“Adapt. Improvise. Overcome.”

Lessons from canceled flights and a 16-hour train ride home.

This week marked my first solo trip since surgery — a visit to my 100-year-old mother.
The visit was wonderful. The trip home… became an unexpected exercise in patience and problem-solving.

The airline texted me four times reminding me to arrive early for long TSA lines. I paid for a shuttle, arrived three hours early, and followed every instruction — only to face two delays and, finally, a cancellation after 7 hours at the airport.

I asked a pilot about how they chose who to cancel, afraid the next flight I book might also be cancelled. He shared with me that smaller, non-hub flights are often the first to be cut when airlines tighten schedules. When I asked about compensation, the agent smiled: “We only compensate when it’s our fault — this was an act of God… or maybe a few people in Washington who think they are God”

So, I adapted. I improvised. I overcame — by taking a 16-hour overnight Amtrak ride home sitting up in a chair overnight. Not the route I planned, but the one that got me there. I was grateful I had this option.

Whether in travel, medicine, or life, things don’t always go as scheduled. What matters most is how we respond.

How have you handled an unexpected expense or a sudden change of plans?

Share your story — we can all learn from how others adapt, improvise, and overcome.