A Practice Pack

We're heading for Seattle in a little more than a week, camping along the way and dropping by to visit family. By September 15th, we'll be in Renton at my friend Darcy's house. Then on the 16th, we board the Holland America Eurodam for a week long cruise to Alaska. Back to Seattle on the 23rd and then we'll camp along a different route back to Missouri, hopefully making our way through the Rockies before the first snow flies at the higher elevations!

So this is the perfect time to do a practice pack. The first thing I have to make sure I can pack well is all my medical equipment. When my kids were little, I used to say there are two classes of travel: First Class and With Children. Now I'll add a third: With Medical Equipment. 

I'll be bringing TWO portable oxygen concentrators (both of which are named Herkimer) with me. I know that seems like overkill, but I have had a POC stop dead with no warning on  me. Spending two days at home without supplemental O2 while I waited for the new unit to come by "overnight shipping" (Ha!) was bad enough. I'd seriously not want to be without a POC if I'm bobbing around in the Pacific. So Herkimer #1 will roll onto the plane in his little roller bag. (Oh! I learned that since he's considered medically necessary, he will not count as my personal carry on item!) Herkimer #2 will ride in his backpack on my DH's dependable back. The DH will also have a roller bag with a few of his things, plus all our electronics (2 computers, 2 tablets, all the cords and chargers). I'll carry my bipap machine and it's hoses and plugs in a shoulder strap bag lieu of a purse and still be able to have a small roller bag as my 2nd carry on.

A lot has to fit in this standard 22 X 14 X 9 inch carry on. We need to keep all our medications, and other valuables with us. And usually people like to pack a few extra things in case their checked baggage goes off on a jaunt of its own. Here's what's going in my carry on by layers:

Layer 1

3 camisole bras, 8 pairs of undies, 3 pairs of socks (black, white, fleshtone). I'll cover all with a pair of  winterwhite pants & a blue tunic. (Together with what I'll be wearing that day, I'll have at least 4 mix-and-match outfits)  

This first layer is important because it evens up the bottom of my carry on. Otherwise the stuff that goes on layer 2 would be banging against the metal tubing that the telescoping handle slides into. 

Layer 2

At right lower corner my So Clean will be lying on its side. This ingenious device cleans my bipap tubing each day. I'll use the void inside it to pack all the tubes that connect it to my bipap, spare nose pieces, face mask, electrical cord, and as many nasal cannulas as I can fit in. In the upper right quadrant, I'll pack additional cannulas to use with Herkimer. The upper left quadrant is where I'll put 3 bottles of a liquid medication I take and in the lower left, some pj's and a sleep cami.

Layer 3

90+ days worth of all the meds I take. Yeah, I know. I'm a walking pharmacy, but my lung condition is stable so the pills are my friends.

Layer 4

Jewelry in a plastic zipper bag goes on top (mostly costume stuff, but I'd still hate to lose any of it), one package of wipes (Don't leave home without them!), electrical cords on top of my pjs.

In computer compartment of my bag, I'll slip in my make up, toiletries, and OTC medications. If there's room, I'll try to slip in a swim suit. too. In the end, it'll look something like this:

So there you have it. My emergency must haves in one little space. 

How about you? What essentials do you want to keep with you at all times when you travel? 

 ~~~

OH! I just found out my publisher is running sale of THE COLDWATER WARM HEARTS CLUB! You can snag Book 1 in the Coldwater Cove series for just $2.99 for a limited time.

Kindle | Nook | Kobo | iBooks

I don't know how long this sale will last. If you'd like to visit my fictional world that's a cross between Mayberry & Lake Wobegone, hope you'll hurry!