can't beleive this is happing to us- again!

[mackay_j]

As some of you may know from previous post we have a hell of a time with my 16yrs dd being very ill (along with other things), and as a result had to cancel our hols to mexico in oct lost £800 deposit. We then extended our orlando at xmas trip to make up for it and couldn't wait! She was given the all clear to travel by her consultant yesterday . He fitted in her appointment so that we could find out ahead of having to pay the holiday balance today. We were all so excited on the way home from the hospital my youngest was even singing the small world tune!!

We got back from the hospital, to a message on the phone, my mum has had a minor (still testing at the moment for conformation) heart attack- feel so bad as may have been due to the fact she (and my dad) did all the running around after my yonger girl while my eldest was in hospital for 3 weeks, although they are both youngish & seemed fit, I forget that they are still getting older. Any way they have found out she has Aschemic heart failure (not sure if that is anginia), and I am really scared, they are doning more tests today which will give more of an indication of what they will do next. I have no experience with anything like this, and do not know
1. how quickly this will get resolved.
2. how dangerous this is.
My mum is instisting that we(me DH and the 2 girls) still go on hols, but I would be so scared to go that far even if things do not get worse, and if they did there is no way I would go away. I need to pay the rest of the money for the holiday today to still go and if I don't I loose the £600 deposit fly drive and the £250 villa deposit and the £480 for the tickets. If I pay the balance then do not go I could loose all in about £4000.
This was our last family hols before my eldest moves away to uni!!!!

Gutted and very scared and upset!!

 

[orangetiggs]

have you not got travel insurance?

as its your mother you would be covered i would thin k if you need to cancel

 

[Laurafoster]

Thats what i was going to suggest. A friend had to cancel their holiday as their dad was diganosed with a serious health problem. She got a full refund minus whatever the excess was on her insurance policy.

 

[catherine]

Ischaemic heart disease is basically caused by a reduced blood flow to the heart. There are different types of ischaemia, one being Angina. There are different ways to treat it, medication and Angioplasty are two of them. The treatment that your mum will receive will depends on the symptoms and risks. If it was only a minor heart attack then she may just need some medication and or an Angioplasty. Is there no way that you can talk with the consultant that is taking care of your mum and see what they say.

 

[irenep]

I am sorry to hear about your mum's illness but try not to panic about losing your money. I am sure your insurance would cover it.

I have had to cancel 4 holidays over the past 10 years or so due to unexpected illnesses and deaths in the family but have always claimed everything back on the insurance (except a few pounds here or there).

Assuming you do have insurance I would let them know the situation as soon as possible just in case you have to cancel further down the line.

Hope she makes a speedy recovery

 

[mackay_j]

Hi thanks for the replys, I contacted our insurance and its not completely clear what would happen. If we cancel now we would loose the deposit as she it not in imediate danger (how do they know this- wish I was as confident as they are). And if we cancel later it depends on what her condition is when we cancel, ie I could not cancel just because she has another attack and I am worried she might get worse- only if she did get worse. Anyway we have paid the rest now and will just take it from there, my husbands take on this was, none of us know whats going to happen- look what happen to our daughter out of the blue in oct, also as he said its only money even if we do walk away from the holiday and loose the money we would have spent it anyway!! -thats one way of looking at it, and he is determined that we try and go on this 'last childreny' family holiday before the eldest leaves for uni next year because after that she may not get on as well with her little sis as they do now, (they get on great and do lots together when we go on hols even although one is in first year and the other in the last year of high school). The main thing is my mum seems to be stable and has been released form hospital (although I would have rather they kept her in until they fixed the problem). She is to go back in for an angiogram/stent - but we do not know when this will be. She is going to find out more today, if she doesn't then I will start to chase up this info/appointment tomorrow as there is no way I am having here waiting about for this.

To the person who replied knowing a bit about this, do you know/ have experience with how long a wait for the angiogram can be, and how dangerous is it while waiting. I really wish I could have got to speak to her consultant to ask all this but he was never around at visiting time and she was not on a cardiac ward but in the Clinical descions unit, so there was no one else who could answer these questions.

 

[bazzanoid]

One other thing to consider as well, assuming your mother isn't expected to get any worse - if you cancel your trip after she's insisted you still go, she'll have a hell of a guilt trip, and that can make things a lot worse - and then you'll be feeling guilty for not going in one hand and in the other wondering if it would have happened anyway.... it's a vicious circle.

If they've released her from hospital they (the docs) don't feel she's in any immediate danger, so my advice would be to go as planned if nothing changes / results good (or not worse than 'stable', anyway), just make sure you have a sum of money available on a card should you need to arrange a quicky flight back (maybe a few airline phone numbers as well if you don't have readily available net access) and be sure to take a mobile with you everywhere so you can be contacted. That way you know you can be reached at a moment's notice and have the ability to get back within a day.

 

[VailaTigger]

Oh dear... You're not having much luck this year.

Glad you've still got your holiday booked though.

My Dad had a triple heart bypass about 5 or 6 years ago now, and it was no bother at all. Naturally I was worried, far more than he was actually! He was very breathless and couldn't do much before his op, but he listened to his body and just took it easy when he needed to. After the op he was out of hospital in a week, and fitted a new kitchen 2 weeks after that

Try not to worry about your Mum too much, and trust in the doctors. Just tell her to take it easy.

I agree with the last poster - carry on as planned (especially as your Mum has said this too), and things can always be changed or amended if they need to be as things progress with her treatment.

Sending you some pixie dust!

 

[catherine]

Hi thanks for the replys, I contacted our insurance and its not completely clear what would happen. If we cancel now we would loose the deposit as she it not in imediate danger (how do they know this- wish I was as confident as they are). And if we cancel later it depends on what her condition is when we cancel, ie I could not cancel just because she has another attack and I am worried she might get worse- only if she did get worse. Anyway we have paid the rest now and will just take it from there, my husbands take on this was, none of us know whats going to happen- look what happen to our daughter out of the blue in oct, also as he said its only money even if we do walk away from the holiday and loose the money we would have spent it anyway!! -thats one way of looking at it, and he is determined that we try and go on this 'last childreny' family holiday before the eldest leaves for uni next year because after that she may not get on as well with her little sis as they do now, (they get on great and do lots together when we go on hols even although one is in first year and the other in the last year of high school). The main thing is my mum seems to be stable and has been released form hospital (although I would have rather they kept her in until they fixed the problem). She is to go back in for an angiogram/stent - but we do not know when this will be. She is going to find out more today, if she doesn't then I will start to chase up this info/appointment tomorrow as there is no way I am having here waiting about for this.

To the person who replied knowing a bit about this, do you know/ have experience with how long a wait for the angiogram can be, and how dangerous is it while waiting. I really wish I could have got to speak to her consultant to ask all this but he was never around at visiting time and she was not on a cardiac ward but in the Clinical descions unit, so there was no one else who could answer these questions.

I would think that if your mum wasn't admitted to the cardiac ward then her consultant thinks that she isn't in any immediate danger. I don't knw how long the wait would be to get the Angioplasty done in your area. I know that in trust that I work for the wait isn't very long. has your mums consultant started her on any medication?

My brother had a minor heart attack when he was 40, he lives in London and didn't have to wait very long for the Angioplasty.

 

[Maves Wife]

[