WIBU to fly abroad with pneumonia and DC with a chest infection?

[OreoBiscuitPie]

We are due to leave on Wednesday to go to Canada. DH’s sister lives there, he hasn’t seen her for 15 years and has never met his niece and nephew who are 11 and 4. There’s a long complicated story as to why it has been like this but basically his family are from a poor country in Eastern Europe, managed to emigrate to Canada eventually, but DH’s mum couldn’t get residency so they all got deported and essentially banned from the country, the sister was allowed to stay as was an adult had a Canadian partner by then. DH was only a teenager at the time. After years of fighting with the Canadian immigration system and an appeal involving an immigration lawyer we managed to get the ban overturned so he can finally visit his sister for 2 weeks. We don’t earn particularly well and it took a lot of saving.

We’re going with our 3 year old. This trip has been planned for 2 years. Sod’s Law, we all caught Covid about a month ago. DH recovered very quickly. Me and DD recovered quickly too but have since both developed chest infections. It seemed to go away then come back. DD has been checked out at a walk-in centre a few days ago and now on treatment, she is recovering and only has the lingering cough now and no temperature or chills but she’s still not 100% herself.

I went to GP yesterday to finally sort myself out. I’ve had the cough, green mucus and headaches etc but I’ve not bothered about myself as I’ve been so worried about DD. With her finally on the mend I’ve finally found the energy to get myself seen. GP didn’t like sound of my chest and sent me to walk-in centre where I was diagnosed with fucking walking pneumonia. Advised by doctors that it’s not recommend to fly but that if absolutely necessary then I can.

I was so excited to meet DH’s sister and kids and vice versa. DH desperate for his daughter to meet his sister. I feel as though we have to go, and I want to, but my family are worried and telling me not to. I feel there’s no choice. We’ve been advised we’re not contagious to others. In a way I think it might help me recover as we’ll be guests so I can take things a bit easy and have someone cook for me, not be cleaning or cooking etc like I would be at home, so maybe it will help me recover? AIBU?

I did with pneumonia
and the pain on the flight in my chest was unbearable
turns on I very likely would have got a pulmonary embolism if the flight had gone on much longer

horrific

I was so ill with pneumonia 7 years ago I was off work for 10 weeks. I wouldn’t want to go so far. I also developed sepsis

Would your health insurance even cover you if something went wrong?

Can your DH go with your DC and you fly out a few days later once you are more recovered? You should be able to move flights and your insurance would cover it as it’s for medical reasons.

Please don't go. Talk to your travel insurance!

If it was a bog standard holiday to Europe I’d probably sack it off but this trip is so important to us all. We already tried to go to Canada when DD was a baby but got turned away from the airport as the visa situation hadn’t been updated on the system yet despite us being told in writing prior that DH had been unbanned, it was heartbreaking for everyone and we lost £2000.

DH’s sister is our child’s godmother. I can’t believe our bad luck.

don’t - just husband goes, unless travel insurance allows everyone to travel later. You are putting your own health at risk, likely invalidating travel insurance and risking other passengers and crew.

Can your DH take your DC on his own.

I know it is awfully disappointing but I had walking pneumonia a few years ago and pushed through it as my DS was ill at the time (with something else)

I ended up being really ill and was in hospital for 2 weeks and it took months before I was fully recovered. It was honestly the most ill I have ever felt and I am generally unlucky with my health.

Or could you check if your insurance company would refund all of you for the trip and you can all reschedule for a later date? A kind GP letter may help with this.

So sorry this has happened and I hope you can get a good solution, and feel better very soon

Our child not going isn’t really an option, it would devastate DH. He could go with just her and I rest at home but she’s still not 100% well herself and she would be extremely distressed being separated from me and likely crying throughout the flight.

So you’re going to go

or

gasp

reschedule

You won’t be much comfort if you’re clutching your chest in absolute agony as I was

If you travel, you need to be very very sure that your travel insurance will pay out if something were to happen. You have been to see your GP and it's on your medical notes that you have been diagnosed with pneumonia. The insurance company could refuse to pay out, especially if you haven't notified them in advance that you have pneumonia and your daughter is unwell too. You need to look on the NHS App to look at your medical notes, has your GP stated in writing, that he's recommended you don't travel?! I'm not sure I'd want to travel in these circumstances. Could you amend the flights to another date?

Can your husband go (perhaps with daughter)? I wouldn't risk it, especially what PPs write.

Have you phoned the airline explained and asked to move them???

Either DH goes with DD alone, or you reschedule for when you're better.

Did speak with Airline. It’s one of the lower-end airlines that fly to Canada and been quoted £1000 to change the flights. Still cheaper than booking all new ones in the future but the original flights already stretched us. Would have to stick it on the credit card

What has your travel insurance said?

According to Google, walking pneumonia is contagious so you would be very unreasonable to travel with it.

Sorry but no don’t go when you’ve got pneumonia. If something happens then travel insurance would be unlikely to pay. You could be risking your health flying. Sorry it’s really bad timing but it is what it is. I’d reschedule or DH goes by himself or with dd.

You need to talk to your travel insurance
I assume you do have it??

Flying with pneumonia is advised against in very strong terms by both the medical profession and the Civil Aviation Authority.

The risks of complications are very high, and exacerbated by a longer flight. You would be potentially risking your long term or permanent health by flying with pneumonia, and you should definitely declare it to your insurance company - who will probably refuse to insure you for cost incurred due to the condition. These can include medical treatment abroad and repatriation, none of which is cheap.

You need to get the all clear from a doctor before you even consider flying. You should probably also check that your DD is safe to fly now as well!

It's not "our".
Let your DH and child go.

You can't fly in your current condition, you should take that option off the table completely.

So given that, tomorrow you should talk to your travel insurer and speak to them about rescheduling. Best of luck.

To be fair, if you needed medical attention in Canada without insurance payout, it would probably have to go on the credit card, too? And likely be more than 1k.

Wednesday? You'll probably be ok by then 🤞

I've had walking pneumonia twice and was well on the mend after a couple of days on ABs.