| AIR TRAVEL WHEN YOU HAVE OXYGEN OR 02
(Page copied and reprinted with permission by Ruth Brafford & Joan McCarthy) BEFORE YOU DECIDED TO GO ON A TRIP WHEN YOU ARE USING OXYGEN, IT IS SOMETHING THAT MUST BE WELL PLANNED OUT IN ADVANCE. 1. CONSULT WITH THE DOCTOR BEFORE MAKING ANY PLANS. 2. THE AIRLINES WILL REQUIRE A STATE-MENT FROM YOUR DOCTOR, GIVING YOU PERMISSION TO FLY. THEY WILL WANT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: a. YOUR DOCTOR'S NAME,ADDRESS & PHONE # b. PERSCRIPTION FOR OXYGEN, WITH THE FLOW RATE; IN LITERS PER MINUTE AT ALTITUDES OF 8,000 FEET AND THE DURATION OF USE. c. A SUMMARY OF YOUR CONDITION, WHICH WOULD INDICATE ANY SPECIFIC RISKS TO YOU AND OTHERS. THE AIRLINES WILL PROBABLY REQUIRE YOU TO SIGN A LIABILITY RELEASE.
MAKE A LIST BEFORE YOU CONTACT THE AIR PORT OR TRAVEL AGENT. THE FOLLOWING SHOULD BE ASKED: A. DO YOU EXCEPT PASSENGERS THAT NEED SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN? B. THE CHARGE FOR OXYGEN DURING FLIGHT? C. DO THEY PROVIDE MASKS OR CANNULA, OR CAN YOU BRING YOUR OWN? D. WHAT EQUIPMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE DURING THE FLIGHT? E. WHAT IS THE OXYGEN FLOW CAPABILITY? F. WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS FOR TRANSPORTING YOUR OWN OXYGEN TANKS AND GENERATOR? G. DO I HAVE TO CHECK MY TANKS AND GENERATOR WITH THE BAGGAGE OR WILL IT BE CONSIDERED CARRYON LUGGAGE? H. WHAT ARE THE EXTRA CHARGES? I. DO I PURCHASE AN EXTRA SEAT FOR THE EQUIPMENT? J. WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE THE VERIFY WHEN THE TANKS ARE EMPTY? K. WHAT DOCUMENTS DO THEY REQUIRE? L. WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED AT THE AIRPORT? FINDING THE RIGHT AIRLINE WILL TAKE SOME PLANNING, NOT ALL AIRLINES OFFER INFLIGHT OXYGEN. THERE IS A VARIATION IN OXYGEN DEVICES AND MAXIMUM OXYGEN FLOW RATE FOR EACH AIRLINE. IF YOU CANNOT FIND A FLIGHT THAT MEETS YOUR MEDICAL NEEDS OR IF YOUR DOCTOR ADVICES AGAINST IT, YOU MAY WANT TO INQUIRE ABOUT AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE. THAT YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS WHEN YOU ARE IN THE AIRPORT AND FOR LAYOVERS. THE AIRLINES DO NOT HANDLE YOUR OXYGEN NEEDS ON THE GROUND, ONLY IN FLIGHT AND YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE THEIR EQUIPMENT OFF OF THE PLANE WITH YOU. BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR YOUR TRIP YOU WILL NEED TO WRITE OUT A CHECKLIST OF THE FOLLOWING THINGS YOU MUST USE DAILY: 1. MEDICATIONS 2. BREATHING TREATMENT MACHINE AND THE MEDICATION USED IN THEM. 3. EXTRA TUBING FOR OXYGEN AND CANNULA 4. PORTABLE TANKS 5 . WHEEL CHAIR- EVEN IF YOU DON'T USE ONE NORMALLY, IT WILL BE TO YOUR BENEFIT GET ONE FOR TRAVELING, THERE IS MUCH WALKING IN AIRPORTS. THE BEST THING FOR YOU TO DO, IS MAKE UP A LOG OF YOUR DAILY ROUTINE, WITH MEDS,EXERCISE, ETC., TREATMENTS, THEN YOU WILL BE SURE NOT TO FORGET ANYTHING, THAT MAY BE VITAL AND ONCE YOU ARE AWAY FROM YOUR OWN ENVIRONMENT, IT MAY BE A CHORE TO GET SOMETHING THAT YOU NORMALLY USE. YOU MAY ALSO CONSIDER GOING BY MOTOR HOME AS A MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. WITH RENTING A MOTOR HOME, IT MAY ALSO BE CHEAPER THAN AIRLINES AND LESS RESTRICTING. YOU CAN STILL HAVE THE COMFORTS OF HOME, BATHROOM FACILITIES, A PLACE FOR EQUIPMENT AND A PLACE TO LAY DOWN AND REST. I WOULD NOT CONSIDER TAKING A VERY LONG TRIP WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR DOCTOR AND GOING BY WHAT HE SAYS AS FAR AS MILES AND HOURS. ALSO YOUR TRIP MUST BE MAPPED OUT, MANY TUNNELS, BRIDGES AND ROADS DO NOT PERMIT CARRYING OXYGEN TANKS. TAKING TRIPS BY CAR (SHORT TRIPS) AND HOUR OR LESS ARE OKAY. IF THE TRIP IS GOING TO BE ANY LONGER THAN THAT I WOULD SUGGEST RENTING A MINIVAN OR VAN. YOU SHOULD BE COMFORTABLE ON YOUR TRIP AND YOU ALSO NEED A PLACE FOR ALL OF YOUR EQUIPENT (TANKS, WHEELCHAIR, ETC.). MAKE SURE THAT YOU BRING A BLANKET AND PILLOW WITH YOU. ON A TRIP THAT REQUIRES YOU TO RIDE FOR 4 OR 5 HOURS, YOU WILL NEED TO LAY DOWN AND REST. YOU MAY NOT REALIZE HOW MUCH PHYSICAL EFFORT THIS WILL TAKE ON YOUR PART. I KNOW THAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU MUCH TO THINK ABOUT . IF YOU NEED SUPPLEMENT OXYGEN AND DON'T TAKE THE TIME TO ARRANGE FOR A SUPPLY IN ADVANCE, YOUR HEALTH COULD BECOME A SERIOUS MEDICAL EMERGENCY AT FLIGHT ALTITUDES. I FOUND THIS INFORMATION ON THE MAYO CLINIC HEALTH SITE ALSO THE AEROSPACE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HAS A PHAMPLET WITH TIPS TO DOWNLOAD, IT IS A PDF FILE. YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT FROM THE FOLLOWING SITE: http://www.asma.org/pubs/tips.pdf HAVE A PLEASANT TRIP, BUT THINK FIRST BEFORE YOU GO. THERE IS MUCH TO CONSIDER FIRST. IT IS MUCH BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY LATER! | 
