Mum's been hospitalised with positive Covid test and she has COPD and I'm in Australia

[FortunesFave]

That's about the gist of it. :( Feeling very hopeless and helpless.

She has COPD which doesn't bode well for her recovery and she's in her 70s. I'm trying not to lose my marbles but it's bloody hard.

I looked into the realities of coming to the UK from Australia and it's not looking good...if I could get a flight, I may not get one back...that's what the COVID helpline here in Australia have told me.

It takes 2 weeks to get an exemption cert so I can travel...I can get one on compassionate grounds apparently.

But then, the woman said people are finding it hard to get back...also...where would I stay in the UK? I just can't afford a hotel...I'll have to quarantine in a pre-determined hotel once I get back to Australia and it says I have to pay the bulk of the bill.

Flights are astronomical...I'm really worried and upset.

I don’t have the practical answers but you have my sympathy.

I believe treatments are better now than they were back in the Spring, so that must be good for her chances. Is she at home or in hospital? Could you stay at her place? Take out a credit card for your return? So you have a partner to keep things ticking over there if you came?

Can you stay in your mum's house in the UK?
Can you get a loan from the bank to help with the travel / quarantine costs? What is your situation like, kids / husband etc?

Such a difficult one. If you came over could you even visit ? My friend’s parents haven’t been allowed to see each other other than through glass since March .

What would your mum want? I wonder if she’d rather you stayed and tried not to worry about her although this must be impossible, for the good reasons you have given . I do hope she responds well to treatment and really thinking of you .

(Can you speak to your mum or medical staff every day or is that impossible ?)
I would send a photo card of yourself in meanwhile she can keep near her to feel you there too. I’m Only a stranger but thinking of you so much

I don’t think you would even get to visit if you came over. My uncle has COPD and caught it. He was in hospital for 4 days . Wouldn’t you need to quarantine here for two weeks too ?

:(

Could you stay at your mother's home in UK, and maybe use her car?
Do you have family responsibilities in Australia, too (such as own children)? I would assume it could take months to get back to Aus.

Sorry I meant to say he was in hospital for 4 days and is absolutely fine now . Can you maybe apply for your exemption so you have it then see how things pan out .

Sorry to hear this OP. Could the staff at the hospital facilitate video calls for you and your mum? Are you able to keep make contact with the ward your mum is on easily?

I’m so sorry you’re going through this.

I doubt that you would be able to visit your mum in hospital anyway, have you called them? If not, could you FaceTime her every day?
If it helps at all, my MIL has COVID and lives in a care home. She’s 90, black and obese so her odds are terrible on paper but she’s up, eating and drinking with just a cough and mild temp, so please try not to presume the worst. We haven’t been allowed to see her for 7 months.
Hope your mum makes a swift recovery.

Video calls or phone calls are the best route. You can't do anything when you're there anyway so support over the phone

Hi OP,

I would put aside the idea of coming for now. There's the two week period before getting an exemption, you'd need to do a two week quarantine each way (because you'll be doing a stop over in another country), the cost of quarantine when you get back to Australia (£1200 at least?). Above all, it's going to be an absolutely manic period with people trying to return to Australia for Christmas, so quarantine facilities may well be full when you try to return.

It's an incredibly difficult situation. I'm so sorry.

I would just focus on staying in touch as much as possible and staying positive for her recovery.

Peppa thank you for telling me about your Uncle...that's a bit of hope!

It's a really bad time for me to go away...the hospital have been passing email messages to her from me and my siblings and Aunts. She'll have a lot of them but no visitors allowed.

I'm scared mostly of going and then not being able to get back in. DH and I are just trying to get ourselves financially right to buy our house...we really don't have the spare money at all....not even just for the flight.

The flights are apparently bumped up in cost and some people cannot get on a flight to come home.

I would just like to say thank you to you all for your kind words. It has really made me feel a bit better. x

Hi Fortunes, my FIL is also currently in hospital in the UK with confirmed covid (he went in about a week ago with breathing difficulties) he's also in his 70s and has COPD. no one is allowed to visit. All reports from the hospital have been positive. They said apart from feeling weak he has mainly been eating well and responding well and they actually said they are not concerned about his covid symptoms. once they've kept their eye on in for another couple of days, if well enough, he'll be coming home. Best wishes to you OP, hope your mum is better soon and i hope you take some more comfort from another case that's similar to your mum's. Sending you a big hug x

Morning thank you so much...our reports have also been good...eating etc all normal. Let's hope they're fine in the end. x

That’s really encouraging , do hope she does brilliantly and soon home and that you are coping ok in the meantime

I know you must feel so far away but as others have said it's unlikely you would be allowed to visit in the hospital plus all the hassle of quarantine etc. You will be just as close on video from there and I'm sure your Mum wouldn't want you to spend so much money. A colleague had to wait a month to get back home to Australia back in September. It's such a difficult situation but I'm sure a video link can be arranged as I know many hospitals have patient iPads and will help set it up. Best wishes to your Mum.

I have COPD and had coronavirus earlier in the year, and I'm ok. It was a bit bumpy for a few weeks but I never went to hospital. Apparently the steroid inhalers and similar often taken by people with COPD are protective.

Hope she recovers well op

I really feel for you being so far away but as others have said outcomes are much better than back in March. If no one can visit then you're best staying where you are as they'd be no point financially crippling yourself to come over and sit alone waiting for news. I hope she has a speedy recovery and in the meantime you can video call her. Take care xxx

How is your mum doing OP?

Hi Sweetheart,
My mum has leukaemia and COPD. She got Covid, ended up with Covid pneumonia but survived. Only 5 days in hospital and is totally fine now, eight weeks on. However, her younger brother, fit, no health issues, was on a ventilator for 6 weeks and is still in hospital.
Keeping my fingers crossed for your mum