For Tomanip....

And all you others who might be making a long flight or trip, thought I would post a few helpful hints that might help you out. When you travel overseas, they sometimes do not have ice on the plane or they just give you a tiny cup of water not very often. You can take an insulated bag along,(I bought a little one at Wal-Mart) You can open bottled water and pour a little out and then freeze the bottle. That way the bottle will not distort. I usually wrap a kitchen towel around them to absorb any sweating and 2 of them will last me from Hong Kong until I reach the US about 12 to 15 hours. It is really great to have a cold drink of water when you need it and flying does cause you to dehydrate. I also brought along V8 in small cans, some crackers and some juice. Canned shakes frozen are also another option. I have had the experience many times that the stewardness is just so busy that they take a long time to bring you a drink and they do not realize that you really need it ASAP. You can also consider packing some other tiny things like potted meat, sugarfree hard candies, or other stuff which can supplement a meal if the things on the tray are stuff that you cannot eat. I usually preorder a diabetic meal, but Cathay Pacific last time messed up and my meal went off on another flight! My doctor recommended that you zero in on the protein in the meal and ignore the rest! Just thought this might help any of you planning to go on a long trip since the holidays are coming up! International flights are the worst, our airport does not have all the take out the US facilities have and with the mega planes services are a long wait.....The little black and white lunch bag I bought at WalMart looks like a smart little purse and several people complemented my little lunch bag, LOL! Since the number of Gastric patients is growing maybe we need to lobby the airlines to start offering meal choices for all of us???? Smiles, Cheryl

Thanks for all the tips! But, Thank GOD!!!, my hubby promised me I never have to fly again after my last flight home from Europe!!! And I intend to hold him to that promise!!! I am NOT a good flyer especially when I have my kids with me! ....it's this control thing I have going..... Smoochies Arlies

Well when you are a skinny minnie, you might like to go on a little jaunt. Who knows?????? But the US airlines give very poor service even on domestic flights. I did this when we flew to Rhode Island about 4 weeks after my surgery, (I did not tell the doctor that I was going ) LOL!!!!

Cheryl, Thanks for the info. I'll file it for future reference. We may not go in Jan unless it's mid to late Jan as I still don't have a date for surgery. I saw the cardiologist, Dr. Hayes, in Mobile and he wants MORE test of course!!!!! His saving Grace is that he's from New Jersey and he is very professional yet personable and good-looking. Nice mix don't you think!!! Too bad he's my son's age. Moan, makes me feel older and older. The idea of lobbying the airlines is a good one. Give me a list and I'll e-mail them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can also make signs and get petitions signed. I want them to make bigger seats, as most of my weight is between my waist and knees. I'm kinda pear shaped and those seats are for v shaped people(like football players and such). I have never been on a plane that was full so why not make the seats more comfortable? Thanks again, Tomanip ps: Cheryl why don't you write a book on TIPS FOR TRAVEL? I'd buy one. Make a separate section for Bariatric pts. or make the whole book that!!

You are always thinking up more things for me to work on!!!! LOL!!! I am working like a troll here at school now..... Don't worry about the seats, you will fit into them nicely when you are about 3 months out. I had tons of seatbelt left when we flew a couple of weeks ago, and much more confortable with 50 pounds of blubber off of my rear end and legs. But now my butt is so bony that I am sitting on bones mostly!!! LOL!!! Seriously, planes going overseas are chockablock full. I don't know how they do it, but rarely is any seat empty especially on flights to Asia. I am going twice to Spain, once at Easter and once in June for business. I know that the plane will be packed!!!! I learned the frozen bottle thing while in Rome, Vendors were selling them and boy was that a treat, cause it was hotter than he double sticks at the time. I have been a fan ever since and my husband agrees..... We sometimes take long bus trips in China and those bottles come in handy!!!!! I do think that Airlines need to consider Bariatric patients in their planning but until then we will have to bring our own stuff........ Cheryl aka the incredible shrinking woman