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Holidays

Posted , 5 users are following.

kirsty48587
kirsty48587

My mother has had some heart problems last few years, two miner attacks, one a bit more serious and an  irregular heart beat.

In September she had or her arteries block up and only has one clear one.

I want to take my daughter and two nieces sking in half term to a low level resort 980meters and mum wants to come too. She says she feels well and is fed up with sitting at hoome

She is planning a holiday to Portugal in May too

My family is against this, saying she should sit at home

What do people think

The plane ride is 2.40, check into hotel and a car journey off 2.5 hours to the resort next day.

Alternatively we could go to Scotland but that is an 6 - 10 hour juorney depending on traffic, weather and so on.

No spell checker s forgive mistakes

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • Timo007
    Timo007 kirsty48587

    Posted

    Wow that's a bit of a difficult one. Having had a triple bypass myself in 2011 I have some experience in these matters. The main thing if flying is to have adequate travel insurance and given your mothers medical history you may not be able to get it? If you can maybe it's worth some risk, but if not I would not risk it.

    When planning a trip make sure you are familiar with local hospitals and again that you have medical insurance to cover any emergency.

    sorry to sound so negative but there have been a couple of news stories locally where a 'dream trip' went horribly wrong and have left families many thousands of dollars out of pocket.

  • derek76
    derek76 kirsty48587

    Posted

    As Timo says insurance will be a big problem although an E111 will give her some cover in EU countries.
  • gpgp
    gpgp kirsty48587

    Posted

    Lots of people with medical problems go on holiday. The fact that SHE wants to go is to be encouraged. My father is 88 and has COPD, past heart attack and PMR and he loves to travel. Although he has stopped long haul travel 5 years ago! For some trips the insurance is too much and that is definitely a factor as others have already said. 

    Anyway, good for her that she wants to do more than sit indoors. 

  • gpgp
    gpgp kirsty48587

    Posted

    P.S. the key is to ask her doctor to write a brief letter saying she is fit to travel.......
  • kirsty48587
    kirsty48587

    Posted

    Thanks, insurance is a problem as no one will insure her but because it is within Europe it is not such an issue unless we need an air ambulance
    • derek76
      derek76 kirsty48587

      Posted

      A cardiologist said to me when I complained that travel was too limited for me with an E111 that I could go to New Zealand as they have a reciprocal health care agreement!

       

    • gpgp
      gpgp kirsty48587

      Posted

      I will ask my dad who he gets insurance with.
    • gpgp
      gpgp kirsty48587

      Posted

      The travel insurance company he has used for two years is Avanti. He is paying £260 for a 13 day cruise insurance. They at covering for all his ailments. Can be booked on phone or on line he says. 
  • david60784
    david60784 kirsty48587

    Posted

    Hi

    Why does your GP not refer your mum to a consultant and have an angiogram done ?. If the arteries are that blocked something will be done.I had a 3 way by pass at 53. Surgeon told me I was young to have it done. Meds will not un block arteries. All the best

     

    • kirsty48587
      kirsty48587 david60784

      Posted

      She has been.

      She had two arteries unblocked three years ago, the consultant decided not to do the third one. Then she was taken ill again last September, one of the arteries was unblocked and he was going to do the second one but left. The current one says the blockage is right at the end so are complications and he does not want to do it.

      Seeing him on Tuesday to ask if she can travel

    • gpgp
      gpgp kirsty48587

      Posted

      Kirsty that is an excellent idea. And airlines can be brilliant if the traveller asks at the time of booking for assistance. Every airport should have a little team of people dedicated to this function.
    • derek76
      derek76 gpgp

      Posted

      Airlines are also reluctant to carry passengers who may take ill during the flight.
  • kirsty48587
    kirsty48587

    Posted

    Update: Saw the specialist today who said he was really happy with her, her heart is working within range, that there is some desease in the lower part of the heart but it is not segnificant and there is no reason she should not travel. He went to seethe senior cardiologist who agreed she can travel without any concerns.

    She has now decided the doctors are stupid and do not know their jobs as they did not even listen to her heart, that she is scared to travel and is going for a second opinion and pay privately.

    I give up.

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