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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to end our holiday early and fetch everyone home?

123 replies

Fraught1 · 07/08/2019 11:55

I am a lone parent to four DC. We are staying in a caravan miles from anywhere. Yesterday dd1 who is 15 dislocated her knee cap. After a surprisingly quick A&E visit she was discharged with strict advice to rest.
The problem is the caravan is tiny and I'm terrified of her tripping and injuring herself again. She is in lots of pain and I don't feel comfortable leaving her while I entertain the other DC. The holiday has turned into a nightmare tbh and all dd1 wants to do is go home (understandably).

Is it unreasonable to cut short the holiday? The younger two will be so disappointed but I am really struggling to cope.

OP posts:

Venger · 08/08/2019 18:23

It is a shame that the two youngest DC needs were not prioritised.

Was there any need for such a shitty comment?

BlueBilledBeatboxingBird · 08/08/2019 18:35

It is a shame that the two youngest DC needs were not prioritised.

FFS the decision is made. What, genuinely, do you feel is to be gained from this comment?

OP, I think you’ve made the right decision (especially as the weather is about to go to absolute shit). Safe journey home.

surroundedbyvulpices · 08/08/2019 18:46

I'm concerned that she hasn't been given anything - crutches, a brace, any instructions other than rest. She should really be seen by another doctor soon. A dislocated kneecap is not always as innocent as it seems.
I dislocated mine when I was 16 (absolute agony!), and my PE teacher was very firmly told off by the ambulance crew for threatening to push it back in and not let me go with them. I was in plaster from my ankle all the way up to my thigh for six weeks. Bit of a nightmare, but it never happened a second time, so it can't have been the wrong thing to do.
It's a shame about the holiday, but I'd definitely have wanted to be at home too. Except for the fact that I had to pee with the bathroom door open for six weeks because of the layout

gill1960 · 08/08/2019 19:33

Go home darling ...
Sick chicks need a proper place to stay and recover their mobility.

PurpleCrazyHorse · 08/08/2019 20:21

Oh bless you. Safe travelling tonight. The weather is going to be awful Friday and Saturday, so probably easier to pack up and drive while it's dry. You can at least stop for your DD to have a hobble around without it being wet and slippery (and potentially the other kids to run around somewhere too).

VenusTiger · 08/08/2019 20:23

Isn’t it going to be really painful for her in a sitting position in the car so soon? Her knees will be bent?

LIZS · 08/08/2019 20:29

I assume op is already home. Think that was best in circumstances. Wishing your dd a speedy recovery.

EllenMP · 08/08/2019 22:39

I think I would go home. You will only be able to do short, stressful outings with the others. If you go home you can leave DD at home without worrying about her - maybe a friend would even come to hang with her - and take the others on outings that will be just as fun.

CountessWindyBottom · 08/08/2019 23:39

Absolutely the right decision and I’m so sorry that your eagerly anticipated break away has turned out to be so pants 💐

UniversalAunt · 09/08/2019 01:04

Yup travel insurance, because shit happens.

Lovemenorca · 09/08/2019 06:43

I’m confused re what people would expect travel insurance to do?

Reimburse the OP for the loss of a couple of nights in a tiny caravan in the middle of now where? I suspect her excess will be substantially more than what she’s receive back!

TheStuffedPenguin · 09/08/2019 06:52

Do people get travel insurance for caravan holidays in the UK? I wouldn't think it is a priority .

Theflying19 · 09/08/2019 09:31

Going home is good decision. Weather meant to be terrible today any way. Wishing your daughter healed soon x

pollymere · 09/08/2019 10:50

You did the right thing. Last year DH broke his ankle on holiday. We stayed but it was miserable as we couldn't enjoy ourselves knowing he was stuck and in pain.

jennymanara · 09/08/2019 11:02

Yes any travel insurance would have an excess and would not be worth claiming on. And OP has chosen to take DD home, so I doubt any insurance policy would cover that. Insurance policies tend to kick in when you have no choice but to go home, but this is not the case here.

scaryteacher · 09/08/2019 11:12

My kneecap has dislocated regularly since I was 13 (first happened in maths), and I am now 53. According to my physio I have 'young girl's knee'. This means my ligaments have never been properly in place. He just straps it up, and I get on with life, and try not to kneel in an awkward position.

gill1960 · 09/08/2019 12:40

I'm so glad that you are going home ...
Accidents happen to everyone and all of your kids can pull together and take the piss out of the dd with laughter. ...
This will make happy memories for the whole family to joke about forever.
In fact you could set up a family star chart at home for the best jokes about any accident that happens.
And any child that is sick has a priority in your care. If it happened to any of the kids then they would also have priority in your care
A

UniversalAunt · 09/08/2019 16:20

Travel insurance to cover missed trains, getting alternative transport home if driver or one of the party injured, cost of private physio if one of the party injured on holiday. Full refund on prepaid accommodation If party had not been able to travel to destination.

I buy rail tickets & book accommodation well in advance at a discount. Had I to buy new rail tickets on the same or following day, there would be limited or no discount, & it would cost us several £100s more & likely blow the budget.
If I cancelled cottage booking at the last minute due to illness, then there is no refund but I can claim it on my insurance.

Caravan holidays cost the same money as everywhere else.
Although in this instance I think OP said the accommodation was given as a gift.

jennymanara · 09/08/2019 16:58

But travel insurance would not pay out for an injury in the UK that just means you would like to go back home earlier than you wanted to. If her DD had an injury that meant she could not physically stay in the caravan then yes it would pay out. But I am in pain and want to go home, no it wouldn't.
I sprained my ankle badly abroad, swollen up a lot and could only walk a small number of steps. Travel insurance would not pay out to let me return home early, but would pay for treatment abroad.

jennymanara · 09/08/2019 17:02

And travel insurance will only pay out for missed trains in certain circumstances where you can prove it is not your fault e.g. booked taxi did not turn up in time. Not just where you are too disorganised to get there on time.
It would pay for alternative transport if you only had 1 driver and the driver was now medically unable to drive. But no not for people to go home early unless there is a medical reason to.

LIZS · 09/08/2019 17:10

Travel insurance might cover cancellation of pre booked activities or curtailment of stay, plus alternative travel , if , for example, they had been using public transport and a taxi was advised

jennymanara · 09/08/2019 19:57

But the curtailment of stay is a voluntary choice.

UniversalAunt · 10/08/2019 15:02

Agree with PPs, travel insurance would not cover choosing to pack up & go home early.

Blimey, imagine where would the travel insurance industry be if we exercised that choice & they had to pay up.

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