Thank you LInda, Tami/Mike, Robin for the packing advice. NOW i'm starting to panic. put to gether a little bag of things i dont want to forget but it doesnt come close. i am saving empty med bottle to put just enough plus a day meds in so i dont bring whole thing in case it gets lost.
sherri
The following is some of the things I have spent time researching and learnt about traveling with a loved one who has had major medical problems. We believe that with appropriate caution and prep we can continue to enjoy life. I apologize to those who don't need or want to read this and suggest you skip this posting.
We have never lost our meds, although once Bob did forget one of his heart meds and we had to run around Orlando at 10:00 at night trying to get some before our cruise the next day. Thank God the pharmacy was still open in San Francisco and we have a good relationship with them. They were able to transfer his prescription to the Florida pharmacy that filled it for us. We have never been questioned about his loads of drugs or his CPAP either. However, we have never had our luggage searched; guess we look like boring old farts.
That said, our doctors and the travel doctor I have consulted with told us to bring copies of the meds in original bottles. Also to bring a letter from the Drs listing the meds and what he is being treated for, including the need for a CPAP. We get a current EKG to bring. I have all their phone numbers, including the pharmacy, with me. I let them know where and when we are going and they seem to look forward to the postcards I send them thanking for their help getting us there.
I don't buy the Disney
travel insurance because it excludes pre-existing conditions. I have filed three claims with Travel Guard. Two for 100% refund of our cruise, air travel and excursions due to hospitalization. The third was for a visit to a clinic while in the middle of Denali park. They have always been wonderful and paid promptly. When I called from Denali, late at night, they offered to start the process to have him helicoptered out if necessary (it wasn't). They were so kind and a friendly voice while sitting in the waiting room.
My TA gets us the necessary riders to the policy to cover what we need. I check the docs carefully to make sure all the dates and other info is correct. I start the policy at the amount needed to cover the cruise and then I keep track of all my non-refundable expenditures and update the amount of the policy coverage as I need to (check you can do this with your policy). Find out what the ranges are for the coverage costs. List the amount at the top of the range you are paying for. So if you are paying for $2,000 - $2,900, list your coverage needed at $2,900. Youre not going to try and claim more then what is needed to make you whole, it just helps make sure you have enough.
Our health insurance doesn't cover us out of the US, unless it is a life threatening condition. I spoke to a the claim adjusters at UHC who advised me to get another letter from my dr. stating that due to pre-existing conditions, what would not be considered life threatening for most could be for him. The letter stated that due to a previous infection of the heart he needs to be seen for even routine problems, as life threatening. He said this would assist in future claims.
I also carry
AAA Plus membership, a level of road service that is one above the normal and costs about $50 more a year. This pays for medical transportation back to SF from anywhere in the world. Bringing someone back to the US can cost over $50,000. It has other benefits worth looking into.
Hope this helps some of you.
Val
for a new pair.
. Plus, I want to make sure my stuff gets clean. I can not imagine - would have been a sight, still makes me laugh.
