Leave it to Instagram to make me cry!
Last night as I was aimlessly scrolling, I came across a post, shared by a friend, that brought me to tears! This commercial, from a car manufacturer of all places, reminded me of what the holiday season was about. Love, and connection. It opened with children joyfully running up the stairs into the house of their grandparents excited to share the gifts that they had made. A dining room full of family, smiles, and laughter. Soft music playing, crackling fire, and a grandmother who does not remember. The tears began to roll right from the start because my grandpa had Alzheimer’s and I understand the pain of that process. I sat there for a minute and allowed myself to feel and remember. I was pulled back from my memories to the commercial by the sound of an eight-track tape of John Denver singing “Sunshine On My Shoulders,” where an old blue Chevy became a place of joy, laughter, and remembrance. I was watching a granddaughter connect with her grandma as they drove to all the places that held important memories. A little time and love can work wonders.
After I regained my composure and got some tissue, I started thinking about why the holidays are such an important and special time. Connection. We all need connection. Sometimes that comes in different ways, but one thing we can be sure of is that this time of year we all become more aware of our need for each other.
I know that for some, traveling to see family may take a little more planning. If you want to go and see family this holiday season, check out these tips for traveling with COPD.
Having open conversations with your family members about what you need when you arrive may help ease anxiety. This can also help with activity planning to make sure that you can enjoy time together without worrying about your health.
If this is the first time that you have traveled by plane since your COPD diagnosis talk to your provider because they may want to order a test that can mimic high-altitude conditions to see if you may need supplemental oxygen. If you are already on oxygen, speak to your supplier to help arrange oxygen supplies at your destination. If you are traveling by plane, make sure that you reach out to the airline in advance to make sure you have the right equipment and paperwork ready.
If far-away travel is not an option for you this year, there are still many wonderful ways to connect with friends and family right where you are. If anything at all good came out of our experiences over the past few years, it was that we learned how to get creative with our connections. Zoom offers a free account where you can meet for up to 40 minutes free of charge. It is easy to sign up for an account and you can access it on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. I have a friend who was not able to see her family on Thanksgiving, so they did a Zoom dinner. Sat the computer right there at the end of the table and everyone ate together. At least no one was fighting over the last bit of pie! 😊
So, whether connection looks like traveling to see family, seeing loved ones on FaceTime, having a houseful yourself, or a cozy meeting time with close friends, may this holiday season be filled with love, laughter, and deep connections!
Let’s connect! Share your tips for traveling (or not traveling) during the holidays.
Be on the lookout next week for some holiday puzzles and fun!!