1st time Traveler

[readingbuddy]

My husband has been on a PD cycler for 2 months. We have a big family reunion a 25 hour drive from home over this Christmas which is very important for our morale. I am concerned about eating along the way, being efficient to get on the road and if there are travel tips or devices we need. We are driving from a cold to warm climate. How will I keep the solutions from freezing? Anyone with experience or suggestions?

[3Kidneys]

When I travel, I only carry enough boxes of solution that I will need +1 extra box, to arrive to my destination. So if it’s a two day drive, I carry three boxes of solution; the rest I have shipped to where I am staying, including the amount I will need for the drive home. You will have the heat on in your car so no need to worry about it freezing; when you get to your motel just wheel them in on the cart. I have two duffel bags I also carry. One for the cassettes and drain lines (always take extensions for the machine patient and drain line, unless you already know the exact distance from bed and bathroom). And I throw in a few drain bags as well, just in case I have to run the line where someone else in the room might trip over it. Also don’t forget extra face masks, include enough for other people who could possibly be in the same room. And my other bag contains all the rest of the necessities. Also make sure you have medicine in the proper labeled bottles, and a note regarding your heparin and any other injectibles. If you are flying you’ll need a letter from your dialysis doctor regarding the solution. Don’t let it get put into luggage.

Traveling is fun, but can also be quite an undertaking. You have to carefully plan for what you will need, and what you might need. Enjoy it!!

[readingbuddy in reply to 3Kidneys]

Thank you for sharing your experience and for the encouragement. We have taken a few overnight trips and one 3 night trip but we stayed in the same place so just one move in, plus the weather was warm. I will plan to cart all the solutions inside but fortunately each day it will be one less. Yes it is quite an undertaking but worth it.