Review: Cocoon CoolMax Blanket

When I went on my trip to Kentucky I realized that I needed a travel blanket and all the blankets I had currently wouldn't fit in my bag... so I headed online to start researching good options. I get either cold or overheated pretty much round the clock (there's not a lot of in between unfortunately) so I have collected a LOT of blankets over the years and found a lot of duds in the process. I needed something to keep me warm for those chilled times but still be lightweight enough that I don't have to devote my carry-on to a blanket. Typically I have a thick sweater I keep with me year round when I am out but I really wanted something that would keep all of me warm instead of just my arms as I was going to be trying to sleep on the plane and shivering doesn't work too well with that goal.
After reading a lot of reviews on travel sites I purchased the Cocoon CoolMax Blanket from Amazon as it seemed a good combination of quality and affordability. The cheapest color option was the 'tree frog' green so that is what I purchased. It ended up being basically a lime color which reminded me of my college dorm room but it wasn't a horrible color like some of the reviews had complained about (I didn't care so much about the color but rather the functionality). The color really isn't too bad but it is quite a bright color if you are opposed to vivid colors for your blankets. I ended up finding the bright color useful though as I could always find it... even when my niece decided it made a better ghost costume or superman cape than blanket and wandered off with it various times on my trip.

 

The blanket is quite large compared to other travel blankets I have had, which is a plus. The description states that it is 55" x 70" but I didn't measure it to verify... it covered me from shoulders to toes completely with a little room to spare so I was happy. Unfortunately, while it is large it is not particularly thick. The thickness is about what I would expect for a thicker bed sheet yet somehow warmer than a simple sheet would be. The warmth of the blanket was enough to keep me comfortable on the planes all but once, when it got particularly cold, but that was only for a few minutes and most people would likely be quite comfortable. 

You can use this, or any travel blanket actually, even when you are not traveling. I keep my blanket in the trunk of my car in case I need it personally. I actually used the blanket today at the office as I forgot my sweater today at the house so I was freezing (why is it that office's are always so cold!?!).

Space-wise I was quite happy with the amount of room this blanket took up as it was able to fit into my already quite packed backpack without issue. One feature that I liked was that it comes in a bag with a drawstring to keep the blanket in. I suggest that you keep the bag if you purchase this item as you don't need to roll the blanket or do anything special with it... just quickly stuff the blanket into the bag, pull the drawstring and you are ready to go, the bag doesn't seem to get much bulkier than when it is neatly folded and rolled. The blanket in the bag is larger than a can of soda but quite a bit smaller than my travel pillow. These are not my hands (and it is not my photo) as I have pretty small hands and didn't feel that you would get a good comparison.

Overall I would say this was a good purchase for me but for some people it might be a little more expensive than they are willing to pay. If you have more room in your bag for a slightly bulkier blanket then there are a lot of other options out there that may work better for you. Let me know if you have found a fantastic blanket as I'm almost always cold so pretty much always looking at potential new blankets for my home or for travel.

Chronically Ill and Flying... with Dogs, Part Six: Wheels Up!

The morning of travel I was exhausted and my bp was being pretty touchy but I was able to get to the airport. Brain fog had me nearly to the wrong airport before I realized I was going to the wrong one and had to turn around and go the other direction. Luckily they aren't too too far from each other and I was able to get there in the time I had left without issue. I try to always leave extra early in case of long lines, traffic, needing to stop for meds (or sit a spell), or etc. so that the stress doesn't make me more symptomatic. Having that extra time was very useful this trip. My luggage ended up getting checked 1 minute after the cut off time. 1 minute and my luggage wasn't guaranteed on the plane anymore. It was beyond frustrating since I knew that, even with the detour, I would have had no issue getting my baggage checked in on time if I didn't have dysautonomia. Luckily it did get on the plane in time so there were no issues. I made sure to wear compression stockings and added extra powdered electrolyte drink packets to my carry-on as I would be drinking them non-stop for the rest of the day. This trip I had to use a wheelchair in the airport. I don't normally need to when I am not flaring or when it is a milder flare but there was no way I could stand in the TSA line, walk through a large airport, and stand in line again to board the plane just to endure the pressure and altitude changes then walk/stand more at my layover and destination airports. It just wasn't going to happen without serious repercussions. I hate using the wheelchairs even after all this time as I always assume people think I am faking a need for one... pretty much the same as when I had a handicap parking pass and let it lapse because I hated the stares. I only use help when I absolutely need it so I need to get past that... but it is a common sentiment I hear from others like me so I am far from alone on this. On the wheelchair front I will say that having a carry on AND the pet bag was rather more difficult than I imagined it would be even though they escorted me to the gate as not all airports/airlines will let you put a backpack on the back of the wheelchair I found out. 

TSA was no issue whatsoever. I walked, shakily by that point, through the detector then had my hands tested and we were done. They didn't care about any of the food items I had chosen to bring with me and my laptop and liquids bag were easily accessible so we were done within a few minutes. As soon as the pups and I were through they brought the wheelchair through to the other side of security and I gathered my belongings quickly and we were back on our way. My heart rate from that small standing/walking bit was quite high so I was grateful for the wheelchair and didn't even care about the stares at that point... I needed the help and I was glad I had it. Next time I hope I won't need it but if I do then I will make the request just as I did this time. Never judge someone if they use a service such as a wheelchair, handicap bathroom stall or parking placard, etc... you never know what is going on medically with them just by looking at them from the outside. No idea whatsoever.

The dogs know how to travel as they have been doing so for years so they were pretty much perfect the whole time in the airports and on the planes. There was one little tiff where one ended up falling on top of the other (my fault) and the landed upon pup got upset but we were cool within a minute or less. My neighbors on the plane didn't even know I had them with me. One was totally surprised when I let her know that I would let her out and then wait until the plane cleared a bit before leaving as I had the dogs so needed a bit of time and space to maneuver. She asked me if I had to drug them... I let her know that "No, they are seasoned travelers and are likely napping at the moment but will wake up when we land." and she asked a few more questions about cost, their carrier, and about them in general and then it was time to de-board. Once we arrived at my grandmother's house the pups had everything they could want in the world: plenty of people to love on them 24/7, food, toys, a big backyard that they could go out and play in whenever they wanted. They were quite happy to be there.

As for me, well my trip wasn't quite the success it was for the pups. My flare kept getting worse until I was practically hooked to a bottle of Gatorade and a bp monitor 24/7. I couldn't stand for more than a few minutes without issue so I spent most of the trip lounging on a couch brain fogged and symptomatic trying to keep everything in check enough to still interact with my family who was visiting. I *think* I did a pretty good job of pretending to be 'normal' when needed but for the most part I probably just looked pretty lazy and out of it unfortunately. I'm still glad that I went of course but it was sucky not being able to really be up and about and really interacting fully with my family since nearly everyone was there- including my 19 month old niece, most of my aunts and uncles, my sister, brother-in-law, parents, a cousin and both sets of grandparents. I saw a really cute play with my grandparents the last night I was there and it wiped me out but I'm glad I got to spend that time with them nevertheless and didn't just stay home.

Headed back to TX was pretty much the same issues and process... wheelchairs, Gatorade, compression stockings, nausea meds, and sleeping/resting as much as possible. I wasn't quite as symptomatic by that day as I had been earlier in the trip and might have been able to walk the airport on my own but I had parked in long term parking (I know, bad choice... I didn't realize how far it was from the entrance when I parked there. My body hated me by the time I got to the ticket counter on the way to KY. BP was crazy and I was so tachy the room was spinning and I was sick, no bueno.) and I knew I was flying into a storm so I didn't risk it. Worsening my flare was the absolute last thing on my to-do list for that day. It took a few more days for the flare to finish calming down but I am back to my 'normal' more or less now it seems thankfully.

Chronically Ill and Flying... with Dogs, Part Five: Before Traveling

I wanted to write this post as I was preparing to travel and give you a day by day breakdown... but then life happened. I ended up having a flare two days before traveling. Not good, not good at all. So I will write out what I usually do as well as what I ended up needing to do this time around due to dealing with the flare. The unpredictability of flares is exactly why I over plan my life the way I do and why I pack such an intense backpack. Being prepared gets me back on track so much faster and back to enjoying my life. A few minutes of preparation each week can mean an entire week back for me... so worth it!

What I Usually Do

These days if I am traveling last minute then I won't be taking the pups more than likely (unless it is an emergency) so there is less to pack and less to manage. This makes life a little bit easier. Since I already keep my hygiene kit (and most of my carry-on) packed I can pack from start to finish in less than an hour, in a pinch. I don't like to do this as it can cause extra stress which can make me more symptomatic. Plus, the rushing around will make it a lot more likely that I forget something. For just a weekend away though it isn't usually an issue. 
For the dogs: I just grab the dogs' diaper bag, which stays packed, so that I can drop them at my mom's. Their diaper bag has everything that I usually put in my carry on pet bag as well as almost everything from my suitcase pet list. All that needs to be done is toss in the leashes, a few toys, Isabel's ball, fold down the pet pen and double check that I refilled the food container and they are ready to go. This takes about 5-6 minutes typically which is much faster and less stressful that having to pack from scratch! When I get back from a trip I put away the few things that don't stay in the bag and refill anything that was used so that we're ready to go again the next time.
My bag: I put my hygiene kit, the medicine containers for the days I will be gone (each day's organizer pops out for easy carrying in my purse or carry-on... it's pretty awesome), a pair of PJs and a set of clothing (including accessories, shoes and a handbag) in a dufflebag and I'm pretty much ready to go on this front. 
All that's left is my carry on/backpack. For that I need about 10 minutes as I have to move any liquids to the liquids and gels bag I keep in my closet (if I'm flying, (usually last minute trips without the pups aren't air travel), add my passport and tickets/itinerary to the front pocket and put my laptop in the holder. I might add a set of clothes to my bag as well if I am flying, but like I said, last minute travel for me is rarely flying. Everything else is already in my backpack more or less all the time. If I want to add my travel blanket and pillow that is a quick fix as they are stored away for easy access in my car. You'd be surprised how often a blanket comes in handy in your car... 

Most of my travel isn't done last minutes though, I prefer to plan out travel so that I can enjoy my time off as much as possible. For normal, planned trips here's my routine: 
I will begin to pack a few days ahead of time, if I can. For me this means doing an extra load of laundry, getting some extra chores done each day so that I have a clean house when I leave/come back and pulling out my packing list. Since I keep my hygiene kit pretty much packed it takes only a few minutes to run through it all and make sure that I don't need to refill any of my bottles and jars in the bag as well as make sure I have my meds ready to go for the trip. Doing this a few days before will allow me time to stop off and pick anything up that I may need on my lunch break at work or on the way home which reduces stress.
The dog's 'suitcase' items and my hygiene kit are the first to go into my suitcase as I won't need any of the items in them for the next few days. Other items I am unlikely to need get added at this time as well. Most of the time I try to get this portion of the packing completed on the weekend if it works with my schedule so there is less to do during the week. Clothing I add to the suitcase as the items I need get laundered. Once I have added all of an item (such as shirts) on my list to my suitcase it gets checked off.
The night before we travel I make sure to give the dog's I-Go-2 a wipe down and add in their leashes. I also run down my list of chores to make sure that everything is clean and nothing will be smelly and gross when I come home. This means doing the dishes, cleaning out the fridge, taking out the trash, and running a last minute load of laundry with linens and any random clothing that I need when I return. Hopefully the rest of the chores for the time I am gone will have been handled already. I will then put my suitcase and the girl's carrier in the car. Mornings are not my strong suit. I am kind of grumpy, definitely forgetful and symptomatically worse in the morning. For this reason I try to prepare for the next morning the evening before even when I am not traveling.
My carry on is the last thing to be packed. This is pretty much exactly like when I am traveling last minute except I pack the dog's carry-on bag, the travel blanket and pillow as well as the clothes that go in my carry-on bag (should I be flying) all at once. Isabel's ball and my empty water bottle are pretty much the only things that gets packed (other than potentially putting food in my bag) the morning of travel.
A few days before I travel I push water pretty heavily and make sure to eat more sodium than my usual. This helps bump up my blood volume as well as blood pressure as my bp can drop more than normal during air travel. I also lay off any caffeine that I may have been taking in previously. Sleep is pretty important all the time but when I am about to travel I make sure to be very rested for a few days to not add on to the fatigue travel will cause. Being tired, stressed and dehydrated is about the worse combination for me when stepping into an airport as all the standing, walking, pressure changes, and the air quality of the plane itself will just add insult to injury and likely trigger a flare.

What I Did Due To The Flare

I ended up needing to head in for an IV infusion a few days prior to travel this time around as my bp and heart rate were suggesting I might be dehydrated and was definitely flaring. The IV wasn't enough to stop the decline in my health though. I ended up continuing to salt load with electrolyte drink powders and bottle upon bottle of water for the rest of the week, barely keeping my symptoms in check enough to travel. Luckily, I had already packed quite a bit before this flare hit so it was just a matter of trying to get in a few extra chores every day... not going to lie though, I ended up sleeping in a linen-less bed the last night as I was simply too exhausted to wait for the linens to be done and was in too much pain to sleep on the couch. Such is life, I will just have to put the linens (which are still in the dryer) on the bed when I get home. Other than that, every chore that 'had to' get done was completed. The extras that I would normally do to make the coming week easier didn't get done of course but that's ok. 
Getting everything done came at a cost though. When I am having a flare sleep isn't always easy. I have intermittent insomnia even when I am not having a flare but when you add in a flare it gets pretty bad. I can be lucky to get a few hours a night since I have to get up for work. This usually only makes the flare worse as I am not getting the rest my body desperately needs. If possible I will take a day completely off of work to get in some of the much needed rest. Either way, during a flare I'm exhausted and once I'm asleep I can sleep for 10-12+ hours easily, but getting to sleep... that can be difficult. The pain, nausea and heart issues make it difficult to fall asleep. So... I ended up getting on a plane exhausted and dehydrated despite my best efforts.

Chronically Ill and Flying... with Dogs, Part Four: Updated Lists!

I promised updated packing lists so here they are! Obviously these are personal to me so update them to fit your needs. I decided for this set I would group clothing items by style of attire... then I just have to choose how many days/outfits of each I will need for the trip. If using a printed list I would write out the number of each I need and check it off as it is put into my suitcase- not before. Otherwise I could have prepared it and STILL forgotten it at home. It has happened... brain fog is no joke man. :)

SUITCASE

CLOTHING

• PROFESSIONAL
• Slacks
• Nice Shirt
• Dress Socks
• DRESSY
• Dress
• Sweater
• Hosiery (If Appropriate)
• CASUAL
• Jeans
• T-Shirt or Casual Top
• Sweat Shirt (If Appropriate)
• Sweater
• ATHLETIC
• Running Pants
• T-Shirt
• Shorts Bra
• UNDERGARMENTS AND OTHER
• Bra
• Underwear
• Socks
• PJs

SHOES

• PROFESSIONAL
•  Flats
• DRESSY
• Heels or Wedges
• CASUAL
• Flats
• Sandals
• ATHLETIC
•  Athletic Shoes

ACCESSORIES

• PROFESSIONAL
• Jewelry and Accessories for Chosen Outfit
• DRESSY
• Clutch or Handbag
• Jewelry and Accessories for Chosen Outfit
• CASUAL
• Hat
• Jewelry and Accessories for Chosen Outfit If Necessary
• ATHLETIC
•  Phone Arm Band
• OTHER
• Swim Suit (If Appropriate)
• WINTER
• Warm Socks
• Coat
• Winter Hat
• Gloves
• Scarf

TOILETRIES

• HAIR
• Hair Ties and Headbands
• Brush and/or Comb
• Straightener/Curler/Etc, (If Currently Using)
• TEETH
• Floss
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• CLEANLINESS
• Soap
• Shampoo
  
• Conditioner
• Baking Soda
• AC Vinegar
• Coconut Oil
• Razor and Extra Blade
• Shaving Cream
• Deodorant
• Perfume/Scent (If Used... I Do Not)
• OTHER
• Vitamins and Supplements
• Essential Oils
• Contacts
• Makeup
• Bug and Sun Protection Items (If Necessary)
• Contact Solution
• Cotton Swabs
• Mini First Aid Kit
• Nail Kit

DOG ITEMS

• Food (If Less Than 3 Days, Otherwise Purchase at Destination)
• Bowls
• Toys
• Sweater (If Appropriate)
• Life Jackets (If Appropriate)
• Pup Pen/Crate
• Potty Pads (2/Day Minimum)

 PET CARRIER

• Leashes
• Water Bowl (Foldable/Attachable)
• Pet Waste Bags

 CARRY ON

IDENTIFICATION AND PERSONAL (FRONT POCKET/QUICK ACCESS)

• Wallet
• Cell Phone
• Keys
• Passport
• Medical ID 
• Boarding Pass/Tickets/Itinerary/Etc.

NOT IN AN ORGANIZER BAG

• Hand Fan
• Travel Pillow and Blanket
• Water Bottles (Empty for TSA)
• Extra Set of Clothing

WORK/SCHOOL BAG

• Laptop and Cord
• Kindle (If Necessary)
• Textbook (If Necessary... In Checked Baggage That Is Ideal Due to Weight)
• SCHOOL/WORK BAG
• Calculator or Other Necessities
• Paper
• Pen, Pencil, Highlighter, Etc.

ELECTRONICS/CORDS BAG

• Batteries
• Mouse
• Charging Cords
• Flash Drive
• Hard Drive

EYE CARE AND MAKEUP BAG

• Extra Contacts
• Contact Case
• Glasses
• Makeup
• Basics for Me: Lip Stick, Mascara, Compact, Eye Color, Eye Pencil

HYGIENE BAG

• Comb/Small Brush
• Wet Wipes
• Tissues
• Microfiber Cloth 
• Feminine Hygiene Products

MEDICAL BAG

• 2 days of Meds
• Emergency Meds for Pain/Nausea/Headache
• Cold and Stomach Meds
• Pulse Oximeter
• Blood Pressure Cuff
• Inhaler
• Peak Flow Meter
• TENS Unit and Pads
• Thermometer
• First Aid Items (As Necessary)
• Heart Rate Monitor
• Ceralyte
• Thermotabs
• Collapsible Cup
• Neck Cooler
• Anything Else Currently Necessary

PET CARE BAG

• 3 Potty Pads
• Toy/Ball
• Leash Coupler
• 1 Day of Food
• Dry Medications
• Syringes for Liquid Medications
• Brush
• Toothbrush
• Waste Bags
• Records (on Flash Drive) and Pet Passports

LIQUIDS AND GELS BAG (CAN BE DISBURSED IF NOT TRAVELING BY AIR)

• Anti-Nausea Meds (Small Bottle- Less than 3 oz)
• Allergy Meds (Small Bottle- Less than 3 oz)
• Contact Solution (Small Bottle)
• Lotion (Small Pot or Tin- Mine Holds 1 oz)
• Chapstick
• Hand Soap (If Necessary, Small Pot or Tin- Mine Holds 1 oz)
• Toothpaste (Small Pot, Tin or Tube- Mine Holds 1.5 oz)
• Deodorant (Small Pot or Tin- Mine Holds 1 oz)
• Eyedrops
• PanAway (If Necessary)
• Salad Dressing (If Bringing a Salad- Less than 3 oz)
• Almond Butter Packets (If Desired)

 FOOD

• Do not bring liquids, slurries, gelatins, etc.
• Whole fruit is allowed
• Food for travel is allowed but double check with TSA's latest list before travel

To get through TSA faster:

• Wear shoes that are easy to remove
• Have laptop and liquids bag stowed in a way that is easily/quickly removable
• Remove outer layers before arriving at the checkpoint
• Store nothing in your pockets until after you go through the checkpoint

Notes:

• You can call the airline and have them arrange a wheelchair/assistance for you to the gate and upon arrival if you need assistance.
• Make sure to confirm with the airline any additional arrangements you make on your ticket before traveling- from pets to food options to assistance... its better safe than sorry!
• Traveling with pets means that you will need to undergo additional screening at TSA so prepare by giving budgeting extra time.
• Avoid scented lotions and perfumes on the day of travel as they can affect those around you AND have been known to give a false positive on the initial check they do when you are traveling with a pet/in a wheelchair or assistance device/when you are selected randomly. It doesn't take long to confirm that you are a safe traveler but it is never fun waiting for additional time at security so better safe than sorry.

Chronically Ill and Flying... with Dogs, Part Three: Carry-On

When I pack my carry-on I have to make sure to be prepared for anything. Perhaps the pups and I will be stuck overnight (or all day... it's happened... the dogs ended up eating Qdoba because I wasn't prepared that day, it wasn't pretty) or maybe I'll end up highly symptomatic. I like to always be prepared for as much as possible.

I'll go bag by bag in this post to show you what goes into my carry on. I do not have the water bottles (empty until I am through TSA) for myself and the pups as I had already put them in the bag at the time of this photo... but they are the H2O4K9 bottle and my Camelbak Eddy.

Front right you see a couple dog toys and a small bag of dog food. I am trying to rearrange the dog's bag to fit the toys other than Izzy's ball as I think they will fit and make for less lose items in my bag so less chance of losing something when I open my bag. This is simply for if we end up over night or with a really long delay so that I can take them to a pet relief area and let them eat and relax a bit since flying can be stressful for all of us. The ball needs to come with me because if the airline were to lose my luggage and the ball was in there Isabel would freak out as that ball is basically her binky... she sleeps with it and pretty much has it with her 24/7.

Next back is my clear quart sized bag of liquids and gels. This has the following:

• Anti-nausea meds
• Allergy meds (for Roxy but I could take it in a pinch as it is Benadryl)
• Contact solution
• Lotion and coconut oil
• Chapstick
• Hand Soap (the stuff in the last airport didn't do well with skin... no bueno)
• Toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Eyedrops
• Salad dressing for my salad :)
• Almond Butter packets

The pink polka dot bag is the pup's bag which has:

• Medications they may need and syringes to administer liquid meds
• Flash drive with medical records and pet custody agreement
• Pet passports for if we need to go to the vet while traveling (it has happened... Isabel got really really sick the last time we traveled to KY)
• Brush and Toothbrush
• Extra waste bags
• Leash coupler
• 3 potty pads
• 1 Dog toy

Isabel's orange ball doesn't fit in the bag so it goes in alone.

We'll skip over the rectangular bag for now as that is my Medical Kit and we'll get into that in detail later.

At the back of the left side you can see my Kindle, laptop, a notebook and a hand fan in case I get overheated (my temperature doesn't always regulate well and overheating can make me more symptomatic).

On to the right side of the photo!

First you will see my checkbook and passport. I forgot to place my wallet, keys and phone in the photo but all of these will go in the front pouch for quick retrieval. I always have to check in at the desk to pay for the pet fees and arrange/make sure they have a wheelchair for me if I am feeling poorly as I won't be able to stand for long periods which if a sure bet at larger airports. This is easily arranged when you book your ticket or you can just give the airline a call and let them know. You could also do so at the airport but you may have to wait longer.

Behind that is my hygiene bag:

This bag is fairly thin. It contains a toothbrush, tissues, microfiber cloth, wipes and feminine hygiene products (not pictured). Everything else that would be in this bag needs to be placed in the quart bag for TSA.

The bag behind the hygiene bag I have since combined into my medical bag so I will not be using it. It contained hydration items like Ceralyte, Thermotabs, and a collapsible cup to mix the Ceralyte in should I get symptomatic and need a quick boost. It isn't as good as an IV of course but it does help and is a great stopgap when traveling.

Next is 'Eye Care and Makeup'. Pretty simply it contains extra contact, my glasses, a contact case and my makeup. I keep my makeup pretty simple most of the time so this is most likely the only makeup I will bring with me (lip stick pencil, eye pencil, compact, eye color, and mascara) for the trip. This is the smallest bag of all the pouches I organize with.

I purchased the puppy paws bag for the dog items but potty pads don't fit well in it (sad day) so it is now my "School" pouch. Since I am in grad school I will pretty much always have homework to complete while I am on my trip. It's a given, so I prepare for that fact as best as I can. This pouch contains the calculator my professor specified we have for the course, highlighters, and pens. Since it was so empty I ended up adding my cooling off items to this bag as well to better utilize space: the fan you see in the top photo, a neck cooler bandana (dehydrated to get through TSA), and a headband. The neck cooler in the photo is not dehydrated... I needed to use it yesterday so it is still airing out. I have since purchased another one just in case. Many times you will see me working on homework on my laptop while waiting on a layover or upcoming flight time. When I was teaching I would use that time to work on future lesson plans or grading. I like to have as little wasted time in an airport as possible since using that dead time wisely will mean more fun time once I arrive. Always a plus, am I right? If I won't have access to homework or don't have any then I will bring some cross-stitch work or a book of puzzles with me to keep busy.

Finally we get to the "Cords and Electronics" pouch. It has extra re-chargeable batteries for all of my medical gadgets as well as a USB charger for them, a wireless mouse, portable hard drive, flash drive and cords for all of my devices. It does not have the cord for my laptop as that one is too large for the pouch so my laptop cord just goes in the bag alone.

I used my workout clothes to represent a pair of lightweight clothes since my luggage has been lost before (coming from Korea... 26 hours on several planes not including the travel time to the airport or the hours early they want you to arrive for international flight and I didn't have luggage on the other end. It was sooo not OK). I typically will lay out a pair of lose pants, top, and undergarments then tightly roll them and place them in the bottom of my bag. I will need to iron (if they are ironing necessary clothes... this time they are not) but at least I will have clean clothing if we get stuck somewhere without luggage.

I dress in layers when traveling so that I can adjust to whatever temperature it is and however my body is acting at any particular moment. Honestly I dress in layers most of the time in general for the same reason. When I am traveling you will find me most typically in lose pants and top with a thick sweater or sweatshirt depending on the trip. And flats or athletic shoes... I never wear heels in an airport as it is sure to be a mistake for me. I bring/wear compression stockings... especially if I have had a hard week or am feeling tired or symptomatic. These can be a lifesaver. I also have a neck pillow attached to the outside of my backpack and, if I can fit it in, a small blanket in case I get cold on the plane (temperature regulation issues remember... I pack for being cold and hot). I was able to fit everything, including a travel blanket, into my Isopack if you were wondering.

OK, that Medical bag... this one is a big one and an important one. In it I have:

• 2 days of medications and supplements
• Emergency medications for severe nausea, headaches/migraines as well as my heart
• Inhaler
• All the hydration items I mentioned before
• Blood pressure cuff/monitor
• Peak flow meter
• Thermometer
• Heart rate monitor with chest strap
• Pulse oximeter
• TENS unit (small, non-RX unit for pain management) and extra pads
• A few small first aid items like Bandaids and Alcohol pads
• Cold and stomach medications (I can't take most cold medications so finding something when traveling could prove difficult)
• A couple other random odds and ends that change out depending on what's been going on medically with me lately.
• PanAway oil with a roll-on top (click here for YL oils ordering)

EDIT: The PanAway was moved to the liquids and gels bag... brain fog moment there. Oops!

This bag is one that stays in my backpack full time but I have to remove the liquid medications when traveling so it gets a little reorganized. If I'm not flying then you will find the liquid medications in here that are currently in my liquids and gels quart sized bag just like you would normally find most of the other items in the quart bag in either the eye care or hygiene bags when I am not traveling.

It seems like a lot... and it is, but I prefer bringing more than necessary but being prepared rather than the alternative. Something as simple as overheating which would be a nuisance to most can ruin my vacation as it will cause me to become more symptomatic. This would leave me exhausted and sick by the time I arrive which could take days to recover from. Your carry-on should fit who you are and what your needs for the trip are in my opinion. This bag will hopefully never be fully utilized but it allows me to have the best possible trip so it fit my needs.

This will be the first trip I am bringing food other than snack sized bars and bags of nuts. According to the TSA regualations there shouldn't be an issue since my cool packs are not gel and I am bringing no liquid foods. I have planned to pack chopped chicken, chopped veggies (fresh and cooked), a salad (the dressing is in my liquids bag), fruit (the website specifies whole fruit so I'll be bringing grapes, a banana and possibly try my luck with a quartered apple) and some nuts and seeds. I have a Spork and Salt and Pepper Plus Spice Dispenser in the front pocket of my bag along with the nuts and seeds assortment. The last few times I have had to travel I ate what was available at the airport and my stomach was very unhappy with that choice. This was most likely due to the gluten and vegetable oil that is in just about everything that I was able to find in the wing of the airport my gate was in. So this time I'm going to bring my own food... I checked with the airline and they are ok with it so long as it follows TSA regulations. 

That's my, quite over packed, carry on. It is obviously less packed when I am not bringing the pups and you would likely not need all that I bring since most of it is to manage or get in front of symptoms. Most people also would be fine eating at the airport I imagine as well so that's quite a lot that would be able to disappear from your bag. It works for me right now though so I'll keep bringing it along... until it doesn't anymore, then I'll adjust what goes in my bag. What is in your carry on bag? What is the one thing you cannot forget?