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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Arthritis / September 2005Any vacation advice?
My husband and i are going to Park City, UT for a week next week. It's a long drive up from San Diego area where we are, but we've done it before (before my arthritis problems, though). I'm having a bad flareup (in my neck and knees, i dunno why all at once!) But the place we're going is a vacation-condo that has a pool, sauna, spa, gym, etc. Dr. has recommended swimming although i haven't yet, and a hot soak in a spa, and a vacation atmosphere overall (romantic w/ hubby, too!) sounds good.. We've got housesitting all line up, and the car all ready to go. Our place will have a full kitchen with fridge, micro, etc. so i'm bringing ice packs and microwave heat packs, painkillers, etc. The altitude is much different, the air is dryer, and it gets colder than i'm used to at night (bringing a neckscarf and a turtleneck). I don't know if any of these affect osteoarthritis or chondromalacea. We've gone before and we did a lot of hiking. Park City being a ski resort, when it's off-season it's more of a nature-hiking place for us. Neither of us skis anyway. I'll bring knee wraps, but i think mountain biking will be out. I'm trying real hard not to let this stoooooopid arthritis shadow our vacation. It's already affected our "romantic" life, maybe this whole setting will help with that. And i love throwing my towel on the floor for a maid to pick up! ;-) Any advice, especially with the long car trip? My husband does most of the driving, although i try to do some of it. So i don't want to be all drugged up. I guess i'm just a bit worried about my first vacation with arthritis. Sigh... > My husband and i are going to Park City, UT for a week next week. > It's a long drive up from San Diego area where we are, but we've done it [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] > I guess i'm just a bit worried about my first vacation with arthritis. > Sigh... Mostly just try your darndest to pace yourself. Its hard to avoid activities that are too much for you without feeling like a spoilsport for everyone else. I have to keep reminding Charlie that I can do almost anything. But the total is limited. If I choose to do X there is nothing left for Y. (Oh, and don't let anyone talk you into walking several blocks to get pizza when there is a lot of forest fire smoke in the air.) Jo >(Oh, and don't let anyone talk you into walking several blocks to get pizza >when there is a lot of forest fire smoke in the air.) is this something from personal experience?? doesn't sound too pleasant! >>(Oh, and don't let anyone talk you into walking several blocks to get >>pizza >>when there is a lot of forest fire smoke in the air.) > > is this something from personal experience?? > doesn't sound too pleasant! I came down with pneumonia a couple of weeks ago right after returning home from a trip to Alaska with family. And about four days after the smokey walk. I never had a cold or the flu or anything and that's the only place I can imagine the pneumonia came from. I have twitchy lungs from lifelong asthma, and should have known better. But wanted to be one of the gang. Then again I don't know for sure that's where it came from. I if I never did anything I shouldn't, life would be no fun at all. Jo >Then again I don't know for sure that's where it came from. I if I never >did anything I shouldn't, life would be no fun at all. Sometimes we couldn't know we shouldn't, until afterwards. So at least we get to do some stuff we wouldn't have done had we knew we shouldn't.... (i think i just made some philosophy) :-) On the drive, here's my favorites. We go from the Gulf Coast to Northern California every year. That's three days out and four to five back. This year I was extremely tired when we left home so I slept almost the entire trip. I felt the best that I ever have on the trip. Don't change your schedule! Eat the same type meals at the same times. Take your medicines and the number for your doctor. When you stop at the hotel, lay down and put your feet up. Let someone else unpack! Take warm patches and use as necessary. Oh take a pillow or stuffed animal (I always have kids so a stuffed animal is always in the car!) for your neck as you sleep or rest. But get as much rest as you can on the drive! Oh! I'd also take a route with services. Last year we went too far into rural America and broke down. We had a terrible walk back to civilization and I'll never go that far out again. Have fun! Vickie B. >On the drive, here's my favorites. We go from the Gulf Coast to >Northern California every year. That's three days out and four to five [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > >Have fun! Thanks for the advice. :-) Keeping schedule the same sounds like a good idea, hadn't really thought about that. >>Then again I don't know for sure that's where it came from. I if I never >>did anything I shouldn't, life would be no fun at all. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > shouldn't.... > (i think i just made some philosophy) :-) Makes very good sense to me. Jo > My husband and i are going to Park City, UT for a week next week. > It's a long drive up from San Diego area where we are, but we've done it [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > atmosphere overall (romantic w/ hubby, too!) sounds good.. We've got > housesitting all line up, and the car all ready to go. Ooh, I think you'll love it. Find out if they are doing the ski lift rides (Sundance does, and it's beatiful). You can see such beauty and you don't have walk/hike to get to it. Be sure that they will allow you to ride back down though. Many ski lifts won't allow a return trip on the lift, so double check that before taking the ride. > Our place will have a full kitchen with fridge, micro, etc. so i'm bringing > ice packs and microwave heat packs, painkillers, etc. The altitude is much > different, the air is dryer, and it gets colder than i'm used to at night > (bringing a neckscarf and a turtleneck). I don't know if any of these affect > osteoarthritis or chondromalacea. I've noticed, living at altitude (4500 feet) that my RA and my OA is horrid, but when I go to sea level I have fewer problems. Since you are accustomed (sp?) to sea level, let's hope that altitude will have the reverse effect. Be very very careful. At altitude, people get "altitude sickness" and don't realize it. You will have less oxygen (not a lot, but it will affect you). Take things at a slow pace, be sure to rest when you can, and MAKE TIME to rest. > We've gone before and we did a lot of hiking. Park City being a ski resort, > when it's off-season it's more of a nature-hiking place for us. Neither of us [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > driving, although i try to do some of it. So i don't want to be all drugged > up. In your vehicle, is there a way to elevate your feet? Like sitting in the back seat sideways? I'm a big girl (5'10"), and I used to sit in the back seat of my Pontiac Grand Am (2 door). With my upper body on the passenger side so that DH and I could talk and see each other. I'd try to do that every couple of hours (like a potty break stop, move into the back seat, next potty break - 2 or 3 hours later - move back to the front passenger or driver's seat). A neck pillow is a must (got mine at Walgreens and it's wonderful!). Remember to stay hydrated, that seems to be the hardest part for me. > I guess i'm just a bit worried about my first vacation with arthritis. > Sigh... Don't worry too much. You'll find that you enjoy the trip (you will). You may even forget at times that you are differently abled now. I've noticed on my trips that I'm alright during the trip, but I will pay when I get home. It's worth it to me. Smokie Darling (Annie) - nothing like "getting away" to lift spirits |
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