How do I get us all home?!

[CeciliaMars]

I am in Europe on holiday with my husband and 3 primary school age kids. We have a hire car that only he can drive. He has badly injured his hip, he’s been to hospital and is on strong painkillers and has crutches. He can barely walk and is in agony. We are meant to be flying home on Friday. How do we get the hire car to the airport and all of us into the airport? I am going to request assistance once we get to the airport. Also at the other end, how do I get him to our car? We are a shuttle bus away from our car. He literally can’t walk and is in agony. I truly can’t figure out the logistics of this.

Well done 💕. Hope it all goes smoothly.

Good luck to tomorrow, OP. I’ll be thinking of you

We made it back!!! Bit hairy getting assistance at the airport but we made it home. So relieved. Did I say that when he went to get the fit to fly note, he had a more attentive doctor who said he was in too much pain for it to be a torn ligament, he did a CT scan and husband has a fracture in his pelvis!!! He needs bed rest for 4-6 weeks, which should be fun… but we’re home at last. Thanks for all the advice and words of support.

Very relieved to hear it. I’m surprised he didn’t have to go by stretcher in the plane in view of his injury. Hope you are able to relax this evening and have a decent nights sleep. Best wishes to your husband

I'm so glad you are home safely. I hope your DH recovers and heals well.

I wouldn't use one of those for this. They are built for speed not comfort and would leave him in agony. If a staff lift isn't available the walking down slowly with both hands on the bannister is going to be the most comfortable.

They are home. OP has updated above.

Gosh, no wonder he's in agony with a fractured pelvis! Poor bloke.

My DC lives in a flat in Glasgow, the block is less than thirty years old, no lift, service or otherwise.

In the event of a fire a wheelchair user or someone with other mobility impairments would be moved by evac chair or similar, by two trained personnel, either emergency services or hotel staff if staying in one. As a wheelchair user myself now, I'm well used to filling in evacuation assistance forms when we stay in hotels.

But anyway, glad to hear the OP and her DH are all sorted and hopefully home by now. 👍

Oh, and many years ago, when I was ambulant, I broke my ankle. I was shown how to walk up and stairs with crutches. I nodded and smiled, left hospital and thought, "Fuck that shit". I took the stairs at home on my arse, and out and about, used lifts or escalators.

Ohh, nasty, I hope he has good pain relief. 💐

@CeciliaMars I’m amazed a doctor issued a Fit to Fly in those circumstances

Well they did, thank God. He got given anti-coagulant injections and has to get an MRI asap. But we’re home! Let the fun begin…

Glad to hear you are home.

Can't imagine how painful getting back must have been for your DH. My DH fractured his pelvis whilst abroad and the insurers flew him back 3 weeks after the accident. He had a nurse fly out to get him and escort him home, stretcher which took up nine seats on the plane and an ambulance from the UK airport back to his home address!

Ouch, can’t believe he has a fractured pelvis, how did he actually do it? Glad you’ve managed to get home!

So glad you all made it home. Your poor DH, hope he's now able to get the medical care and recovery he needs...

Dare I say.. you will need another holiday after all this!

Glad you made it back and another one astonished that he was able to fly. Hope he’s getting medical help today. I’m sure you’re mightily relieved to be back.

bloody hell, that’s awful! I’m so glad they let him fly! I think it’s only a hairline fracture…
he fell backwards off a low wall and landed heavily on his hip. Now I need advice on how to get through the next 4-6 weeks, working full time with 3 kids, 2 dogs and a husband who can’t even make a cup of tea!

Kind of thought he must have broken something to be in so much pain and he hadn't had the MRI to confirm. I've had torn ligaments over the years and they were never that excruciatingly sore that immobilising and some painkillers didnt dull the pain of. Glad youre home, your poor husband though. Maybe if they'd known he had broken his pelvis they wouldnt have let him fly !! Hope he recovers well.

No wonder he could barely walk! He'll need some crutches for when he's back on his feet again.

Poor bugger.

Practicalities of him being bed bound.

3 thermos. 1 for tea, 1 cold for milk and 1 for water or squash.

Make up a packed lunch each day and include snacks. If you feel fancy then an extra thermos (short and squat) that you can put soup in or cooked pasta.

But before that he needs to get in touch with medical care here. I hope that goes smoothly.

The kids are going to have to step up and help walk the dogs/ entertain dad, take him drinks upstairs. Flask and packed lunch good ideas. Also time to take offers of help wherever you get them - ferrying kids around, walking the dogs, mowing grass if you have any might help you out a little. Any relatives that you could bear to have stay for a couple of weeks?

Hope he gets his MRI soon.

If possible a little travel kettle with a large insulated bottle of water for refills would allow for making fresh cups of tea. I have a kettle on the window ledge by the sofa for this purpose.

FYI My SIL did this around beginning of March, she is only just able to sit in the car for more than 15 mins, is only recently walking slowly & carefully with a stick.
& she is a really fit active (like, hiking into the arctic) woman, who hates being indoors

oh lord, don’t tell me that…