[waiting4katie]

Some people fear snakes, spiders, mice...for me it is flying. I have heard all the crash statistics on which is safer plane or car...but I never liked plane travel, even before 9/11. With world events such as they are, my fears have worsened. I picture my children getting the news their mommy isn't coming home. I even have nightmares. Has anyone here had fear of flying, how did you overcome it? This is becoming quite an anxiety issue for me. I really wish China had an escort program.

[Lissa]

I was afraid of flying too. What I asked myself was, if my child was in trouble would I be willing to get on a planeto help her. The answer was yes. So flying to China, while not pleasant wasn't difficult. I did it for her.

[Happy2Bhere]

I'm not afraid of flying, but my best friend was. He got hypnotized, and now LOVES to fly.

My mom can't get in an elevator or a plane, not even if a family members life depended on it- so I know what you're going through.

Just remember- at the end of the flight, your precious child will be waiting for you!

Don't they say it's safer in the sky then on the ground driving? :-)

There's always sleeping pills or sedatives- but then you can't take them on the way back, I suppose you'll be busy & have your arms full! :-)

Best wishes-
Melissa

[HunanMom]

I can relate all to well. I was terrified of backing out at the last minute because I wouldn't be able to get on the plane. Luckily, the excitement of knowing that I would be holding my daughter outweighed my anxiety. I had NO problems. Yes, I did take some valium which helped me but I believed the excitement helped me more.

[hoping44]

There is a book called Don't Panic--Taking Control of Anxiety Attacks by R. Reid Wilson, Ph.D. I have read it more than once myself and have recommended it to others. There is one long chapter in it that deals specifically with the fear of flying. I have always enjoyed flying, but at the same time had just a nagging "but what if" that was always there. This book has really helped me. As the others have said, I'm sure that the excitement of bringing your child home will be stronger than any of the fears that you might have, I'm counting on that being the case with me. Best Wishes.

[Karen in MT]

Certainly this is always on peoples minds even if they are not afraid. Fear is all about the negative, dark-side, evil, etc. Fight against it! Get all the help you can to over-come it... Meds, self-help books, pray, etc. I also suffer from it and continue to, but I will not let it stop me from doing great things. I fly quite often. I can't wait to be sitting next to my husband and holding our little girl on the flight home!!!!!!!!!!!! I picture it often! And it is most positive! Karen

[jasonsmom]

I am not fond of flying but I do it to get places that would take too long to get to by driving (obviously, driving isn't an option at all in this case). I was curious whether there will be more parents in the Korea program choosing the escort option rather than flying over themselves.

Paula

[waiting4babies]

Believe me, I understand your fears. I have such a fear of flying and I have flown to Russia and back three times as well as flying to China alone without my spouse.

Although, I did not want to fly alone for the China trip in June because of my fear of flying, I just prepared myself well in advance and decided that I would not let the fear within surpass the excitement and happiness I would encounter upon traveling to and meeting my daughter. Believe me, I was scared, but I knew that the Lord was looking over me and he would do everything in his power to get me there safe and sound and bring us home safe and sound.

Just try to prepare yourself in advance and picture your baby and you will be just fine. If I can do it, you can do it. Take those negative thoughts out of your mind and start thinking of happy thoughts, such as how you will feel when you finally meet your baby and what you will do while in China.

[Trace7]

I used to not have any fears about flying until our plane had to make an emergency landing in Narita, Japan coming home from Osaka, Japan back in 1996. It turns out it was just an A/C malfunction, but it was scary nonetheless, and there were a number of firetrucks waiting for us when we landed. Since then, I have flown many times including 12 flights (international travel) for our honeymoon alone, and although I have been much more nervous that I used to be (and it makes me mad that it used to be easier for me), I just try and think about how safe air travel really is, and how many hundreds of planes fly safely every day and how often my brother flies for his job, and that helps.

Plus I love traveling so much that it overrides my fear.

[joyfulme3x]

I can definitely sympathize with you! I am a VERY nervous flyer!

On our recent China trip we had to get on 10 airplanes. This was a real challenge for me. Especially on the flights within China--on our flight from Beijing to Nanchang, I was actually almost in tears as we got ready to take off; I was petrified!!
My biggest fear was that something would happen and our kids at home would be left without parents. I was really a basket case on those first few flights. Every little noise and bump sent my heart racing. It was pretty painful.

However, once we received our child, every flight was so much easier than the ones before because I was too busy dealing with the baby, trying to keep her happy and quiet, changing multiple diaper blowouts, and so on, to be scared about the flight! By the last flight I was so glad to get on the airplane that would finally take us home, I wasn't even scared anymore.

I made it through okay and you will too. As others have said, try to keep the goal in mind and realize that it is SO worth the trip! And China is such a beautiful, magical, fascinating place, you don't want to miss it because of anxiety...so go and enjoy!

[China2004]

I have a fear of flying. I went to the doctor and got a prescription for Ativan. I planned to use it as a last resort...and ended up using it on every flight there and back.

[intladoptionblog]

The older I get, the more nervous I am when getting on a plane. I don't know what that's about, but it sure bugs me.

We're off in a couple of days for Singapore...not a long flight for us, only about 7 hours...and we're taking my assistant along. She's never flown before and is a wreck. Sam overheard us discussing this, stopped what he was doing and came over to comfort her.
"Don't worry," he said, "there are no monsters on airplanes, only people"

I thought it was so sweet that the only thing he could imagine anyone fearing was monsters.

Then, a couple of days later, the news comes out of London and it turns out he was absolutely right! It is monsters we should fear!