much faster than me walking a long way!
I can't bring myself to ask for wheelchair service though!
I found the traveling with RA not so bad but hauling the luggage, carry ons, etc. to be the pain. I have everything on wheels but my pulling hand (I switch out) seems to ache after awhile and for days afterward. This last trip I even dealt with the needle filled with Humira and ice and trying to keep it cold at the hotel. Worked out well. Security never blinked an eye or asked a question. Hotel room luckly had a refrigerator in it. I actually enjoy the walking in the airports between flights. It is awful after sitting on a plane for 4 hours to stand up--ouch! Make sure you get your sleep if you can--that makes a big difference. I try to keep my schedule for eating and sleeping as much the same as I can. Good luck.
When I fly, I take a little inflatable neck pillow to put behind my head. I ask for an aisle seat so I can get up and move around. I get up and do stretching exercises every so often. I pack a small medicine bag that I carry on and can also use to put under my feet. I do better if I change my foot position from flat on the floor to knees bent. I have flown all over the world: Rio, Hong Kong, Europe , etc. Of course anything you must carry should be on wheels and as light as possible. I'll be flying to Rome with Embrel this summer, so that will be a challenge. I have used my Embrel cooler travel kit to carry food (along with the medicine)since most airlines don't fed you any more. Good luck.I used to have to do an awful lot of flying, since I was kind of a problem solver sent to pacify the larger customers. And don't thing any airport is worse than atlanta. Even lax is easier. Marian is right, get their early enough to arrange for a cart, and these days take something to eat, drink etc. They've really taken all the fun out of flying.