Handhold/practical advice needed pls. DH poorly in Turkey

[Dalamannightmare]

First time poster look for some advice. My DH was admitted to a private hospital yesterday with very high infection markers, maybe celluitis or perhaps something else. Dr friends have seen blood results and say he needs to be in hospital on IV antibiotics which is what is happening.

Sounds like he probably won’t be flying back with us tomorrow so I will be traveling home on a night flight with pre schooler and highly anxious 8 year old. I’m very worried about DH, trying to work out the logistics of everything. My brain is going into over drive.

Ring your travel insurance and get them to extend everyone’s stay. I wouldn’t want him to be alone either.

My Mum is dead and my Dad is unable to look after my kids for even an hour so that wouldn’t work for me. PIL are equally unable to look after the kids.

I don’t even have someone who can have my kids for one night.

This sounds really awful. Could the kids stay with a friend from school? A friend of mine who is a single mum had an emergency operation and her kid was taken in by a school friend's family that she didn't even know very well, no questions asked. I'd definitely take in a child from my kid's school if their parents were in the situation you're in.
All the best to you 💐

If there is no one who can help out at home and you would like to stay with your husband, practical advice might help more than constant questions as to who can take the kids.

How far are you from the hospital OP? Are you able to visit your husband or is he too poorly for this?

Is there a crèche at the hotel, or a children’s room at the hospital where the kids can stay for an hour or two when you visit?

What’s the food situation? If all inclusive nothing to worry about of course. If self-catering, can you take an hour to go do a basic shop to tie you over for a few days? Easy things that don’t need lots of cooking - breakfast food, yoghurts, frozen pizzas etc - whatever the kids will eat.

Remember to stock up on bottled water, if you can, so that you don’t have to go buy it every day.

Ask if the hotel / company or apartment owner may be able to help with this.

Then keep the children with you and fly back together. Your church if you have one may be able to help.

He's an adult and sounds as though he is in the right place and on the mend. You have travel insurance. All very well posters telling you to stay with him, but unless you can afford to pay for additional accommodation and new flights for everyone then go home. You need to know you can contact your DP and someone is advocating for him if he can't do so for himself. Contact the British consulate/embassy. Do the practical things he can't do himself. Pack his suitcase. Make sure his phone is charged - get him a power pack for it if he doesn't have one. If you're in an area popular with British tourists there is likely to be an expat community too - look on local social media and they may be able to offer support and assistance, point you in the direction of charities who can help, etc.

If your DH is doing well, concious, lucid and has a translator I would ask the hospital when they feel it is safe for him to travel.
If you can go home knowing he is flying back in 3 days say you will feel better.
It all depends on the severity of his illness really, if it's really serious I would probably find a cheapy hotel and try and stay on a few days on a credit card if you can get your flights changed.
If not possible then you will have to leave him, as long as you can communicate from home leave a phone/ charger etc,
Personally if he was pumped full.of IV abtibiotics I would ask about the possibility of just getting him on that flights and then straight to A&E.

AL. Youngest is in kids club this morning, older child has anxiety and is worried about Dad so I’m sure if she will go in. I’m hoping she will so I can get stuff sorted.

Hospital looks about 50 mins drive away. Husband would be well enough for me to visit but would struggle with the kids for long. He needs practical stuff dropped off.

Can you arrange for kids to stay in the club for a few hours - explain to oldest you will be back ASAP. Or does the hotel offer a babysitter, maybe they’d be more comfortable in the room with just one person.

Or is the eldest mature / calm enough that she could go with you to the hospital? Would the doctors allow that?

Good advice from others re a power bank, chargers, bring him a change of clothes, water and perhaps some snacks if he’s able to eat soon and hospital might not provide much.

You can do this OP, your mind must be in overdrive but just take care of one thing at a time and you’ll all be great.

This might not be correct. I had to leave a cruise due to illness and stay in a hotel for three days until fit to fly. Flights, accommodation and food were all covered for both me and DH. The only thing that wasn’t were mobile phone calls (ironically to the insurance company) and taxi to and from the airport.

Check with your insurance provider

Definitely don’t leave him! Just get yourself a hire car or organise bus routes etc and accommodation. Let insurers know. Have you got a credit card? Worry about costs later, health comes first. Hope he’s ok.

Can the travel insurance cover the costs/hotel arrange the transport for the 50 minutes to and from the hospital?

If you're all inclusive at the hotel, can the hotel offer any buffet/day trip style food packages you could have for the visits to the hotel for you and for your DH?

Supplies/overnight bag for DH: think about the things you packed for your maternity hospital bag.

I think if the hotel has a creche and kids club, you might find the current set up easier to continue than to leave your DH and do the traveling alone back to the UK, no? It maybe the most expensive way round if insurance doesn't cover but it sounds like it could be the most practical.

8 year old anxious: can you email school and ask for online work? Might give an extra distraction.

Can the hotel organise in room babysitting?

OP, what does your husband want you to do, is he able to say?

Don’t do this. The Consulate will have 2-3 people working 9-5. If you get through eventually, the advice they give you will be to speak to your insurance company. They will give no practical help.

Lots of misleading advice here. The only advice you need is from your insurers.

If you’re on a package holiday speak to your rep, even if it’s a virtual rep type service.

They will be able to support with advice on changing flights, booking babysitter, calling insurance etc.

I've had cellulitis a few times. I need 2 lots of IV antibiotics over 2 days then I'm fine

Hopefully it'll be that and he'll be fighting fit tomorrow

Op - if it's confirmed today that it is then I'd fly home with the children. Make sure he's got Internet connection and sort the insurance etc.

Not to stress you out more...but my friend had a whole drama with a Turkish hospital. How is DH ? What is actual diagnosis? Her diagnosis was vague from the doctor ( gatro / suspected appendicitis/ possible infection) and it turned out she was fine..was unwell but could have flown home ok. Hospital wanted insurance money, hotel doctor involved too..... lots of talk of blood markers for infection etc... This is apparently not uncommon.😨

Anyway hopefully this is totally different, her insurance did cover hotel accommodation for extra nights..she paid for flights herself and eventually got money back. Hope he's OK.

Unsure why you ain’t just booking another hotel and rearranging flights and stay with him. I certainly wouldn’t leave. Kids will be fine with you there.

If it's cellulitis then after I've antibiotics he may recover quickly, enough to fly home on a 4 hour flight at least. Speak to your insurance company who will be able to talk directly with their medical staff who arrange transportation back to the U.K. most likely on a commercial flight possibly the same one. Insurance companies will always have a helpline, use it

My husbands had it once and he was in hospital for a week. I never even heard of it before he got it

Our travel insurance covered my accommodation for a month in USA when DH was in hospital. American Airlines in general used to be more amenable about emergencies and they allowed us to simply defer our flights home. You need to talk to your insurer, your travel operator and the British consulate/ embassy. I wish you all well.

I just wanted to write to make you feel better. I myself was hospitalised in turkeys for 7 days and needed up having an operation. I can honestly say the Turkish hospitals, Dr, and care system is ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING.... the hospitals are immaculate - they are overrun with staff. PLEASE do not worry. (And actually even if you have no travel insurance the private fees are still substantially discounted in the hospitals, but that's by the way). . I would go back to turkey in a heartbeat if I needed anything doing in this country, and am actually considering booking my husbands knee op. there as it's honestly great care. I appreciated this isnt your only issue - but hope it helps.