... to consider trying to get our holiday cancelled

[AlteFrau]

My accident prone older husband fell over three days ago. He cut his shin to the bone and this needed me to access first aiders - we were out at the time - and then drive him to A and E.

He is now limping and tired. The wound site hurts. He needs to continue to take maximum painkillers. It's bled a couple of times - once after a 20 minute trial walk round the block.

He is 10 years older than me - in his mid to late seventies.. His skin is now quite thin so injuries happen more easily and it takes longer for them to heal.

He can also become quite panicky. He's done this already because he thought his skin shouldn't be so red, that the pain shouldn't be continuing, that there shouldn't have been any additional bleeding, that just a few paracetamol should have been enough etc.

I then need to talk stuff through, reassure him, do stuff like find ice. I've been doing all the chores since this happened.

This has been quite tiring.

At the end of the week we are/were due to travel first to London and then to Europe (by train - involving two changes) to go on our walking holdiay which is in a hillly region involving a lot of stone steps. (The London trip involves a certain amount of journeying from hotel to station - and there was also a trip to see relatives shoehorned in.)

He is a bit reluctant to cancel - thinking of 'work rounds' saying he can sit in cafes etc rather than join in the scheduled trips. Though even walking to the cafes will require a certain amount of effort on his part.

I just feel that I may well spend a lot of the holiday looking after him, cheering him up, liaising with the tour leader and hotel staff, possibly accessing medical care if dressings need to be changed etc. rather than simply enjoying the activities on the tour, making new friends among the party etc.

What would you do if you were me?

It sounds like it wasn't the most sensible holiday to book in the first place given he's nearly 80 and was already unsteady on his feet before this incident.

I wouldn't go.

What bloody difference whether he's 76, 77, 78 or 79??

His exact age doesn't change the dilemma!

I’d cancel if we could get money back on travel insurance, and postpone to another time. But still take a holiday somewhere else if you can.

I know a few mid-late 70s who would be totally fine with this type of holiday normally as is your DH, but it feels like it would be a waste and quite a hassle to have to try to adapt it last minute.

My mum has thin skin and takes ages to heal, so ends up with infections that mean loads of appointments to redress it. I'm not sure I'd risk it.

Have you got travel insurance?

The day before the accident we'd gone out and had a very happy 9 mile walk together.

In terms of the holiday we'd deliberately chosen a more leisurely single-base walking holiday.

We don't like pool or villa holidays. We like exploring.

My husband is generally a confident, competent person but - like many of us - becomes more volatile/frustrated when he's in pain or experiencing fluctuating symptoms.

In general we bpth find it's good to stay active - but dealing with the aftermath of an injury and deciding what to do can be tricky.

Shin injuries are difficult for healing. Shin injuries in the older population are right buggers for healing. I’d cancel. Besides, if you go despite the injury, and he gets complications, it won’t be covered by your travel insurance.

I think I’d call the company and the insurers and find out what’s possible. If he’s ok to largely stay in the hotel and walk short distances (and there’s not much of a refund) I think I’d go for that. If you can get a full refund I think I’d be postponing - but until you know the options, difficult to decide. Good luck.

Your insurance won't cover him.anyway will they? You'll have to declare it to them before you travel.
Think about it from the insurers PoV: it's much cheaper for them to cover the cancellation of the holiday than to cover massive hospital fees & somehow getting him home, if the injury gets infected

I think trui is correct. You really need to speak to your insurers about this.

You can really only claim on insurance if you get a letter from the GP saying he isn’t fit to travel / do the walking. You could try the discharge form from the hospital but it won’t detail that he isn’t fit, only what happened to him. Probably the best solution is to go and for him not to do the walks.

I’m over a decade younger than your husband and cut my shin falling over on a walk last year. It took ages, 3 lots of ABs and some packing to heal. Shins are bastards. If you can claim on your insurance or postpone I think I would. I also like active holidays so can see the dilemma

Go without him. No reason for you both to miss out. Or cancel, explain it wouldn't be much of a holiday for you - maybe see if he suggests you going alone or swapping him out with a friend / family member. Would be the right thing for him to do.

Don't go. Not with a nasty shin injury. I mean, a walking holiday in these circumstances would be probably the worst thing ever. And what if he got an infection or even fell over again due to pain/unsteadiness whilst you were there. The insurance wouldn't cover that.

Does it really matter? 77 perhaps?

Do not go. A skin infection would take even longer to heal.

Edit; it would be incredibly foolish to go on that sort of holiday, right now.

He doesn’t sound physically capable

You don’t sound remotely enthused about it

Call your insurer (although you didn’t mention that, which is a little relevant)

We cancelled and are putting in an insurance claim.

Good call OP - I hope you get the money back and can spend the time doing something else nice - maybe lower key local trip to places nearby, or a holiday for a few days with v little walking but lots of scenery?
Hope he recovers well and isn’t too annoyed with himself.

Shins are vv hard to heal as we age. I’d cancel

Seems a sensible outcome

Good shout. I reckon he was only keen to go to avoid disappointing you, but you didn’t sound like you were looking forward to it anyway.

Seems to be for the best. Hope the insurance process is smooth, he recovers well and you can then look forward to getting away somewhere!