Countdown - 19 Days to Go

It is now 19 days before we board our flight.  We have done a lot of preparation, and there is still a lot more to do. And now, both of us have the flu. I came down with it almost a week ago, and I am on the upswing.  Bob came down with it a few days after I did, and he is still pretty wiped.  Both of us are past the fever stage, and what remains for both of us is a cough, some chest and nasal congestion, and fatigue. Bob has pretty much slept for the past 36 hours. I'm past the need for constant sleep, but still need my naps. As Bob says, "neither of us is banging on all cylinders."

All this has led us to do some thinking and strategizing about how to manage air travel when one has respiratory issues. Between us, and our doctors, and other sources, we have come up with our own "tool kit" of strategies to use, should we still be encountering the residual effects of this flu on flight day:

• Bring disposable surgical masks to wear (to minimize our risk of picking up another bug).
• Take a decongestant, such as Sudafed or Claratin, just before boarding, to reduce sinus pressure.
• Drink lots of water during and between the flights.
• Use a saline nasal spray to keep nose moist (Bob's doctor recommended Ocean Saline Nasal Spray, available OTC) and also keep nose moist with some Vaseline applied with a Q-tip.
• Bring a sinus inhaler.
• Bring chewing gum.
• Use iPad to get other medication-free tips for fast relief.