Nina’s Tips for Traveling With Metastatic Breast Cancer (VIDEO)

Written by Kelly Crumrin

Posted on April 5, 2024

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10 Tips for Traveling With mBC

MyBCTeam member, Nina Melad, talks about how much travel adds to her life, and shares some tips for making it safe and comfortable despite having metastatic breast cancer.

Transcript

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:48:13
Nina
With my breast cancer, it's not a death sentence. Hey, I’ve had it for 10 years. I'm living proof that, you know, just because you get diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, that things aren't downhill. My oncologist, she said, “You know what, Nina, leave the treatment plans up to me and for you, enjoy your family and enjoy life.” And that was the greatest thing when she told me that because it truly lifted my burden, because before I used to be researching everything and jotting all these notes. In the beginning, it’s good to track your side effects and how you're feeling,

00:00:48:15 - 00:01:15:05
Nina
but don't let it overwhelm you or take over. Stay positive. My husband and I, we love to travel, so we've been all over Italy, the Holy Land, Paris, and actually next month, we're going to Japan to visit our daughter, and we're also going to Korea. We're big Padre fans, and they're going to be playing the Dodgers there. During our travel days,

00:01:15:07 - 00:01:47:10
Nina
we like to go to one destination. Last October, we went to Rome and we stayed in Rome. We stayed in one hotel. We did some tours, but we also made sure that we had some downtime, which is very important. As soon as we know we want to go somewhere, we let my doctors know. She's been great about it because, as soon as we tell her when we're going on vacation, she works my chemo schedule around it.

00:01:47:12 - 00:02:33:02
Nina
We don't have chemo the week before we leave. We want to feel good, especially because of the long flights and so forth, so I make sure that I have all my medications with me in my carry-on. I have my barf bags. I have my anti-nausea. Make sure I have all my headwear. Oh, and the one advice I would give everybody with any preexisting condition is to get travel insurance. Along with that, is you get a doctor's note stating that you are able to travel. Because if anything should go wrong, you could have the peace of mind that you're covered, and you won't get denied.

00:02:33:04 - 00:03:01:09
Nina
What I would like newly diagnosed metastatic breast cancer patients to know is, you know what you're, you're OK. Take it one step at a time. With me, I’m 10 years and still going. My name is Nina Melad, and I live with metastatic breast cancer.

Getting a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis can make people rethink their priorities and what they really want out of life. For MyBCTeam member Nina, that means frequent travel adventures with her family. She spoke with us about how much travel adds to her life, as well as her tips for making it safe and comfortable despite having metastatic breast cancer.

Nina has been married to her husband, Stan, for 26 years. Her son, Matthew, is 23 and recently graduated from college. Her daughter, Sabrina, is 19 and currently studying abroad in Japan. She also has a fur baby, a Dandie Dinmont terrier named Emmitt.

Here’s Nina’s take on travel, along with her top travel tips.

Something To Look Forward To

“My husband and I love to travel,” said Nina. “When we travel, it gives me something to look forward to. So, I have my treatments and so forth, but six months down the line, I have something to look forward to.”

Nina rattled off several of her past and upcoming adventures: “We’ve been all over Italy, we’ve been to the Holy Land, we’ve been to Paris, and next month, we’re going to Japan to visit our daughter. We’re also going to Korea.”

Nina’s Tips for Travel

Here are some of Nina’s top tips for traveling safely and comfortably with metastatic breast cancer.

1. Stay in One Destination

“What I found best for me is to go to one destination and stay in that one hotel instead of moving around every couple of days to another place. It’s nice when you go on vacation to relax and enjoy, soak in that one place.”

2. Don’t Overschedule Yourself

“Don’t have your schedule ‘bang, bang, bang,’ doing something every single day. In between, we always have a rest day. When we arrive, we just go to a hotel, have some dinner and relax. You’ve got to build in those free days.”

3. Schedule Treatments Around Travel Plans

“As soon as we know we want to go somewhere, we let my doctor know. She works my chemo schedule around it. I don’t have chemo the week before we leave because I want to feel good.”

4. Pack for Comfort With Side Effects in Mind

“I make sure that I have all my medications with me in my carry-on. I have my barf bags, I have my anti-nausea drugs, and I have all my headwear.”

5. Get Travel Insurance

“Advice I would give everybody with any preexisting condition is to get travel insurance. Fortunately, we’ve never had to use it. As soon as you put a deposit on a trip, you’ve got to purchase the insurance. Along with that, get a doctor’s note stating that you are able to travel, because if anything should go wrong, you could have the peace of mind that you are covered and you won’t get denied.”

6. Use a Travel Agent

“We choose where we want to go, and certain things that we want to do, and he just plans the vacation.”

7. Prevent Infections

“Planes are not the cleanest places. I bought an airplane tray table cover. It keeps everything hygienic.”

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyBCTeam is the social network for people with breast cancer and their loved ones. On MyBCTeam, more than 69,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with breast cancer.

Have you traveled since being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer? How did you prepare? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.

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Kelly Crumrin is a senior editor at MyHealthTeam and leads the creation of content that educates and empowers people with chronic illnesses. Learn more about her here.