Just back from Dreamnight at the zoo. AIBU to feel guilty?

[DashingRedhead]

I don't think we're the people that this lovely lovely idea is for. Since we got home I've googled it and read that it's intended for 'children with chronic illnesses and disabled children' and especially children with cancer.

We just don't have that level of challenge in our lives. DD went to hospital last week for a biopsy to check for coeliac disease when we were offered these tickets and accepted them gladly. Free tickets to the zoo! But mild coeliac disease is so very manageable compared with so many other conditions. Admittedly it's chronic, but...

I am very troubled. My rational head keeps telling me that the play worker wouldn't have given us the tickets if they were like gold dust, but my heart tells me we had no right to be there.

DH has suggested a donation to a relevant charity will make me feel better. And I will do it. But...

I agree with your DH

But having said that, they must be trying to shift the tickets for some reason if they're handing them out to people having biopsies?

Good luck to your DD by the way, hope everything's ok.

Thanks Worra. We were given the tickets only last week and I really hope (and rationally believe) that they were going spare, if they were giving them to biopsy cases, as you say.

This is bothering me to a really mahoosive extent. I love MN but am not usually on here at 1.30am. I don't get enough sleep!

ah that old chestnut - you are doing exactly what i would. long story but my DS was left like a baby again at the age of 3 due to a very long fight with a very nasty disease - and i binned the DLA forms because - well - that just wasnt me....

ive looked at your link
its for children with chronic conditions as well as the disabled. now i know that coaliac is a chronic condition and i think you really really need to stop fretting and feeling so guilty.

accept the tickets with grace and understand they were for the likes of your DD, and like you say, had they been like gold dust they wouldnt have handed them out.

it was a treat for your DD. it cant be much fun being biopsied, so forget it. it was a visit to a zoo when all said and done.

Aww well don't lose sleep over it.

You didn't ask for the tickets...you were offered them and at a time when I'm sure your mind was quite rightly on more important things.

You made use of them and hopefully you all had a great time

Having to go through a biopsy and all that entails is still a huge worry, so it's not like you didn't all deserve them.

I'd make a donation and concentrate on your DD if I were you...safe in the knowledge that if the tickets were in short supply, you certainly wouldn't have been offered them.

They might be giving them to children who don't fit easily into other services.

We live by Chester Zoo (Liverpool), my DD is in SEN education,her first school contained children with profound/complex conditions. They would be treated to tickets, and also days out to Southport, via different charities.

The provision for children with LD's/disabilities is very good across Merseyside.

I wouldn't worry that you are taking anything from another child who really needs it more.

Thank you, all of you!