Looking for solution for upcoming holiday disaster(sorry so long)

[MrsMitford3]

We (like many) have not had a holiday in 3 years. House in Europe booked. We are driving with one DC and other DC/partners are flying in for short portions as work allows. Other family members from USA coming so a much anticipated break.

DC (early 20's) has fallen and badly broken leg. Needs surgery next week and will be non weight bearing for 6 weeks, our holiday is in 4.

Options:
A.Leave this DC home to make matters worse over their birthday will need care as in pain, fairly helpless/unable to move and dyspraxic so not very competent on crutches. Needs twice daily injections to prevent clots. I already don't think this a viable option. Think would struggle to feed the cat much less themself.

B.Drive with us instead of flying but DC too tall and can't really stretch leg out across back in our current car for 12 hour drive and then other DC will need to fly instead.

C.Fly as originally planned but was flying on own-think will find it so offputting as to not want to go-in a lot of pain now and super stressed

D. Someone (DH) fly back and fly out with him

E. Hire some sort of larger van that he can stretch out more comfortably in and drive with us-any ideas?? Going through the Tunnel

Does anyone have any suggestions of what we could hire to fit him or other combinations of how we do it?

Selfishly I don't want to stay behind to fly with DC later if at all possible as it is my extended family meeting us who I haven't seen in years due to pandemic. They have flights booked and arrangements set.

I know a very first world problem but feel sick seeing all we had planned and looked forward to in ruins...

I broke my leg and wasnt allowed to fly Also there is no way that I could have mamaged to sit in a car or even a big van just no way

I think the only sensible solution is to a) leave him at home b) cancel and rebook at a later date

I think the first thing to do would be speak to Dr/Surgeon as may not be clear to fly & they may say travel not advised even in vehicle. Then if they say viable speak to your insurance company
I broke my ankle/leg in 3 places 15 months ago I was non weight bearing for 6 weeks wearing a boot I could undo that came up to my knee.
Drinks were made, put in Chilly’s type bottles & put in a small rucksack, food in a sandwich box so that side of things is doable -but they may not be comfortable being left

I would get medical advice on whether he will be able to travel that distance safely. Also - will he be insurable?

To be honest I would be inclined to cancel the whole thing and reschedule.

D would probably be the most comfortable for him, especially if you can book extra leg room or business class seats, and airport assistance.

Despite your huge disappointment surrounding the inevitable change to your holiday I think you need to take a step back and consider how your son's recovery/comfort and his long term health and physical wellness is much more important than the holiday for him.

I think the best option is for your husband to stay at home and look after your son as it is your family you are meeting so it is more important for you to go. Unless he has a trusted friend or a partner to look after him instead.

So first if all what does you ds say about it? He is early 20s, an adult and surely has an idea of he would prefer to handle the situation.

Second, if he needs two daily injections, who is doing them and is it actually feasible for him to travel abroad in those circumstances? What will happen for his travel insurance etc.. too?

Then I think you can start thinking about all the options.
By experience, the driving in a normal car is a no-no if he can’t bend his knee.
Flying might also be a no-no. I’m thinking that his injections are blood thinning medication. Plus there is the issue of swelling if he is in a cast. Not being able to bend his knee might be an issue in the plane too.

Couod someone be there to help him as he stays at home instead? I get he would be gutted but …

All the European flights I’ve taken are not showing much difference space wise between normal cattle class and business class. Apart from the fact you are talking the front of the plane.

Actually the seats with added leg room might be working. But it will depend on the plane itself. Some are better than others if i remember well.

Why can't he sit in the front seat with it really far back and go with one other person driving? Or the non driving 3rd person sit behind the driver if you want to share the driving?

We have literally just been through this exact scenario!

Ferry and drive to south of France with family, daughter broke her ankle and tore all three ligaments two days before we left.

We have a VW Caravelle. It was excellent. She was comfortable.

Holiday was far less active as a result of her injury but we are all glad we went and it was an important family reunion.

In your shoes I’d hire a big vehicle and drive.

Can they sit in the back seat with the front passenger seat folded forwards? I know this can happen in one of our cars but not the other.

I wouldn't fly. I saw a post from someone on Twitter the other day whose friend had to wait 90 minutes for assistance on the tarmac at Gatwick to get her off the plane.

Indeed. I've seen extra legroom seats vary from about an extra 2 inches to nearly 2 feet.

However, many are also emergency exit seats that require the occupant to be physically able to open the door in the event of an emergency. While it's not his arms that's the problem, it's unlikely that an airline will accept someone with a leg in a cast sitting in an emergency seat.

Yes that’s what I meant really- row 1 will have extra legroom plus if no one is the middle seat next to you then there’s more room to spread diagonally too. The extra legroom seats in the exit rows will be no-go with a broken leg unfortunately.

How bothered is your son about going? Could he stay home and have a friend stay with him, if he feels it's too much hassle to travel? I feel for you, OP, I'd be gutted.

Can't he sit in front passenger seat if it's pushed right back? Or is he going to be plastered from the hip so whole leg has to be straight out?

You really need to talk to the doctors to get a realistic assessment of travel options and the impact on recovery. Flying induces swelling. Long trips in the car, even a large car, can increase pain because of the fixed position and the bumpiness, no matter how slight. Those things of course get balanced against the very real mental health benefits of family and life that can help speed up recovery, but you need to talk to the doctors to help work out that balance.

I would be hiring a large people-carrier type vehicle. Something with two rows of seats, so he can sit on the back one and put the middle seat down?

There’ll also still be room for other DC who was meant to be driving with you originally.

We hired a motorhome last summer from a company that allowed us to take it across to France and back. The back seat configuration could be changed around and at it definitely had options to stretch legs across a seat whilst being belted into another. Not a cheap option, but a solution.

Agree with @Sharrowgirl 7 seater car, he sits in back row with seat in front of him down for leg. You can also still have other middle row seats up.

I’ll be honest, I think the cause of the break would influence my opinion quite a bit. Was it genuinely an unfortunate accident that could befall anyone, or was there some element of stupidity that means he should take responsibility?

he’s an adult man, its disappointing but I really think option A is the most sensible. He can surely self administer the injections, they’re usually in a fleshy part of your tummy/thigh etc, very much designed to be self administered.

I would speak to a medical professional first to check what they recommend, but my preference would be to hire a larger vehicle and drive that. I don't have any recommendations, sorry (me and my Fiesta are seasoned travellers through the Tunnel, but I don't do anything larger).

If flying is genuinely being considered (subject to medical advice) then the OP needs to contact the airline fairly quickly.

Happy to be corrected but from what's being described the DC might be classified as a Passenger with Reduced Mobility (PRM) and as some have already mentioned that definitely places constraints on whereabouts they can sit on the aircraft - basically not in exit rows, can't block aisles, etc..

That all might be best resolved early on rather than trying to sort it out a day or two ahead or worse still at check-in.

Flight or not hope the holiday works out for all involved.

Just reading your replies-yes he has been ok'd to travel.

Leaning more toward driving as would be nightmarish to get to airport and have flight cancelled...

@CrushedPistachios an unfortunate slip on a wet surface.

As I am quite a fall over anything type of person DD says I can trip over a painted line on the road I don't attach any blame or think he should suffer any more. And of course we all want him to be a part of the holiday

We can not get money back on house and so many moveable pieces/people already set in motion no one feels cancelling is an option. Someone is staying in that house!

If you’re going to drive then personally I’d look at hiring a VW transporter as a minibus, the passenger front seat is quite far back and there are also rows of seats so added bonus of different seating options. If you go for the standard length then it fits in a normal parking space and has a decent turning circle.