05/02/2025
A couple of weeks ago, I was waiting in Arrivals at Brisbane International Airport for my boys to land… and was feeling quite emotional.
Being the Mum of a Type 1 Diabetic can be scary, and no more so than on New Years Day when you get a call from Los Angeles 🇺🇸 asking ‘should I get him to a medical centre’? Several hours later my eldest was in hospital, then quickly transferred into ICU. The short story is Influenza A which triggered keto acidosis… the words no T1D person (or related person) wants to hear, especially when they are on holiday in the USA! It’s life threatening and it’s scary… escalates quickly and hard to control.
Then began several days of getting up at 1.30am to liaise with my kids, the Doctor’s, the travel insurance, the airline and other travel suppliers as they were originally supposed the fly home the day after he was admitted into hospital. Thankfully, he bounced back as quickly as he went down, and they were cleared to fly home (on day one of the horrific fires in LA which they spent all day watching, thank god they could leave as it was all within sight for them being in Santa Monica)… and even though they’re 24 and 22, they’ll always be ‘my boys’ so having them safely back home has meant EVERYTHING!
Most importantly is that I want to do a MASSIVE shoutout to nib Travel Insurance. As a travel agent for 30+ years, I’ve known the critical importance and value of travel insurance all my adult life but thankfully have never had to make a claim myself (until now). These guys have been absolutely SENSATIONAL… the promptness, care, attention to detail and assistance has been nothing short of extraordinary. One Case Manager throughout, who I felt was up almost 24/7 like me for a while there (and a backup when they were sleeping)… who swiftly took care of everything, responded promptly, pursued whatever was needed and gave me guidance all the way. The claim has been processed quickly and promptly, honestly not only am I blown away but truly grateful for ALL of the assistance they have provided. I highly highly recommend nib and thank them for everything over these past few weeks!
There’s also a few messages here….
✔️ Cherish every moment with your loved ones… they are your everything, and anything can happen at any time!
✔️ Live life to the fullest as you never know what’s around the corner. Everything can change in an instant but don’t let this hold you back… life is for living and experiencing!
✔️ Never EVER travel to the USA without comprehensive travel insurance (No exceptions! If you can’t afford insurance, you can’t afford to go… plain & simple).
✔️ Without a Travel Agent you’re on your own! (An age old slogan in our industry and one still worth remembering)