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@melissag 

Last reply

melissag

Traveling alone?

Hi everyone! Hope you are all doing well. So this June I am taking a trip to Italy with my family. I'm so excited for this, I've never been before and have always wanted to go! I was thinking though, since I will already be at that side of the pond (I live in Canada), maybe I will extend my trip and do some traveling on my own! I have never done this before, but have always wanted to. I am thinking of doing a solo trip around England and Ireland or Scotland (maybe all of the above!). I just wanted to ask here, has anyone ever traveled abroad alone with MS? How did you find it? Is it hard to not have anyone there as support? I figure I can go at my own pace seeing as I would be the only one deciding what was happening, so thats a positive! I think I'm just a bit intimidated about being alone in a new city, and the normal worries of MS are of course unavoidable, what if something were to happen and I needed medical attention, etc etc. Has anyone else ever traveled abroad alone since being diagnosed? Maybe it's silly for me to worry that MS could hold me back, but I cant help it!
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@mammamoose
@mammamoose
 

Hi I haven't traveled alone since being diagnosed unless you count bus trips to the hospital! so can't help you on that one. Go for it, it's great that you want to do this and have the confidence to do it! Sets a positive example to us all :) Maybe you could arrange to meet up with fellow MSers on your travels? Anyhow hats off to you @melissa.g

@sinead
@sinead
 

Hi Melissa, I'm so glad you posted this. I'm hoping that it depends on the individual's determination to get away and see the world, how prepared they are for best and worst case scenarios and also I guess how well they are at that moment. I quit my job and went freelance (or locuming as we call it in the vet community) just before Christmas, and ironically just before my diagnosis, as my aim for 2014 was to save up enough money to travel Eastern Europe on my own, and South America in early 2015, both worked around friend's wedding plans (it's that time of life...!) Reason being I figured now being single and better off financially that it was my best opportunity to do this for myself. So far I haven't started on any medication, but have good days and bad days with regards to tiredness and weakness. I am determined to stick to my original plans to go on my own (which is pretty scary), and take it easy, but a few friends have said they will fly over for short breaks at potentially tricky but fun parts of the way. Their support is overwhelming, and I guess my advice for you Melissa is stick with the plans - insurance is key - and there are loads of us over here if you need support! Let me know when you get to London (provided i've not buggered off by then!) :) Good luck! (Sorry for the essay, I'm just feeling incited that this disease shouldn't stop up from doing what we are desperate to do!) xxx