notafanofflyin
04-10-2009, 03:17 PM
And all went well. Thanks to the advice on this board! Left Monday morning at 5:30 am for San Antonio on my Continental flight. My husband got a gate pass and went through security with me, because I was a sniffling, sobbing mess. I was still terrified, even after tracking the flight route for days. My eyes really welled up in tears as I saw him standing there outside the gate and I started my walk into the skywalk, praying I wasn't walking towards a sure and sudden death.:sigh:
Got my seat, and most everyone around me promptly went to sleep. I had taken an ativan, which helped I think, cause I was drowsy and nodding in and out most of the way. Mostly awake, but calm from the ativan. The flight take off was my worst point. They closed the door - I thought - here we go! No getting out now! Gripping the seat and staring straight ahead, didn't really let go of my breath till I heard the ding that we were above 10,000 feet.
Flights both down and back were uneventful. Very little turbulence. Snacks kept me busy, along with a Lewis Black DVD I brought along to watch on my laptop. Coming back, I wasn't as frightened, just eager to get back home. I have to admit, I boarded both my flight out of San Antonio, and then the flight out of Houston, with little fear. The take offs were even quite smoother than the ones going down! Amazing! And the long flight back once we changed planes in Houston, and then on to BWI, was practically motionless. And, I kind of have to admit, very relaxing. I watched some of my DVD, talked to the passenger next to me, and before I knew it, we were landing. Absolutely no turbulence on the flight back to BWI. I was lucky. Perhaps a lot of turbulence might not have left me so calm on the flight?
I think my worst fear of leaving behind my children and my husband was the worst anticipatory anxiety of its kind. So it's easy for me to say now that the flight is behind me that it was a-okay. If AA is my problem, who's to say that I won't experience it again should I have to schedule a flight in the future? But the actual flight itself, aside from that feeling of fear and uncertainty of the takeoff, was okay with me. :magic:
Thanks everyone!
Jackie
Got my seat, and most everyone around me promptly went to sleep. I had taken an ativan, which helped I think, cause I was drowsy and nodding in and out most of the way. Mostly awake, but calm from the ativan. The flight take off was my worst point. They closed the door - I thought - here we go! No getting out now! Gripping the seat and staring straight ahead, didn't really let go of my breath till I heard the ding that we were above 10,000 feet.
Flights both down and back were uneventful. Very little turbulence. Snacks kept me busy, along with a Lewis Black DVD I brought along to watch on my laptop. Coming back, I wasn't as frightened, just eager to get back home. I have to admit, I boarded both my flight out of San Antonio, and then the flight out of Houston, with little fear. The take offs were even quite smoother than the ones going down! Amazing! And the long flight back once we changed planes in Houston, and then on to BWI, was practically motionless. And, I kind of have to admit, very relaxing. I watched some of my DVD, talked to the passenger next to me, and before I knew it, we were landing. Absolutely no turbulence on the flight back to BWI. I was lucky. Perhaps a lot of turbulence might not have left me so calm on the flight?
I think my worst fear of leaving behind my children and my husband was the worst anticipatory anxiety of its kind. So it's easy for me to say now that the flight is behind me that it was a-okay. If AA is my problem, who's to say that I won't experience it again should I have to schedule a flight in the future? But the actual flight itself, aside from that feeling of fear and uncertainty of the takeoff, was okay with me. :magic:
Thanks everyone!
Jackie