Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
42
Avoiding “Economy Class Syndrome”
Deep vein thrombosis,
or as it's known in the world of flying, “economy class
syndrome,” is a blood clot that develops in a deep vein. It's a potentially deadly
condition that can be caused by sitting in cramped conditions—such as an air-
plane cabin—for too long. During a flight (especially a long-haul flight), get up ,
walk around, and stretch your legs every 60 to 90 minutes to keep your blood
flowing. Other preventive measures include frequent flexing of the legs while sit-
ting, drinking lots of water, and avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills. If you have a
history of deep vein thrombosis, heart disease, or other condition that puts you
at high risk, some experts recommend wearing compression stockings or taking
anticoagulants when you fly; always ask your physician about the best course for
you. Symptoms of deep vein thrombosis include leg pain or swelling, or even
shortness of breath.
Michigan rar ely gets r ough enough to
advise bringing motion sickness medica-
tion for boat tours; however, if you or your
kids ar e par ticularly susceptible, or if
Where to Go If You Get Sick
Away from Home
In downtown Chicago, the most centrally
located hospital is
Northwestern Memo-
rial Hospital,
251 E. Huron St. (
&
312/
926-2000
), just east of Michigan Avenue.
Their physician referral service is
&
312/
926-8000.
The emergency depar tment is
at 250 E. E rie S t., near F airbanks Cour t
(
&
312/926-5188
).
you're planning a long fishing ex cursion,
you may want to add some to y our bag.
Pack pr escription medications in y our
carry-on luggage, and keep them in their
original containers. Also bring along cop-
ies of y our pr escriptions in case y ou lose
your pills or r un out. And don 't forget
sunglasses and an extra pair of contact
lenses or prescription glasses.
2
8
SAFETY
Chicago has all the crime problems of any
urban center, so use y our common sense
and stay cautious and aler t. At night y ou
might want to stick to w ell-lighted streets
along the Magnificent Mile, River North,
Gold Coast, and Lincoln Park (stay out of
the park proper after dark, though), which
are all high-traffic areas late into the night.
Don't walk alone at night, and avoid wan-
dering down dark residential streets, even
those that seem per fectly safe. M uggings
can—and do—happen anywhere.
After dar k, y ou might want to
avoid neighborhoods such as H yde Park,
Wicker Park (beyond the busy intersection
of Milwaukee, Damen, and N orth aves.),
and Pilsen, which border areas with mor e
troublesome reputations. You can also ask
the concierge at y our hotel or an agent at
the tourist visitor center for r ecommenda-
tions about visiting a particular area of the
city.
The E l is generally quite safe, ev en at
night, although some of the do wntown
stations can feel eerily deser ted late in the
evening. When you're traveling with kids,
I always r ecommend that when in doubt,
spring for a taxi. B uses are a safe option,
too, especially nos. 146 and 151, which
pick up along N orth M ichigan A venue
