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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Or is there a solution I can't see?

137 replies

Emeraldiisland · 24/08/2024 09:14

Two weeks ago my 16 year old DD had an unexplained seizure. She is okay now but the hospital advised she is not to be left alone until she sees neurological team (5 month wait).
Admi we don't stick to this all the time, as she obviously doesn't sleep in our room or anything but in the day either me, DH or eldest are with her.
She wants to go to college in September and DH said to me I will have to take her and pick her up every day but I don't think I can. To start with it's a round trip of 90 minutes so 3 hours a day and second what do I do with my son?
He's starting school on a very reduced timetable but I can't get him in for 8:45 and get my daughter to college for 9. I mean l could drop her off early but I'd probably have to leave at 7 and drag my son along (totally ready for school) to make sure I'm back in time for school.
DS will be shattered and that leads to huge meltdowns (he's severely autistic)..
I will then have to take him with me to pick her up. I can't leave him at home as DD1 and DH will be at work.
The only solution I can see is to defer DS until January and pray she's seen by then but I fought so hard to get him starting in September and tbh he needs some routine and since leaving nursery he's become quite clingy so I was hoping school would help in that way. He's going to be at a disadvantage when he starts school due to addional needs but think he'll be at an even bigger disadvantage if he starts when the class is established, they all know the routine and have friends and he is new and on his own.
Uber isn't going to be practical until January as the cost will be too much and obviously going by bus could be a risk if she has another seizure.
At the moment options seems to be
Take her to college super early
Risk her getting the bus
Defer DS (which is easiest but I really really want to avoid).
I don't think there's an answer but if anyone can think of something please let me know.

OP posts:
Barney16 · 24/08/2024 09:48

I got numbered with driving my child and hour to college and an hour back so four hours each day if you see what I mean because her dad was working and at the time I wasn't. It was truly awful. Explore all options. Good luck.

Lavender14 · 24/08/2024 09:47

I agree with others I would be deferring dd instead of ds. She's worked hard to get into college and I totally get its a shame she'd miss out, but at 16 she could get a job which would give her a wealth of experience, would mean she's still out meeting people and being busy during the day and earning money. That way maybe a run to work would be easier for you to manage and she'll be with people all day who will know her medical history? Then by the time she's leaving college she'll have more real world experience than the rest of her year? I think it's an unreasonable ask for her not to be alone for 5 months, but equally I wouldn't want to run the risk of her collapsing in the street alone with goodness knows who walking by, that could leave her quite vulnerable.

Augustisnearlydonesogoodbyesun · 24/08/2024 09:44

Ask him why he won't feel guilty if she has a seizure and he had prioritised getting to work instead of taking her...

KellyJonesLeatherTrousers · 24/08/2024 09:44

Your DH sounds like a dick. Shifting all the responsibility and guilt on to you, don’t accept it! You’ve said he can start later so there’s your solution. He can work later if needs be.

Namerequired · 24/08/2024 09:43

Is your ds not entitled to transport? If he’s then picked up early enough you could bring dd.
Dh shouldn’t get out of it just because you are a sahm. When a child has medical issues/additional needs then it takes all hands on deck

Flourpowwer · 24/08/2024 09:42

I said to DH I thought she'd be okay getting the bus but he said well you'd feel guilty if she had a seizure and you weren't there but if she has a seizure when I'm driving I can't do much either.

That is really manipulative of your DH there. How would you be responsible for her having a seizure and equally you are not in control of adding a few more hours to the day to make all of this work. Your DH is coming across really badly here.

Illpickthatup · 24/08/2024 09:42

Emeraldiisland · 24/08/2024 09:40

I did think about deferring her for a year but she isn't keen and I think she is scared of being on her own.
The medical bracelet is a good idea.
I can't change her college as its the closest one that does the course she wants.
Going to have talk with DD about getting the braclet. I said to DH I thought she'd be okay getting the bus but he said well you'd feel guilty if she had a seizure and you weren't there but if she has a seizure when I'm driving I can't do much either.

That's awful that he shifting all the responsibility and potential guilt onto you. Completely unfair when he's not offering any solutions himself.

EliflurtleAndTheInfiniteMadness · 24/08/2024 09:42

I'd speak to her college, they may have options available you haven't thought of. Admittedly was university but when I got sick and unable to attend all my classes in person I was allowed to listen to taped lectures (they already made these) and not have to attend tutorials or lectures which was part of the grade normally. You'll need to talk to them anyway about the seizure. Maybe she could do a reduced time table, go in less days, do longer days, but less, their may be adjustments that her college can make to make this workable. If dont know what work for your DS, with mine if I had to do this it'd be tablet, food and headphones on so he could zone out in the car. Also could DS reduced time table be rejigged to work with her college hours?

EBoo80 · 24/08/2024 09:42

sounds brutal but surely your son’s school education takes priority over your daughter’s college? If your DH ‘won’t’ help (and sorry you’re married to a selfish man) then I would see the priority sitting that way round. Easier to wait a year for college or choose a different course, than to miss school in your allocated year.

Emeraldiisland · 24/08/2024 09:40

I did think about deferring her for a year but she isn't keen and I think she is scared of being on her own.
The medical bracelet is a good idea.
I can't change her college as its the closest one that does the course she wants.
Going to have talk with DD about getting the braclet. I said to DH I thought she'd be okay getting the bus but he said well you'd feel guilty if she had a seizure and you weren't there but if she has a seizure when I'm driving I can't do much either.

OP posts:
Illpickthatup · 24/08/2024 09:37

If she gets the bus she won't be on her own will she? The doctor has probably meant for her no to be left completely alone where no one can assist her or call 999 if she has a seizure. If she were to have a seizure on the bus there would be someone there either the bus driver or a member of the public to call for help. Tell her to sit at the front of the bus or close to another person. You could also buy her one of those medical bracelets with instructions to call 999 of she has a seizure.

RockAndRollerskate · 24/08/2024 09:37

If she’s travelling on a bus and it happens, someone will call an ambulance, but if you drop her off super early she may be on her own at college.
Not the best solution and it’s a tough one for you to manage

Flourpowwer · 24/08/2024 09:36

Did she get any seizure stopping medication on discharge? If not then if she has another one an ambulance will need to be phoned so that paramedics can administer it. If she has a medic alert bracelet then I think that will be probably the best possible choice here. People around her can ring for an ambulance. As others said getting a bus means she won’t be alone.

Nacknick · 24/08/2024 09:34

Bus with trusted friends who know what to do

InWithPeaceOutWithStress · 24/08/2024 09:33

90 minutes by car - how long is the bus journey? That’s incredibly inconvenient. It doesn’t seem fair at all to delay DS’s September school start because she’s chosen a college which is so far away. Better for her to defer until she can take the bus herself.

Edit: apologies I misread. It’s a 45-minute journey each way.

JaydeeeeP · 24/08/2024 09:33

Drop DS at 8:45 and DD at 10:15. Have a word with college I'm sure they'd understand. Or defer her for a year with what's going on.

Justbeliketheraggydolls · 24/08/2024 09:33

That seems a very unreal ask to not leave a 16 year old alone for 5 months. I’m not sure how anybody would achieve that?!

But I would not defer DS school start, I would argue this is actually a higher priority. I would look to defer DD instead if I’m honest. Probably not a popular opinion, but I would look into a different college, part time course even which might be more workable hours wise. I would say 45 minute journey is too far in this situation, and if she had a seizure at college you are such a very long way away.

DD needs to consider alternative options, or take the risk of having a seizure alone (which is entirely possible anyway as who can be with a 16 year old 24/7 for 5 months, you would have to take her into the bathroom with you and to your bedroom etc).

Ineffable23 · 24/08/2024 09:32

Make sure she has a medical emergency bracelet and full medical emergency information on her phone. They wouldn't ask this of an adult and it's not reasonable to ask it of a 16 year old. Do you think they might have meant don't let her go off on her own rurally or late at night (i.e where there wouldn't be someone around to see what happened)? That would be a more logical thing to have meant I think?

AndThatsItReally · 24/08/2024 09:32

Can she defer for a year? If her condition is serious it may be that she has to have significant time off anyway. She's old enough to see that. And her little brother shouldn't suffer.
Otherwise just let her go alone and call an ambulance if she's unwell.

Scotteacher · 24/08/2024 09:30

Speak to the college - they might be able to make an adjustment for her to start later. Then you could drop ds off and take her after. You're still doing a massive trip but at least could do both. Any maybe the bus home.

TwinklyAmberOrca · 24/08/2024 09:29

Pay privately to see a consultant?

Taxi? Or one to a closer college?

Arrange for someone to meet her from the bus stop?

Have a medical emergency card with your number on in case of emergency? Make sure you can track her whereabouts.

Scotteacher · 24/08/2024 09:28

What does she want? Is she happy enough to go by bus?

Bettyboughtabitofbitterbutter · 24/08/2024 09:27

She goes the normal route and if something happens someone calls an ambulance.

Emeraldiisland · 24/08/2024 09:27

It's down to me because I'm SAHM and he's working. He probably could take some time off (starting later) but he won't do that.
Unfortunately she's going to a different college than her friends as it's only this college that offers the course she wants. Slightly complicated as she is also autistic (high functioning) so unlikely to tell people she's travelling with.
I think it's probably too much to ask another parent to look after DS in the morning and drop him off because he is a handful and if he's having a meltdown I wouldn't put that on another parent.

OP posts:
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