Traveling with diabetes

I have always procrastinated packing (and unpacking, come to think of it). However, I’ve noticed that now when I pack I start with my diabetes supplies. It’s the one thing I bring a lot of extras of. Days in advance I have to check to make sure I have plenty of supplies and don’t need any refills and then I start them in the suitcase first (well, except Insulin). I have had my luggage lost before too, so I try not to have to check luggage – especially if there is a change in planes or stop along the way. I’m not generally flying some place where I couldn’t get replacement supplies, but the idea of the hassle of having to do that seems extraordinary to me and so I become a little paranoid about it.

I also have to think of my pump when I’m going through security once I get to the airport. I normally have my insertion set above my waist so I reach up under my shirt, disconnect it from my body and drop it in a bin with my purse. And then I worry things are going to get stopped because I haven’t taken insulin out of my bag and it is a liquid. Is that what I should do? Probably, I’m not sure why I haven’t. I do get some odd looks, but so far no one has said anything to me about it.

It’s kind of overwhelming. My day-to-day life is pretty covered, but when I have to change the routines and such, diabetes has to come to the front of my mind and remind me that it can’t be forgotten.

Too, when I travel I generally see friends and family I’m not around day-to-day so my diabetes is still new to them and thus I answer a lot more questions about it than I normally do. I do appreciate the questions and am glad people want to know and understand more, but it’s another reminder that this disease is, well, part of me for the long haul.