Neurotravel.eu - Travelblogger in a Wheelchair

Tsilivi, Zakynthos, Greece

26 October 2019October 26, 2019Ilkka Koski

My two-week trip to Zakynthos was bought before I was wheelchaired. Even though the destination was maybe not the best for a solo wheelchair traveler, I decided not to cancel the trip. I also had some valuable help from a friendly customer service dude at Aurinkomatkat to confirm special assistance at airports, my own airport transfer, and a room from the apartment hotel’s ground floor. The departure day was three days after my arrival from the earlier trip (Split, Croatia), so I did indeed have the opportunity to sleep...

I Just Offset My Carbon Dioxides

5 October 2019October 8, 2019Ilkka Koski

So, I just offset the carbon dioxides of my flights this year, and will be doing that for the future flights, too. I did this first one at Carbon Footprint, where your money goes to carbon offset projects all over the world. This is something I want to do because even though I’m traveling a lot with planes, I do acknowledge the climate change is a real thing and everybody should do at least something about it. I salute Greta! She woke me up to do this. I do...

Split & Hvar, Croatia

22 September 2019September 22, 2019Ilkka Koski

This trip to Split, Croatia was going to be my first to that country, since I’d never before been in the former Yugoslavian area. I booked the trip in a moment when I felt my health problems getting a bit too big for my head to handle, and decided I really, really need to calm down my brain by both getting away from everything, and fulfilling my lust of travel at the same time. The journey started September 2nd with an Air Serbia flight from Helsinki Airport to Split...

10 Tips for Solo Wheelchair Travelers

17 September 2019September 17, 2019Ilkka Koski

I’ve been on a wheelchair for a couple of months now, and will be using it for at least the next several months, depending how my Charcot foot does it’s healing (if there ever is such). During this time I’ve been on three solo trips in Europe: Latvia, Croatia and Greece. Short background I COULD walk, but as all of the toes in the right foot are fractured in addition to damage on top of the foot, I’m operating on strict non-weight-bearing instructions. There’s bone material trying to push...

My Airport Tips for a Newbie Traveler

2 September 2019September 6, 2019Ilkka Koski

If you’re just starting your traveling and are not yet familiar with the little worlds every Airport has inside it, here’s a few tips for you to make your travel experience smoother. Be Always On Time Do An Online Check-In Speed Up The Security Check At The Gate In The Plane 1. Be Always On Time Is there anything more annoying than missing your flight? Yes, there is. The people who miss their flights just because of poor time planning around the flights part of the trip. You should...

Project X (in Finnish)

29 August 2019August 31, 2019Ilkka Koski

Suomenkielisille lukijoilleni pala purtavaksi, koskien terveysongelmiani joille ei vieläkään ole lopullisia diagnooseja olemassa (koko rumba alkoi 2016 joulukuussa). On epäilty MS-tautia, borrelioosia ja kaikenlaista muuta, tehty satoja labrakokeita (veri, virtsa, likvor), useita muita testejä, kokeiltu erilaisia lääkkeitä ja nähty eri alojen lääkäreitä, eikä vieläkään ole päästy lopulliseen ratkaisuun. Joten annan tässä nyt avoimesti teille luettavaksi sekä tuollaisen karkean aikajanan oire- ja sairaalakäyntikuvauksineen josta selviää miten asiat ovat edenneet, että kaikki labratulokset mitä Kannasta löysin näiden lähes kolmen vuoden ajalta OK, vähän karsin turhia diabetesliitännäisiä arvoja sieltä, vielä saattaa olla...

Back in Physiotherapy

29 August 2019August 30, 2019Ilkka Koski

Last Tuesday I was finally back in physiotherapy, and it felt both good and heavy, the latter one especially for my legs. We toured the gym excluding devices I can’t use because of the fractured Charcot foot. All in all 5 devices were used, three for arms, two for legs. The main reason I’m in the wheelchair is that I don’t have the muscles (in my arms) to have my Charcot foot totally non-weight-bearing with crutches. Then again my weak arm muscles cause the rolling with the wheelchair to...

Latvia: Riga & Jurmala

17 August 2019August 19, 2019Ilkka Koski

My trip to Riga, Latvia (RIX / EVRA) started on Monday August 12th from Helsinki Airport (HEL / EFHK). This was the first time I had booked a flight with airBaltic, and would say that the booking process was a smooth operation. I intentionally booked flights I knew were flown with aircraft models I’ve not yet been in (Q400 and A220/CS300). Since this was also the first trip with my wheelchair, I filled out the “Request Assistance form” on their site to let the airline know that I have...

All of the Metatarsal Bones are Fractured

8 August 2019August 30, 2019Ilkka Koski

Some new details from my first Charcot Foot checkup has emerged a bit afterwards. Instead of having just one metatarsal bone fractured, actually all of the five metatarsal bones on the Charcot Foot are fractured and deformed. The fractures are located at the bases of all of the metatarsal bones, so quite a widespread damage. Keeps me even more motivated to comply with the non-weightbearing guidelines when moving around. And on the other hand now I understand why the doc wasn’t optimistic about getting off the wheelchair this year. While digesting this detailed...

On the Bathroom Floor

4 August 2019August 18, 2019Ilkka Koski

Today I finally took a long shower while sitting on the bathroom floor for the first time, since I didn’t have the strength to keep myself up and conform to the non-weightbearing requirements simultaneously. Took a wooden sauna bench with me to the floor, just to use it to get down and up again so that the Charcot foot keeps clear of any pressure or bad positions. Maybe it’s time to consider an actual shower chair, since the situation is not going to be improving in at least half...