I was very excited when our company planned our corporate retreat conference in Keystone, Colorado. We are based in Florida, and I have never been to the Rocky Mountains before. In a company email the altitude change was mentioned and the possibility of altitude sickness since we would be traveling from sea level to over 10,000 feet. This prompted me to read about altitude sickness or acute mountain sickness (AMS), and I discovered 1 in 4 people will experience symptoms of AMS when traveling above 7,000 feet. Keystone’s elevation is 10,804 feet, and what I read said I would have 25% less oxygen than I have at home. Over 100 employees were attending this corporate event, so possibly 40 of us could experience some form of AMS with those statistics. I also read that oxygen is one of the most effective ways to avoid and relieve the symptoms of altitude sickness, but I wasn’t sure how to get oxygen while on vacation. I have never even thought of it before, but they do think about it in Keystone, and when I made my lodging reservation I got a coupon for oxygen rentals! This confirmed for me that altitude sickness is common enough that I wanted to be ready in case it happened to me or a co-worker.
I called Rent Oxygen and spoke to a knowledgeable and helpful customer service rep, Amy. She explained that by having supplemental oxygen I will transition to the higher altitude more easily. She said I do not need to use the oxygen all the time, but if I use it while in my condo and while sleeping it will create an environment like being at lower altitude. She also explained that most people feel the effects of altitude change shortly after arrival as this is the biggest adjustment for the body and by using oxygen right away when I arrive will help minimize that adjustment. The icing on the cake is that Rent Oxygen delivers the oxygen to your vacation property! So I was picturing big oxygen tanks but Amy had me look at the website and showed me that they deliver oxygen concentrators, not big tanks. They have small concentrators you can carry with you (on a hike for example) and stationary concentrators to use in your vacation rental. After discussing the options with Amy, I chose the Everflow stationary oxygen concentrator. My co-worker was also staying with me in Keystone so I added the splinter so the two of us could use the oxygen concentrator. The process of ordering the concentrator was easy and the service I received was top notch. The price was reasonable, and I saved some money with my coupon from the company who organized our group lodging, SummitCove Lodging.
When all of our employees arrived at Keystone some of us could feel the lack of air right away, and I noticed a difference just when I was walking, I was breathing hard. By the time my co-worker and I checked into our beautiful condo in River Run Village I was feeling a headache. My co-worker could also feel symptoms of AMS and we were both ecstatic to see the oxygen concentrator sitting in the living room, as promised. We grabbed tall glasses of water because this state is so dry and then we started the oxygen. The concentrator was easy to use and included excellent operating instructions. By the time we left our condo to meet for dinner both of us were feeling much better. My headache was gone, and I felt alert after feeling very sleepy when we arrived. At dinner everyone was talking about the dryness and the altitude change. Some employees called Rent Oxygen right from the dinner table to order their oxygen concentrators!
My co-worker and I continued to use the oxygen when we arrived back at our condo, and I used it while I slept. When I woke in the morning I could not believe how well I slept. That is not normal for me when I am traveling. I had energy and no symptoms of altitude sickness. We continued to use the oxygen throughout our stay but needed less and less every day as our bodies were adjusting to the altitude change. The oxygen was a game changer, and I was able to feel my best while traveling for work.
All the employees who had supplemental oxygen felt great and only noticed mild symptoms of AMS which were alleviated with oxygen. Rent Oxygen really saved our corporate retreat and helped several of our employees feel their best and perform their best. They also picked up the oxygen concentrators when we departed. It was seamless organization between our lodging company, SummitCove and Rent Oxygen for delivery and pick up of the concentrators. It could not have been easier. They provide an excellent full service for people who need it the most. Their service is so valuable by helping people who are sick from AMS get their vacation back! Everyone from our company is grateful for Rent Oxygen and we loved having our corporate retreat in Keystone so when we return we will be using Rent Oxygen again!
