Gina....

What a sad and painful commentary on the way the business and
service world seems to be heading.   And what a picture of the
"disabled person's nightmare travel experience from HELL" you
painted! <shuddering>

Perhaps we need to have the same type of "airport/flight
assistant" to meet us at each stop?   The same type of airline
service which meets and guides unaccompanied minors when they fly?
(they're generally stewardesses, aren't they?)

I wonder if there aren't a lotta retired stewardesses who'd like
to bring in additional income by shepherding those who need such a
service thru various airports?  And if there ISN'T such a service,
maybe it's time has come?

Food for thought....

Barb Mallut
[log in to unmask]

-----Original Message-----
From: Gina Cass <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, June 14, 1999 5:52 AM
Subject: Travel No More/Beaten - Long Piece


>TO:  My fellow PD's (maybe not in spirit but in disease)
>
>I need to tell you this tale for me to get it out, not
necessarily to have
>you respond or even understand.
>I was invited to New Hampshire by friends for a rest of 2 yrs of
changes,
>flight from Elkhart, Indiana  to Manchester, New Hampshire was
uneventful.  I
>stayed for a week and headed back to Indiana on Friday, June 10
flying a well
>known Airline that I will name after I talk to the CEO, on their
position.
>My first flight out of Manchester was late, making me miss my
connection in
>Newark, NJ.  They had advance notice that I needed a wheelchair
to get to the
>next gate on the other side of the airport which was not there.
It seemed to
>be a hinderance to get one and the person pushing was having a
conversation
>with someone I could not see.  They were discussing a picture of
a fire and
>if this person had taken the photo.
>Like I stated I missed my connection in Newark to Cleveland.  The
next flight
>to Cleveland was the one I was booked on this one was delayed due
to a light
>that would not light.  Yes the thing that it was attached to had
to work and
>was but we needed that light, I understand.  I started flying at
10:05AM EDT.
>from New Hampshire.  I asked at each leg of this adventure to
preboard due to
>using a cane.
>Was told that was fine but had to remind them each time.  One
time they
>completely forgot and I had to battle the crowd, which don't care
if you walk
>or not.
>They no longer have meals on the flights so I was having a
problem finding
>things to eat.  Need to eat after some of the meds.  O'hare I
found best to
>get a light something to eat OH that is later.
>I finally got to Cleveland, OHIO.  I kept telling my hosts I did
not want to
>go to Cleveland.  Over and over was my lament.  But Cleveland is
a hub city
>of this particular Airline.  I orginally started with a 4 hr
layover in
>Cleveland but due to missed flights, hobbling to gates etc, I had
about 1 hr.
>This was a trek from Concourse C to B opposite sides of the
airport (Why are
>they so far apart?) I had not been able to take my meds, I was
hot, tired and
>upset.  But I had done so well this whole week.  I was right
"on".  While
>standing in line at the check-in I found out my flight from
Cleveland had
>been delayed.  Twenty minutes later the flight was cancelled.
Due to
>weather.  I looked around and not a cloud or problem appeared.  I
felt it
>coming, but I could not stop any of it.  Standing in line, I
mentally went
>away.  A wonderful young woman, her husband and daughter together
asked if I
>was OK.  She took a hold of my arm, took me out of line, set me
down, and
>asked if I was diabetic (I could only nod), I couldn't get out
the fact I had
>Parkinson's.  My Tremors had gone crazy.  I was shaking so
violently that it
>was hard to hold my ticket.  They gave me juice, candy and
something in a
>tube called glucose.  Told me they first thought I was drunk or
needed a
>drink and then realized that something else was wrong due to the
color of my
>skin, plus the fact of the cold, clammy touch.  The Airline
representative
>commented that she was going to get to me next.  TOO LATE
>An ambulance was called, Perimedics put me in ambulance, and took
me to a
>hospital due to the fact that my blood pressure was dangerously
high and my
>blood sugar was so high.  They kept saying something about my
heart and
>wanting to give me Nitro.  In my confused state I cannot remember
what they
>said.  I will call hospital and have them tell me.
>Nice little hospital, close to airport.  Doctor was very busy,
say him only
>very briefly but was hooked to D5 to lower everything.  I told
them I needed
>something to eat to take meds which I was allowed to use my own
was given a
>snack that was wonderful.  I was treated to a 6hr stint there
with various
>nurses visiting, sitting on my bed and talking, a wife of another
Emergency
>Room guest bringing her chair over to my cube and sitting with
me.  I do have
>a way with some people of being there for them and putting them
at ease.  Two
>ladies from the airline brought me Vouchers to go to a Hotel that
night what
>was left of it, to stay the night, Taxi Vouchers, and meal
vouchers.  They
>finally arrived after 3 hrs of promises that the vouchers were on
there way.
>Remember the Airport is very close to the Hospital.  I was
finally released
>and got a cab.  The young man was very rude to start but I just
wanted to get
>to a room, take a shower and rest.  He refused to take my travel
voucher due
>to the fact he picked me up at the hospital and not the airport.
So I paid
>him.  Got into Hotel and asked for my room and was told I did not
have a
>room.  The real confusing part was they had my luggage.  Why did
it go there
>if I had no room?  I cracked, crying, I called home to rant, when
the hotel
>staff person said they had a room at the other hotel for me and a
shuttle to
>take me.  I ended up 25 minutes away from the airport now and not
5 minutes,
>1:30 AM no food (I had some trail mix luckly) and so upset I
could not get
>right to sleep.  I had about 4 hrs sleep, ordered breakfast that
cost $11.23
>when the voucher was for only $8.00, and I ordered just a basic
no frills
>breakfast.
>Got a shuttle, just for me to the airport for the flight the
Airline had put
>me on.  Which the Airport was a zoo, then I got to the check-in
and again my
>flight was cancelled due to weather (South Bend nor Cleveland had
a weather
>problem, I checked).  The next( 12:00)  flight was cancelled
(Feeling like
>the "Out-of-Towner).  They had put me on a 1:45 PM flight on
another airline
>to Chicago O'Hare now.  This flight had been schduled to leave at
12:03 now
>was leaving at 1:45 PM, I felt that this would end up like the
other flights.
> I went up to the counter, placed my ticket up there and said I
am very ill
>and I need to get home now.  She looked at me and agreed so
booked me on the
>1:30 PM flight to Chicago as I wanted to travel with the couple
that had been
>there for me. This flight was delayed.  We got to Chicago O'hare
with no
>problems.  No Wheelchair again, they called for one but it never
came.  No
>Electric Cart either and I was so scared that I would miss the
next and final
>flight.  From D Concourse to B Concourse walking with my cane but
I made it
>with time to spare.  Also, found a little stand and got some
water, and a
>lunchable to eat to take meds.  This flight was delayed once not
due to
>weather but something else.  Oh yes the flight never came.
>I finally got to South Bend, Indiana (Notre Dame Fame) with one
piece of
>luggage with the other piece coming 20 minutes later.
>This is a Nightmare that wouldn't end.  I am beat physically and
emotionally.
> I lack the faith that I did have in myself.  I know many will
say don't
>travel alone, but I am new at this.  I have always been fiercely
independent
>and now have to confront my limitations.
>I just needed to get this out and thanks for understanding.
>
>gina
>