My son has travelled the world since he was a little boy to see his beloved steam trains but now his mental health has deteriorated its had to stop. About 3 summer ago actually. But truth be told it should have stopped about 5 summers ago. I just couldn't do it to him though and it got to the stage we'd travel with a retinue of me and two carers in order to make the trip happen - and not happen very well once we'd reached our destination. In fact the last trip we did I had to give some sedation in the airport and he heard me saying to the staff do we go or not - and at that he took off and got on the bus. It was quite funny in reality because he was looking behind him as if to say - too bloody right we're going. 
It was costing a fair whack the more often we did it, 4 business class seats to wherever in the world he wanted to go plus very carefully chosen accommodation once we'd arrived - then all the rest of it. And each year the bill was becoming bigger and bigger and bigger and each year he was enjoying it and able to cope with it less and less even though he'd start planning his trips as soon as Christmas was over.
I'd actually come back of the last trip with a huge black eye that I'd got when we were at home in the Uk, even my most experienced staff member was feeling the pressure. So that summer I decided he'd travel no more but before I could say that was the end of it my son and son in law who are both pilots said to me this has to stop because as much as we love our brother we couldn't have him on our aircraft. He's becoming too unpredictable. I wasn't even an hour in the door when they came to see us and it was a very kindly put case of we are nipping this in the bud now and if DB asks about his next trip you have to say finished now. They knew that once he'd been home a few days he'd start to think about where to go next and they were making sure it didn't take fruit. And of course I really couldn't argue because I was standing there with the mother of all black eye that spread half way over my face both ways.
They said to me we know the PRN medication works well but what do you think would happen if there was an incident in the air, a meltdown about the croissant for example (it was getting to the stage) and I said well they'd treat him like a drunk passenger and that was when they told me the aircraft would be diverted and in some countries they'd open the doors and an armed response team would come on and he could be taken to god knows what kind of hospital. They even showed me on route maps some of the countries we might have to land in and it horrified me as I knew what they were making me understand. There are just some places you do not want your loved one to be in a very vulnerable situation. Of course I told them I'd already decided that my sons traveling days were over but they knew me and thought to themselves - two months from now when she's put the bad bits to the back of her mind she'll be saying - oh we had a fab time.
My sons is heartbroken about his holidays and so am I. And I know for a fact one of the reason he's so upset/unwell right now is because he knows this is holiday time. I hate having to tell him no DS, you are not going on an aeroplane.
For years he'd go to the NRM in York so he could see when the Flying Scotsman was going back into Service and this was to be the summer we were going to go on the Flying Scotsman. I have the sight of it on the TV, its all just so bloody heartbreaking.
I travel alone now and each and every time I go somewhere I can't believe we actually managed to get him to experience all that he did, because each and every time Im on a plane or in an airport I see situations all around me that would have the potential for absolute disaster.
I have very mixed feelings about his travels now. I think to myself at times why in the name of God did you ever start it? But then I think of the great times we had, times like arriving in North Wales one evening to see Thomas and going out for a walk, then when we crossed over the bridge there was Thomas sitting in the sidings. I will never ever ever forget my sons face at that moment as long as I live. Then the next day they let him shovel coal and blow the whistle in the station - he even took part in a story being acted out and there he was at 15 years of age running about with wee things giving Thomas a drink. But now Ive had to take it all away from him and I still dont know if we should ever have indulged his love of steam trains and travel.