It’s a great idea to have a contingency plan for injuries while traveling. And, getting hurt stinks! Trust me, David and I have both been there. Especially since we always find ourselves doing activities that are either clumsy (that’s usually me…) or dangerous. Traveling and vacations are supposed to be stress-free, so you shouldn’t have to worry about prepping for a contingency plan for the worst possible scenarios. Instead, you’ll probably be thinking about your packing checklists, hotel, travel arrangements, car rentals, daily activities, etc.
We’re sure many of you remember some simple necessities: Pain killers, any prescription medicines, or your inhaler. But, we often don’t ever think about the contingency plan for injuries while traveling until they happen. So, what is the ideal contingency plan for injuries while traveling?
Time Is Everything: Act Quickly During An Emergency!
Accidents happen to the best of us! But, they don’t need to ruin your travels if you can act quickly enough. If you’re with a travel buddy or by yourself, make sure you call for help right away. Don’t have a contingency plan or let it ruin your trip.
Our Experience:
When David and I were visiting Utah together, we did a lot of wakeboarding. During David’s run, he did a fancy trick and landed wrong on the water. He dislocated his hip, which is an extremely painful experience (based on his opinion). During this situation, a friend quickly dived in to bring him back to the boat safely. After assessing David, we got him straight to the doctor. Luckily, he had all of his health insurance and identification on him, so he was able to feel better in no time! This rapid-acting helped David enjoy the rest of his vacation, despite being in pain.
Seek Professional Help And Learn About Your Injury
This one is a given: If you think it could be something serious, seek professionals help. You need to know about your injury to feel better, right? Go to a hospital or medical facility as soon as you can so that you can learn what you’re dealing with and continue enjoying your trip!
Our Experience:
Who else is one of those people that refuses to go to a doctor? I am! Not because I don’t want help, but because I convince myself I don’t need it. Recently, I’ve learned that going as soon as possible to a healthcare facility results in much more favorable outcomes!
If You’re Doing A Potentially Life-Threatening Activity…Don’t Do It Alone
If you’ve been following us, you know we love getting adrenaline rushes. Those rushes are the best – but they come with a price, which is why we now have a contingency plan for it. They can be dangerous, so in order to avoid accidents that you can’t get out of by yourself, we’d suggest always having a travel buddy! This is especially true if you’re going Cliff Jumping, outdoor Rock Climbing, Snowboarding / Skiing, etc.
Our Experience:
When we first met, we took a trip to the Maryland / West Virginia area. A group of friends and us all went to a local spot to go cliff jumping. Not only was this cliff jumping spot incredibly high, but it was also dangerous. In order to avoid the rocks, you had to jump a certain distance and direction away from the cliff. Guess who failed at that (it was me…I’m prone to mistakes!). I hit the rocks when I fell into the water and split open my leg. If it wasn’t for the fast actions of my friends (shout out to the ones that even carried me out of there), the outcome wouldn’t have been good. Luckily, I was able to get the stitches and medical attention I needed while still being able to salvage the rest of my vacation!
Bring Your Must-Have Medications
Do you suffer from allergies? Or asthma? If you require any prescription drugs, don’t forget to bring them or add them to your contingency plan. Furthermore, think about some common medications in case you suffer a cold or small injury. We always travel with some Tylenol Extra Strength, Vitamin C tablets, NyQuil, Pepto Bismol (especially after our most recent trip to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico), and daily Cold Medication.
We also like to pack ourselves a small First Aid kit with some Band-Aids, Neosporin, medical tape, and bandages. You’ll never know when they’re gonna be needed – so why not bring some extras, just in case?
Our Experience:
We personally have tendencies to get sick during or after our travels. Having a cold during travel or vacation is NEVER fun! To avoid this, we’ve made it a habit to bring some of the above items.
Implementing a First Aid Kid into our traveling checklist has become something new. When we were traveling in Playa del Carmen, our friend slipped into the bathroom and dislocated her knee. While the hotel provided us with some bandages, we wish we would’ve packed something in an effort to help her right away.
How have you dealt with injuries on vacation? Let us know your experiences or contingency plan for injuries while traveling in the comments below – we’d love to hear about it!
