Learning to Travel with Chronic Hives and Idiopathic Angioedema

Bible passages: Isaiah 41:10, Philippians 4:13

Wandering the mountainside in the Rocky Mountains, dizziness and brain fog from 9,500 feet shut out the imaginary fire ant biting-stings on my arms and legs. With steep drops beside the gravel road and no guard rails, my attention was on helping my Boaz know if he was even remotely close to the edge. Our EV truck weighs more than a comparable gas-powered version. Knowing this, we had to be careful where we drove and when to turn back the way we came. Our heads were spinning, but we returned to the highway without incident.

First-Time Traveling with Idiopathic Angioedema

My Boaz and I knew it was risky heading out west—or anywhere that requires sleeping in hotels and our new-to-us camper. I researched and packed several options for reworking our plans if problems arose. We sold our old camper, which was well-loved and quite road-worn, to someone who refurbishes and resells them. Then my Boaz bought a gently used newer model Trail Manor pop-up camper. Our thoughts: if we can control our environment, especially sleeping, all should go well. I managed better at the hotels than the camper the first night, though.

Shaking from the burning pain all over my body, I cried in the shower as the cold water shocked my skin. The hot water wasn’t working quite as well as I hoped, but I later discovered that whoever put the knobs on the faucets got them backward! Sobbing uncontrollably, I wanted a hug from my husband, but I couldn’t get one because he would contaminate me. “I can’t do this!!!” I whined. It’s okay to whine for a while—just not all the time. Sometimes, whining helps get the pain to notice that it needs to lighten up. Trembling, I slathered myself with an allergy-safe lotion and took my meds. Once I got my nerves calmed down, we were ready to roll.

God’s Protection Reminds Us Who Is in Control

We had many close calls on our trip. Road ragers come in all sizes and types of vehicles. One was a semi-truck that barreled up fast to pass us. Suddenly, he cut in front of us too soon, causing the back end of his trailer to nearly hit us. It would have ended badly without Boaz’s quick reflexes to swerve enough to prevent the collision. Thank you, Lord! We breathed a sigh of relief.

Later on our trip, as we entered Colorado, we missed our exit and found ourselves navigating a muddy, graveled dirt road. If you know anything about EVs, the battery adds significant weight, meaning they don’t handle wet roads well in rainy conditions, as do gas-powered vehicles. We almost slipped off the road in the middle of nowhere. Thankfully, we managed to get to the next paved road.

I was reminded of Isaiah 41:10, “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. God was indeed with us, lifting us up and strengthening us. He held us in His mighty hand.

Trekking the Limits

Since we drove rather than flew, we acclimated to the elevation better. The last time we visited there, I had chest pains quite often. This time, however, exercise can become more challenging than normal for people with chronic illnesses caused by the thinner air. We decided to visit Castlewood Canyon State Park in Franktown, Colorado. Boaz was intrigued by the canyon hike, so we planned for more than our 2-3 mile walk in a remote area. We took water and sunscreen, while I took crackers and my emergency medical kit with Epipens, Benadryl, nitroglycerin, and low-dose aspirin with my emergency medical information. We set out on the 4.2-mile path that would take us into the canyon. Going down was fine.

No issues. But, we encountered a very rocky section on our pathway leading down along the stream and heading upward. The altitude difference kicked in! Heading upward on rocks and steep steps, my heart rate spiked to 143 bpm. I’m 62 years old with health challenges, so it didn’t feel good at all. Rather, it felt like doing high-intensity intervals without the intervals. My heart complained, and my legs felt shackled with heavy weights with every step up. Neither of us should be doing this vigorous activity level at that elevation. What was our motivator for not turning back? Getting out of the canyon. It was indeed a learning experience for both of us. The breathtaking view (no pun intended) was worth the hike, but we will rethink what we do and how we do it for future adventures.

I have to say that it was tempting to head back home midway through our stay. However, one big reason we stayed was that my daughter and new son-in-law were having their wedding reception toward the end of our stay. It helped motivate me, and my Boaz, who had caught a cold, to stay. We are glad we did.

God showed up several times for us. First, He prevented us from hitting a deer that jumped out in front of us early on. He kept us safe with crazy drivers. God helped us navigate several treacherous routes, guiding us to safety. He alerted us to a potential mugging so we could avoid it.

God put us in the right places at the right times to help two people in distress. One was a girl who ran her bike into an unused fire pit and needed help getting it out of it/We were the only ones who heard her and got her headed in the right direction. The other was a woman who fell on uneven steps at a rest area and hit her head. Thankfully, her friend had a first aid kit. I ran for ice and paper towels to help her clean up and manage swelling until she could get to the ER. Boaz helped her get back down to her car so they could get her to medical treatment a few miles away. We were the only ones there to help them. I see God at work everywhere I go in, around, and through us.

So, what is resilience? According to the American Psychological Association, “resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.” I’ve had to become resilient many times, with this instance being one of them. However, everyone who builds resilience has a time frame unique to the individual and their experiences. Mine may be different from yours. Please read my previous blog post about my health journey here.

 The Lord taught me through this experience seven important lessons:

1. Learn more about the illness to plan interventions to avoid or minimize flares.
2. Find out how to create a management plan that is affordable and doable.
3. Involve others near me (like my Boaz) to help me navigate new territory related to my illness.
4. Sometimes, God has reduced the demand of one illness to help me better control the new one.
5. It’s not a matter of if a flare will happen; it’s a matter of when.
6. God is at work through my illness in ways I can’t see yet. I have to trust Him with it.
7. It’s okay to cry and even whine upon occasion because tears help relieve pain, anxiety, and depression. The trick is to work away from that sense of despair and survival mode into troubleshooting and accepting the best you can muster for the moment.

What are you struggling with? How will you navigate life with the challenges God has allowed into your life? I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to contact me at [email protected].

Speaking of Resilience, I’m Speaking on Resilience

The Ocala Health & Wellness Expo contacted me to speak on resilience from a health and wellness perspective. It will be a general audience, so I can’t share as much about Christ, but I can share examples from my life that include Jesus Christ. The title, Thriving When Life is Less than Ideal, will be at 11 am on October 18 at the World Equestrian Center. Stop in if you are in the area. I’d love to say hi to you. I will share ChiRho Flow (starts this month) and Healthy Lifestyles programs (which begin in January 2026) with them, and a Christian wellness journal group, if enough interest is shown. Let me know, and we can form one.

Many blessings to you!

Charlaine Martin