Let this be a lesson to me !!!
Hi everyone, I just thought I would share this with you. I hope you have a cuppa or a glass of wine at the ready because with your kind permission, it is a bit of a saga. But one I hope everyone will take heed of and never never never do what this stupid old bird did.
Looking back on this topic, do you remember the thread I put on regarding the difficulty I had in trying to get existing medical condition insurance for COPD and PULMINARY EMBOLISM for our week’s holiday in Ibiza for the 6th June .
I had insured with Staysure the previous year for our cruise but due to the way they put their questions regarding the use of oxygen in the home, they refused to insure me this time and returned my money I had paid for the insurance.
Anyway, I was very lucky to find a good insurance company who worded the question differently and I was able to take out a good existing medical condition insurance for a cheaper price than Staysure.
Now, I made sure I held nothing back from the insurance company. One of the questions was Had I any examinations, appointments with consultants or Doctors in regard to my existing medical conditions before going on my trip. I truthfully answered No and fully intended it to stay that way because if for any reason one has cause to see their Doctor for anything pertaining to the existing medical condition, that is all the excuse the Insurance underwriters need to refuse to make a payment in the event that you have to claim, because you did not put it down when applying for the insurance.
All well and good, until about 4 weeks before the holiday. When I had last visited the Consultant on my six monthly check up at the beginning of May, he noticed that my blood oxygen level had come down from 97 to 91. Now as far as I am aware - 95 to 99 is excellent, 94 is good, 93 is where my finger pulse starts a warning bleep and anything under that it is a case of huh huh! I told the consultant that I was off to Ibiza in 4 weeks and he said… well 91 is deemed unsafe to fly !!!
Sod off ! I thought, I have paid for my holiday in full,I have my personal and existing medical insurance in place, I am not going to let anything spoil this holiday. I felt fine, my husband was so excited he was already half packed !!
Well, the upshot of all this is that about 24 hours before we were due to leave, I started to look but not feel rough. I took my blood oxygen level reading and it had dropped to 69!! My feet, my ankles, my legs, my thighs, my left arm and even under my eyes all started to swell up. I looked really dreadful but I still didn’t want to admit that there was anything wrong. I was convinced that if I could just get to our lovely hotel room with it;s beautiful terrace, the sunshine would soon cure me. Hubby was worried sick about me but I wouldn’t listen
Our flight was due to leave at 6 am on 6th June and at 2 oclock, I woke up first, swung my legs out of bed, sat on the edge of the bed and closed my eyes. That’s the last I remember until Hubby was helping me up off the floor and back into a sitting position on the bed.
“That’s it” he said, “I’m walking down to the medical centre at 9 am and getting the doctor to come and see you, we’re going nowhere until you have been examined. “
So there flew my holiday out of the window but to be honest, I felt so lousy and swollen everywhere I was in no fit state to go on holiday. I doubt if the airline would have let me fly if they had seen the state of me.
The doc came about 11 oclock, took one look at me and dialled 999 for an ambulance.
I spent 3 weeks in hospital with what they said was the right ventricle in my heart not working to put oxygen into my lungs that are effected with COPD, hence my body swelling up.
It seems my heart failed to do its job. Gulp !! Oh and to top it all, when I fell unconscious from the bed, I broke my left leg just above the ankle.
One good thing is that the tour company and both insurance companies have been very helpful and there has been no problem in getting full refunds for the cost of the holiday.
So please do not ever try to be as dumb as I was in trying to cover illness for the sake of it.
I can’t believe how truly stupid I was to ignore the warning signs.
I am now home from hospital, my left leg in a huge air boot for 6 weeks and me having to have oxygen for 15 hours a day until I see the respiratory team in 3 to 4 weeks time when they send me an appointment.
Funny isn’t it, brought up a huge family, worked all my life, never had a day’s illness, then I retire and I get everything thrown at me. Honestly !!
So my dear friends on Over50, that is the end of the Saga that started with the previous topic on Existing Medical Condition Travel Insurance.
My apologies for this thread being practically a novel but I feel better for getting it off my chest.(and heart and lungs and broken leg)
Stay well everyone, xxxx