Oops! Planning my vacation, I didn’t think of everything.

There will be times when, despite everything you cover in planning for a trip, something happens that you didn’t anticipate. I can guarantee it.

I shared with you my vacation details and preparations in my Aug. 26 column, all made to ensure the entire trip would be an opportunity to relax and recharge. But barely two days into the 14-day visit, all that preparation was tested when I began to feel ill.

Since my diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in January 2017, I’ve learned a lot about living with a chronic, progressive disease that doesn’t have a cure. Even after I received a bilateral lung transplant in July 2021, I’ve continued to learn that caution is and will always be a daily requirement. On this trip, I was reminded how true that is.

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I saw it coming

My wife, Susan, and I left Washington Dulles International Airport on Saturday, Aug. 30, bound for Prague by way of Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. That made for a 14-hour travel day, including the time between legs of the flights. Only in hindsight did I recognize that my first symptoms occurred on Monday, Sept. 1.

They began slowly with a runny nose, which I attributed to a seasonal allergy. I’d looked at available weather and climate information to see if something in Prague might be causing these symptoms, but I found nothing.

That Wednesday, we made our way via motor coach from Prague to Nuremberg, Germany, to board a ship for a seven-night river cruise through that nation. Now I was beginning to cough in addition to the runny nose.

Then the illness hit full force on Friday, and I was down.

Seeking help

I’d been certain to bring along all the medications I take daily to support my post-transplant health. I also carried others that I’m allowed to take without consulting with my care team. In this case, however, I didn’t have what I needed to feel better.

My care team in the Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant Program at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Virginia has always said to call if I have a concern. No second-guessing, no hand wringing, no feelings of guilt; just call.

I called Inova and asked the operator to page the on-call lung transplant coordinator. Within minutes, I received the coordinator’s return call. I could only describe my location as “somewhere in Germany” on a river cruise, as there weren’t any road signs. I described my symptoms and how I was feeling.

My care team advised that it was OK for me to take a single dose of Tylenol Sinus that I had, with 60mg of Sudafed that has 2.5mg of triprolidine hydrochloride. But one dose was not enough, and as I discovered, the Tylenol brand was not available in German apothecaries. What options could I safely take with my daily prescription medications?

We docked the next day, but I didn’t leave the ship. Susan set out to find a local apothecary while on a tour of the port. Throughout Europe, most apothecaries are, helpfully, marked by a green cross. She found a supportive pharmacist who located the proper medicine.

Within hours of taking it, I began to feel better. My appetite began to return. Still, I didn’t feel 100% until almost five days later.

Lessons learned

When I wrote that column in late August, I felt like I’d prepared for all possible scenarios, and I hadn’t. I did not and will not beat myself up for missing what I needed, though. I took my own advice and was able to give myself some grace for the oversight.

However, next time I’ll pack a multisymptom cold and sinus medication. Carrying a familiar brand name with ingredients I know will be more comforting than attempting to translate another language on a cardboard box.

I’ll continue to learn more with each passing day. Sharing it here with you is not embarrassing or self-deprecating; it’s how I can make every breath count.

Each week, a team of editors — Dave Boddiger, David DeWitt, and Paige Wyant — takes on the task of helping the writers at all the Bionews websites deliver the best columns possible. This past Friday, DeWitt closed this chapter of his journey to write the next one in retirement. Fair winds and following seas, David; you made a difference.

Note: Pulmonary Fibrosis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Pulmonary Fibrosis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to pulmonary fibrosis.