Do you pack all your "stuff" in a bag?

[LHC]

When you are getting ready for travel do you take one bag with all your medical/ADL supplies labeled medical and does this count as your 2 bags? Also, does you put your charger for your power chair on the power chair labeled at check-in?

We need our 2 bags a piece for our 10 day cruise but if necessary, I will pack for me in one bag plus a carry on and use my other checked piece for Greg.

How do you handle the extra load and the airlines?

Linda

[sueart46]

We flew on American, Alaska Air and United. Bags with medical equipment were not counted towards allowable bags. I put my charger in a suitcase with my other equipment. Be sure to call the airline before you fly to make sure they don't count the extra bags. I think the ADA requires that bags with medical equipment aren't counted.

[Splinter]

Baggage that is ONLY medical supplies or equipment is not counted as excess baggage. Don't mix your medical supplies with your regular luggage if you need to take advantage of this.

 

We take catheters, bed pads, meds, etc. with us as our carry-on as if they are lost, it is a disaster for us. No place to buy that stuff at sea (or in most foreign ports)! We check our clothes. We gate check our lift and wheelchairs (power and manual). Again, no extra charge for this. Hand carry on (and use) wheelchair cushion and controls for the power chair. We do check the battery charger for the power chair (and a power strip). Do you have a compact travel charger?

 

For a really long trip we may have an additional checked bag that is medical supplies only, but we plan to wear everything (including formal stuff) at least 2X on the cruise, so generally we can get by with just one large bag and one small bag each to be checked, and carry ons as above.

[LHC]

I have asked the chair manufacturer (he has a RANGER X which is Invacare) and the local equiptment distributor Carr Rehab and neither know of a travel charger. At Patricia Neal, we have a seating specialist and I have asked her but she is a PT who does all the measurements, deciding which chair to order, fitting, teaching how to use, etc. and really does not have the knowledge of anything but the Acute phase of rehab.

 

I find that is true alot of the time, even facilities with outpatient rehab are not very knowledgable about stuff for down the road...past the truly sick phase but in the recovering, improving years later aspect.

 

Do you use a hard sided (hard shell) suitcase for the medical supply one? His charger is a heavy weight.

Have you ever used a lift on board to get into the pool or tubs? My understanding is that it can be done...has anyone used it?

Linda

[Eytbol8]

My husband uses a raised padded toilet seat . Does anyone know if the handicap/wheelchair accessible room toilets on the Princess - Golden Princess are a full size toilet? The last Carnival cruise we went on years ago had a smaller toilet and his raised padded toilet seat did not fit on the toilet. We don’t want to pack it and bring it if it does not fit again. :confused: :o

[Splinter]

Virtually all the cruise ships have smaller toilets. On HAL we got them to send us photos and measurements, and my dad did a custom set up (this was several years ago). Since then we have purchased a travel shower/commode (with a padded seat) chair that rolls over the toilet. Much easier to use and we don't have to be concerned about the shape/size of the toilet any more.

 

We were on the Grand Princess years ago (maiden voyage) where we were promised a ship's railed toilet seat. When it arrived, it did not even fit their own toilets. We jerry-rigged it by strapping it to the toilet with our handy-dandy gait belts that we always take along, and made it work. Classic for Princess!!!

 

Our large suitcases are hard-sided. That is where we put the charger (wrapped in bubble wrap).

 

A few ships have pool lifts. Often they are "out of order" in our experience. There is no way you could safely use a regular mobile lift to get someone in and out of a pool on a ship.

[LHC]

Splinter,

 

If I faxed another disability form requesting a pool lift do you think we might have success?

 

Linda

[CaptData]

I would contact Sp Needs Department and request it through them. When they fax you their answer, take it with you. This is still no gyt that the lift will work.

[LHC]

Thanks Captain and Splinter. I will call SN Dept.

I have lots of bubble wrap, so that is not a problem, but that medical suitcase will be a heavy one.

LHC

[Amy from Delaware]

I have asked the chair manufacturer (he has a RANGER X which is Invacare) and the local equiptment distributor Carr Rehab and neither know of a travel charger.

Linda

 

Linda,

 

You might have luck with www.wheelchairjunkie.com Check their message boards, lots and lots of VERY helpful and knowledgable people there.

 

Three Rings

[LHC]

I have time on every other Sat am to use the computer so I will check out the site for a travel charger...thanks.

Linda

[Splinter]

While there are portable pool lifts, I know of no cruise line that uses them. They either have a pool lift (few) or they don't (most). So it does you no good to ask for one ahead of time, although you can find out if the ship is already equipped (and in which pool or hot tub). Again, my experience is that they are often broken, or staff don't know how to run them, or they have removed one they formerly advertised they had (Island Princess, for example).

 

If you are semi-ambulatory or very strong, you may be able to lift yourself over the solid built-in bench around the pool, scoot to the pool and get yourself in and out on the side or with the ladder.

[LHC]

Thanks for the heads up, just thought it would be nice to get Greg in a pool while we are away. We can do it with a lift, as I know how to use them..if you I will get him in at Half Moon Cay and in Aruba, as I have sand wheelchairs for these ports.

Thanks for the heads up.

Linda

[LHC]

Thanks for the heads up, just thought it would be nice to get Greg in a pool while we are away. We can do it with a lift, as I know how to use them..if you I will get him in at Half Moon Cay and in Aruba, as I have sand wheelchairs for these ports.

Thanks for the heads up.

Linda