1. < Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)

I’m worried about how I’ll be able to get on a flight (back to Alaska)

Posted by aym @aym, Mar 24 12:00am

How do you get through security? Is walking through the airport best or will I need a wheelchair? Should I expect any turbulence or the landing to be painful? How did others do? My biggest fear however, is how much pain will there be with sneezing?

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gangcarotid1 | @gangcarotid1 | Mar 24 9:12am

My open nephrectomy surgery was 7+ hrs, and I experienced all the same 'surprises' the person who originally posted on "What l learned with my open heart surgery". Here are my suggestions:
* Ask surgeon how soon after discharge they'd recommend you flying home (we fly from Rochester to north Idaho.. actually Spokane, WA because no major airports in north Idaho, and an 88 mi drive home from Spokane airport). My surgeon recommended 'sticking around town 3-4 days b4 flying home'.
* Travel for the next several months w a small pillow
between you and your
seatbelt.
* Definitely arrange for a wheelchair portal to portal when making airline reservations (if you go through Mayo Concierge, they'll connect you with Patriot to make all your reservations, and if you end up having to change flight return time even w nonrefundable tickets, they can make it happen for a $50/ticket surcharge, and any possible difference in ticket costs, vs mega-losing on a nonrefundable: was a $980 lesson we learned.
* Let them wheel you, wand you and frisk you thru airport surgery--they can do it w you staying in the wheelchair.
* Hold your incision w both hands and a pillow if you cough or sneeze.
* A moving vehicle, whether car or plane, will not be fun, w every bump. Have that pillow ready. Tarmac bumps landing was horrid, but, it felt relieving to be on the ground and home, though the 88 mi drive home was no joyful ride.
* Final advice: you will get thru it. Everyday is a new day, and better than the previous day. After 3-4 mos, you'll look back in amazement at how far you've come. HANG IN THERE, you got this!
P.S. * Mayo Patient Travel Services phone number: 866-551-3392. They will want your Mayo Clinic patient number and DOB.

REPLY
walkinggirl | @walkinggirl | Mar 24 12:48pm

Pamper yourself! Use the wheelchair, airports are huge, your physical prowess will return as you heal. You will get a cute heart-shaped pillow compliment of the volunteers at Mayo. Let the flight attendants know your situation and they will take good care of you. Hold the pillow against your front when coughing or sneezing. I hope others will give flying advice.

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1 reply
DL | @riverchic | Mar 25 6:59am
In reply to @walkinggirl "Pamper yourself! Use the wheelchair, airports are huge, your physical prowess will return as you heal...." + (show)
@walkinggirl

Pamper yourself! Use the wheelchair, airports are huge, your physical prowess will return as you heal. You will get a cute heart-shaped pillow compliment of the volunteers at Mayo. Let the flight attendants know your situation and they will take good care of you. Hold the pillow against your front when coughing or sneezing. I hope others will give flying advice.

Jump to this post

We did stay for 3 nights at the Marriott across the street from St Marys’s before getting on plane back to NJ. If possible, first class, front row helps because you have more seat and leg room and getting on and off the plane is very easy. Everyone was extremely helpful at the airports. My husband did contact airline and request wheelchair/assistance to board plane. They see Mayo patients all the time and are very kind and accommodating. Wear loose comfortable clothing so if you need to use the bathroom, you can easily. Wheelchair is a MUST at the airports. Don't push yourself. you are recovering from major surgery. When you are ready to go home, your therapists and case manager will go thru the do’s and don'ts for your travel. They want you to get home safe and sound as much as you do. Best of luck to you. Take it slow and moment by moment. The only pain I had after myectomy was in my back and by the time I was traveling, it was gone.

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1 reply
walkinggirl | @walkinggirl | Mar 26 4:11pm
In reply to @riverchic "We did stay for 3 nights at the Marriott across the street from St Marys’s before..." + (show)
@riverchic

We did stay for 3 nights at the Marriott across the street from St Marys’s before getting on plane back to NJ. If possible, first class, front row helps because you have more seat and leg room and getting on and off the plane is very easy. Everyone was extremely helpful at the airports. My husband did contact airline and request wheelchair/assistance to board plane. They see Mayo patients all the time and are very kind and accommodating. Wear loose comfortable clothing so if you need to use the bathroom, you can easily. Wheelchair is a MUST at the airports. Don't push yourself. you are recovering from major surgery. When you are ready to go home, your therapists and case manager will go thru the do’s and don'ts for your travel. They want you to get home safe and sound as much as you do. Best of luck to you. Take it slow and moment by moment. The only pain I had after myectomy was in my back and by the time I was traveling, it was gone.

Jump to this post

aym is the person bringing up this discussion. Alaska is too far to drive. The day after discharge post-surgery we drove to eastern Upstate NY, airlines were having difficult problems during my Mayo time. No problems, we stopped every 90 min to 2 hours at rest areas to walk around. Very comfortable, no pain, just slower and more deliberate movements.

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Mentor
Debra, Volunteer Mentor | @karukgirl | Mar 27 4:53pm

Hello @aym,
I am assuming you are the one having open heart surgery when you posted your question?
Have you had a chance to read some of the other discussions on Connect about traveling post open heart surgery?
You have some really good information here from others who have gone through this.
You will get through this just like a regular flight...just a lot slower and you will be best served by using a wheelchair to get through security.
Nobody can control turbulence or how the landing is, so my advice would be try not to worry about something you have no control over. Control what you can...like comfortable clothing, easy-on/easy-off shoes, and guarding your sternum with your "protective shield", aka the heart shaped souvenir pillow.
You won't be able to carry much, you won't be able to walk fast to any connecting gates if you have connections to meet. That's why the wheelchair is a good idea.
When is your surgery? And where is your surgery?

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