Traveling with COPD

I was born with a number of birth defects, making me the refurbished woman from 6 months of age onward.  Born on the East Coast of the USA, I learned to hide my challenges in plain sight, eventually relocated to the West Coast to aid my quality of life, and have lived much longer than anyone expected.  I’m generally upbeat, but most especially because nobody wants to listen to a whiner.

Disabled at 55 (after 42 years of working multiple jobs) as my breathing challenges made it impossible to hide my exhaustion anymore, I am in my 6th decade and trying to continue to enjoy life despite any health challenges or ridiculous restrictions from the long term disability / supplemental salary insurance company.  They just want me to hurry up and die, and stop cutting into their profits.  Sitting in a chair, waiting to die, is not my first choice for quality of life.

I often blog about whatever tiny thing crosses my mind (warning:  politics and differing abilities are key topics), as well as the challenges I face in continuing with this life, or choosing to pursue euthanasia under California’s Death With Dignity law.  You can find my blogs at:

 https://wordpress.com/view/copdtravails.wordpress.com

I can be sick anywhere – so, given a choice, I prefer my life to be enjoyed from the balcony of a cruise ship or other waterfront location.  I’m joining this TabiFolk site in the hope that the differently-abled members who belong will help keep me busy reading about their adventures as I learn from their experiences.

While I was raised to depend upon the “buddy” system for safety, my customary traveling companions have passed away or moved on, leaving me with no one to travel by my side unless I pay for them to do so.  Not being rich, it’s time to explore traveling solo while not doing anything stupid to jeopardize my health or safety while exploring solo.