REAL and rough airport travel day navigating multiple disabilities. It’s simply not easy, and the struggles snowball sometimes.
Not everyone is kind or understanding, first of all. There are kind people, but as you can see at the beginning the time that it takes for us to get our medical bags checked, get a medical tag for a stroller, and get a pass for an airport escort for my mom — made two women really upset. They said “they should have let everyone else in line go before them”
When we went through TSA, we realized my husband accidentally left his multitool in the baby bag before he drove to back to Arizona. He was a marine and so he keeps his multitool with him at all times. I told them to throw it away and Ruben will have to learn the hard way on that one.
Payson is hard of hearing so we practice sign language with a mentor and at home. She’s almost two, but only knows about three words in total that she can actually say. She knows more signs than she does words. She also has a skull condition that we are seeing a plastic surgeon for in a few weeks.
Side comments on the plane about dogs and kids happen often. Regardless I’m legally following the law. And with the two girls disabilities as well as mine, there will always be some type of struggle traveling.
I have a hard time, visually and autonomically in an airport by myself. I also have to manage diabetes, hemidiaphram, cardiac issues, and make sure seizures are under control. I decided against a wheelchair the second time because I knew Payson needed her stroller more and we couldn’t do both without help — but I was really struggling.
I had to sit every 3 to 5 minutes.
She got sick from how bouncy the plane was. Something I could not predict but it happened — And then we finally made it back home.
I was juggling so many things that I dropped things a lot. Not to mention my eyes my brain don’t work the way I want to sometimes. Echo picked everything up that I dropped. He alerted and he responded appropriately.
It’s not easy, but we accomplished it.
Echo was such a big help.
#disabilitytravel #servicedoglife #invisibleillness #airportstruggles #chronicillnesswarrior
Traveling through airports when managing multiple disabilities involves a unique set of challenges that go beyond just the physical hurdles. From personal experience, preparation is key — ensuring all medical paperwork, special accommodations like stroller tags, and passes for escorts are arranged well in advance can ease some stress, even if not everyone around is understanding or patient. Communication barriers, such as having a child who is hard of hearing, require creativity and practice. For example, learning sign language with a mentor helped create a smoother travel experience for us, as it allowed us to anticipate and respond to her needs even when she had limited spoken vocabulary. This also helped in negotiating the unpredictable nature of airport noise and announcements. Managing invisible illnesses—like diabetes, autonomic dysfunction, and seizure disorders—while on the move demands constant vigilance. I found it essential to pace myself, taking frequent breaks to sit and rest, because overexertion can worsen symptoms drastically. Deciding against using a wheelchair can be a tough call when balancing the needs of multiple family members, but sometimes it’s necessary to prioritize who needs mobility aids most. Unexpected events like my child becoming ill due to plane turbulence showed how travel can throw curveballs. Having a service dog like Echo made a massive difference; his alertness and assistance helped me recover dropped items and provided emotional support during particularly stressful moments. One important takeaway is the need for advocacy and patience. Sadly, not every traveler is considerate, and side comments about disabilities or service animals can be disheartening. Understanding your rights and staying calm while navigating TSA and other checkpoints is vital. The use of medical tags and escorts, while potentially time-consuming, is invaluable for accessing appropriate assistance without compromising dignity. From my experience, airports could improve accessibility by better training staff about invisible illnesses and disability etiquette, offering quiet spaces for rest, and streamlining procedures for those with medical needs. Ultimately, success in traveling with disabilities is about perseverance, support networks, and making adaptive choices that fit your unique circumstances. Sharing these stories helps foster awareness and empathy, making travel more inclusive for everyone.
