I just wanted to know your thoughts. After my husband’s TIA last November, we havent had a holiday. Our boys have now finished for the summer and ive booked for us all to go to Turkey in August. Its an all inclusive resort near Antalya. Ideal for the children…but…
Im not sure why but im suddenly panicking: what is its too hot for my husband,what if he feels ill, what if he has another TIA etc etc
Im in the process of sorting out holiday insurance but I seem to be plagued by “What ifs” at the moment.
Any thoughts? Ive been doing well managing by anxiety so far, just hope ive done the right thing!
All I can say is that, if thoughts are not facts, they are fears, and the best thing to do is let the fears fade away while you focus on the good things you can provide for your holiday. As far as I am aware, the heat would make no difference to someone’s overall health, and I’m sure there will be mod cons to soothe any discomfort from the weather. On a forward frame of mind, change and distraction is very good for a brain that’s had a stroke or TIA, so I would say, see it as a kind of brain spa, even if challenging.
Hi @Karenemma
There is obviously a balance to be struck between sticking a head in the sand and worrying about irrelevancies
Have you considered the car in front of you on the way to the airport getting a puncture and blocking the road so you miss your flight? Rather than catalogue every travel difficulty you’ll just build in the little extra time.
Why think about your husband having a TIA he’s probably less likely than you or the children now he’s on meds so have you thought about yourself having one or eating some shellfish while you’re away or… Probably not but you’re thinking about insurance that will cover cancellations, illness and repatriation etc
The reality of all of our situations is that we focus on things that have happened to us or around us with exaggerated assessment of their probability and we ignore (due to ignorance) all the things that we haven’t heard of no experienced happening
So you’re worried is natural but over worrying about specific causes isn’t helpful and is managed to buy things like the insurance.
Temperature could be a factor that would make your husband uncomfortable so you might want to consider clothes, fans, sun cream pre- and after sun… These are maybe normal holiday in hot destination things?
You might plan the day to be a siesta or pool time with plenty of shade and sun cream from 11:30 till 3:00?
Relax and enjoy and if your thoughts won’t go away then go find yourself some mindfulness advice and YouTube isn’t a bad place to start
How does your husband feel about this? Try to make the travel experice as easy as possible. Ask for airport assistance if necessary, getting through security and the some times long walk to the departure gate can be tiring. The most important thing is to get the insurance sorted. You may be surprised at the cost due to your husbands condition. It is imperative that you fully disclose his medical history. Once that is in place you can relax in the knowledge that should he need assistance you are covered. Is your husband still being monitored by your local hospital, if he has an appointment before the holiday, ask the consultant to confirm in writing that he is safe to travel. That will be helpful should you need to make a claim.
Thank you all for the replies, they are really helpful and make perfect sense.
With the insurance, I am actually surprised. Ive declared the TIA but, to be honest, see no difference in price at all. Ive double checked in case im doing it wrong but there does not seem much difference in price
May I ask who your travel insurance company is? My cover runs out at the end of August, so I’ll be looking at quotes.
We too are off on holiday for the first time since my stroke, so totally understand your concerns.
Yeah insurance companies don’t actually bother too much about strokes if they’ve been treated and medicated.
This site is full of people’s experience with them and there are two or three recommendations from experience that people make. Remember them off hand But a little searching with the magnifying glass and reading what is returned will throw up two or three.
there is a dedicated medical insurance comparison site often mentioned too, and of course a stroke association and a different strokes of both have tie ups with insurance companies I expect they get commission and maybe able to put a bit of pressure if you subsequently need customer services…
@Karenemma It’s natural to be worried but try & cast those worries aside & enjoy the holiday. I have been abroad twice since my stroke. I was worried how i’d cope but all went ok. I was fatigued when I got back but that was to be expected.
A few things to make your life easier from my experience are book airport assistance. This will help with avoiding long queues. Even if your husband is mobile it adds to fatigue. If he finds the heat a problem sit in the shade, under an umbrella, in a bar etc. I found I coped with the heat ok. If you’re planning an active day make the next one a slower day to help manage fatigue, keep feet & legs moving on the plane to reduce risk of blood clots. Take any meds in their original packaging in your hand luggage along with a copy of his prescription. I purchased some loop earplugs to help with noise as I have sensory overload.
But above all just enjoy your holiday. Most people go away & come home again with no issues at all. Many many people go away with health issues & get back in one piece. Have a great time. My step daughter has just come back from Antalya area of Turkey & they loved it. It’ll be fab
Hi I went on holiday to Dubai 5 months post full stroke. I had assistance at tha airports which I needed back then and I too was very anxious but getting back to doing normal things far outweighed the worry. As long as he takes it easy I’m sure both he and you will enjoy it! Ha be fun d put all worries to the BACK of your mind. Happy holidays regards suzywong
I had a TIA in September , due to go to Corfu but informed my travel insurance provider, Avanti, they wanted to increase my premiums by £106 , on top of £480 already paid.
I declined and will now shop around at renewal time.
