To go on holidays anyway?

[ChimneyPot]

We are due to go on holidays to the Maldives just after Christmas. It is for my 50th, totally my choice of holiday. There will be me, DH, 3 older teens and DS in primary school.

DH has broken his leg and is very likely to still be in plaster then. This would mean he would be on a fabulous beach/snorkelling holiday and unable to get his cast wet.

We have insurance and could cancel but I don’t know when we could reschedule it until. Eldest is away at university and others have state exams in 2022. So it would probably have to wait a year if not 2 years.

DH will go with whatever I want to do.

Am I being unreasonable to decide we go on the holiday?

I would go another time, sand in a cast is an irritant and could lead to an infection risk.

The start and the end of the holiday will be spent in hospital having a split cast replaced if it needs splitting, which is likely for such a long flight, alongside heparin injections.

I'm another definitely suggesting go alone with the kids. I echo the sentiment not to save a holiday for next year that you can take this year.

If you can afford it, book another holiday for when your husband is better, for the two if you, that doesn't involve swimming? Something for him to look forward then too? Not sure how wealthy you are but I can recommend Kenya in March!

Don't cancel completely.. .. find out what his cast will look like by then.. get advice from doctor and insurance. .. speak to the resort / tour operators etc and see what the practicalities are..

Think about whether you can alter what you have to something that might be better..

If you do cancel the Maldives... book something else that does work for this time... you won't be 50 again and this is your holiday.

[quote ChimneyPot]@tanstaafl

That would never have occurred to me but I just checked, the policy renews in June so broken leg and holiday within single policy.[/quote]
Your dh will be travelling with a pre existing condition. A policy that covers broken legs which is most, only covers for a breakage when there. Not for when you are travelling with a broken leg. So if you break your leg while away it's covered but if you break it before travelling and not declare it, it's not covered.

My ds broke his leg after I took out the insurance, while the policy covers broken legs it didn't cover any treatment for a pre existing break he'd need while there. This is why you have to contact the insurers before travel to declare the broken leg and include it on the policy, it's not expensive to do this, that way IF he needs any treatment there he'll be covered.

It was like the time my dd travelled with an ear infection, she got it 2 days before travelling, we were allowed to fly but I never contacted the insurance people. When we arrived at our destination, dd finished her antibiotics that she got at home and the infection had not cleared up, we ended up having to go to a doctor there and get more antibiotics. When I tried claiming back when we got home the form asked when the 1st day of the ear infection started, which was 2 days before travel, so our policy was void as I never declared it. You can't lie either on these forms as there's medical info in the system.

If I had declared the ear infection 2 days before travel it would have cost me 8 quid to cover her for everything while away, instead it cost us 900 dollars. It was an expensive mistake but with our family health we always end up adding things and declaring things before travelling.

Thanks for info on insurance.
Being covered if we cancel was my first concern. Hadn’t really thought of extra treatment there.
If we do go I will declare it but we have private health insurance that also covers is abroad so he should be ok on that.

I’ve been to The Maldives in January and it’s so hot. It doesn’t even cool down at night. A cast would be so uncomfortable.

Generally on a beach holiday I’d say just go anyway but the appeal of The Maldives is the sun, beach and the amazing snorkelling/diving. If it were me I’d postpone The Maldives to next Christmas and maybe go somewhere else that’s a bit more cast friendly for a trip in January.

I used to work in an airport. We required doctors permission for people to travel in a cast - bear that in mind if you decide to go.

If he's game I'd still try and travel. I'd suggest contacting the fracture clinic to see if he could have a back slab or air boot and look at swimming sleeves for cooling off in the water.
If you're travelling business then he'll have plenty of space to elevate the limb.
The seaplane might be trickier, but I'm sure with warning they'll manage something.

Hadn’t really thought of extra treatment there. If we do go I will declare it but we have private health insurance that also covers is abroad so he should be ok on that.

I hadn’t thought about it either but actually this is a major reason not to go. It’s not just about the cost. Trying to get to a medical facility in Male from a maldivian island with (let’s say) an infected broken leg would be horrific.

What would you want to happen if you were the one with the broken leg rather than him?

Would you want to go on the holiday anyway or would you be resentful that it wasn't postponed?

Is it medically safe to fly with a recently broken leg? What about the blood clot risk? Also, if anything goes wrong with his leg while there, would the insurance cover it (they may say they won't as its pre-existing)

I would rearrange. It doesn't sound like it would be much fun for your husband, and the rest of you by extension as you'll all miss out on doing fun stuff with him.

Thanks for all the advice.

Another x ray today and orthopaedic guy is very hopeful the cast will be off earlier than previously thought, a week before we are due to go.
He said definitely do not cancel, his pessimistic scenario would be a boot by then but hopefully nothing!

Oh good!

excellent news!

Go another year, your DH would be miserable otherwise.

Oh fantastic news🙌 just read your update 😊

@ChimneyPot

Thanks for all the advice.

Another x ray today and orthopaedic guy is very hopeful the cast will be off earlier than previously thought, a week before we are due to go.
He said definitely do not cancel, his pessimistic scenario would be a boot by then but hopefully nothing!

Yay!