KP ski, Glad you found this forum, to share your predicament with. It's something we all live in fear of and it looks like you touched a raw nerve in some of us. I'm sure we all wish we could help out if we were able.
Best of luck to you.
I suggest we keep the general safety talk to Pavelskis new thread and leave this thread for KP ski to update us and for comments directly related to KP ski's situation.
Trencher
Fed up in Calgary ........
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Started by KP Ski in Ski Chatter 14-Mar-2007 - 13 Replies
Trencher
reply to 'Fed up in Calgary ........' posted Mar-2007
because I'm so inclined .....
KP Ski
reply to 'Fed up in Calgary ........' posted Mar-2007
Salski - thanks for your support and your story & your get well wishes!
I have an inkling that Dad will ski again, the problem will be whether my Mum who doesn't ski will let him!! I think I know who'll win the argument as Dad is very strong willed! If he'd done something daft (ie if the accident was his fault) then it may have been a different matter. I must admit I wouldn't be happy letting him ski alone as he does some years when I can't make it. If he hadn't had a family member here with him I'd not like to think of how it would have been for him. Yes Mum would have flown out but that could of taken a few days for her to get here dependant upon available flights etc. Maybe we only allow him to ski Europe if he has to go alone?
As for the insurance ......... folk that ski without insurance clearly need their heads examining!! At his age Dad quite rightly took out the highest possible level of cover he could, which is now paying off admirably ...... the insurers really have been fantastic and when these traumas happen you need an efficient and compassionate insurance company to deal with the case. I can't imagine what it would have been like if it was a case of pay all bills up front and "send us the receipts" ......... I'm not sure even Dad's credit card would have that amount of credit to cover the costs we're clocking up!
Our insurers have been chasing the 3rd party details (ie the snowboarder that hit Dad). I gather they will attempt to recoup some of their costs from the snowboarders insurers ......... I don't even want to get into this minefield. So long as our bills are being paid then I'm satisfied.
Not that it will prevent accidents / injuries but I think proof of insurance should be requested by the ski slope companies as mandatory before a lift ticket is issued? I'll add that to Pavelski's safety thread.
Pavelski - I have read many of your posts now and you clearly are a ski god!!! My utmost respect goes out to you and the work you do! Your safety campaign is a fantastic response to the safety issue & I will wholeheartedly add my support to this.
The snow patrols / ski hosts at Lake Louise & Sunshine in Canada that we chatted to all agree that "something" has to be done!! But, it's that same old conundrum, how can it be done without spoiling the enjoyment of the sport. There are ways and as you say, "Wake up ski resorts, wake up ski companies & wake up ski patrols". United hopefully our voices will be heard!
Max - thanks for your comments ......... thankfully we didn't witness anyone noticeably drunk on the slopes. Maybe Canada is not like Europe ...... we stopped skiing Europe a few years back once we discovered Canada. Saying that though years back in Europe it was almost standard to carry a hip flask and to sink a few Gluvines at lunchtime. Only now do I appreciate this is really not a good idea!! After one small beer at lunchtime I feel the effects and agree it really is not in order to ski whilst under the influence!!
Another one for the safety list ....... if a huge accident has occurred then should both parties be breathalised? What if we found the snowboarder that hit Dad was 3 times over the driving limit then we'd possibly have a good case to sue? Goodness, now that would be a minefield!!
Trencher - thank you also for your best wishes. Having also read many of your posts you also are clearly another ski god :-) . Nothing anyone can do for Dad & I. These things are sent to test us and I am coping ok with all (ok I have my moments when in the motel room alone!) but probably a good job logistics is what I do for a living!! All the written support I'm finding here is helping no end!!
Saying that a week after the accident & nearly a week after I was originally due to fly home I really really just wanna get Dad home to Spain and me home too!! As previously stated the inside of a motel room for nights on end gets very very lonely & spending 6 or 7 hours with Dad at the hospital each day is now becoming very boring!!
So to end on a positive note ....... Dad's oxygen needs is lowering day by day and today (after a HUGE amount of chasing to the hospital) our insurers now are in receipt of a letter from the Doc that Dad will be fit to fly home from Sunday ........ so the insurers now have to make travel plans for a UK medic to fly out to Canada to accompany Dad home, that medic will require a days rest before we can then return me to London and Dad onto Malaga. These travel plans potentially could take 48hrs to arrange so I'm looking at another few nights in Calgary whilst I fend off my employers question of an exact date of when I'll be back in the office!!
Huge thanks to you all for your comments - they really are appreciated are are keeping me on the right side of occupied and positive!!
KP
x
I have an inkling that Dad will ski again, the problem will be whether my Mum who doesn't ski will let him!! I think I know who'll win the argument as Dad is very strong willed! If he'd done something daft (ie if the accident was his fault) then it may have been a different matter. I must admit I wouldn't be happy letting him ski alone as he does some years when I can't make it. If he hadn't had a family member here with him I'd not like to think of how it would have been for him. Yes Mum would have flown out but that could of taken a few days for her to get here dependant upon available flights etc. Maybe we only allow him to ski Europe if he has to go alone?
As for the insurance ......... folk that ski without insurance clearly need their heads examining!! At his age Dad quite rightly took out the highest possible level of cover he could, which is now paying off admirably ...... the insurers really have been fantastic and when these traumas happen you need an efficient and compassionate insurance company to deal with the case. I can't imagine what it would have been like if it was a case of pay all bills up front and "send us the receipts" ......... I'm not sure even Dad's credit card would have that amount of credit to cover the costs we're clocking up!
Our insurers have been chasing the 3rd party details (ie the snowboarder that hit Dad). I gather they will attempt to recoup some of their costs from the snowboarders insurers ......... I don't even want to get into this minefield. So long as our bills are being paid then I'm satisfied.
Not that it will prevent accidents / injuries but I think proof of insurance should be requested by the ski slope companies as mandatory before a lift ticket is issued? I'll add that to Pavelski's safety thread.
Pavelski - I have read many of your posts now and you clearly are a ski god!!! My utmost respect goes out to you and the work you do! Your safety campaign is a fantastic response to the safety issue & I will wholeheartedly add my support to this.
The snow patrols / ski hosts at Lake Louise & Sunshine in Canada that we chatted to all agree that "something" has to be done!! But, it's that same old conundrum, how can it be done without spoiling the enjoyment of the sport. There are ways and as you say, "Wake up ski resorts, wake up ski companies & wake up ski patrols". United hopefully our voices will be heard!
Max - thanks for your comments ......... thankfully we didn't witness anyone noticeably drunk on the slopes. Maybe Canada is not like Europe ...... we stopped skiing Europe a few years back once we discovered Canada. Saying that though years back in Europe it was almost standard to carry a hip flask and to sink a few Gluvines at lunchtime. Only now do I appreciate this is really not a good idea!! After one small beer at lunchtime I feel the effects and agree it really is not in order to ski whilst under the influence!!
Another one for the safety list ....... if a huge accident has occurred then should both parties be breathalised? What if we found the snowboarder that hit Dad was 3 times over the driving limit then we'd possibly have a good case to sue? Goodness, now that would be a minefield!!
Trencher - thank you also for your best wishes. Having also read many of your posts you also are clearly another ski god :-) . Nothing anyone can do for Dad & I. These things are sent to test us and I am coping ok with all (ok I have my moments when in the motel room alone!) but probably a good job logistics is what I do for a living!! All the written support I'm finding here is helping no end!!
Saying that a week after the accident & nearly a week after I was originally due to fly home I really really just wanna get Dad home to Spain and me home too!! As previously stated the inside of a motel room for nights on end gets very very lonely & spending 6 or 7 hours with Dad at the hospital each day is now becoming very boring!!
So to end on a positive note ....... Dad's oxygen needs is lowering day by day and today (after a HUGE amount of chasing to the hospital) our insurers now are in receipt of a letter from the Doc that Dad will be fit to fly home from Sunday ........ so the insurers now have to make travel plans for a UK medic to fly out to Canada to accompany Dad home, that medic will require a days rest before we can then return me to London and Dad onto Malaga. These travel plans potentially could take 48hrs to arrange so I'm looking at another few nights in Calgary whilst I fend off my employers question of an exact date of when I'll be back in the office!!
Huge thanks to you all for your comments - they really are appreciated are are keeping me on the right side of occupied and positive!!
KP
x
Everything in moderation except moderation itself!
Edited 1 time. Last update at 16-Mar-2007
KP Ski
reply to 'Fed up in Calgary ........' posted Mar-2007
Some progress, but still no date of when we get to go home .........
Dad's off the oxygen whilst just sitting and although he still needs it when moving about and when sleeping its now down to an acceptable level for the airlines to allow him to fly. He still has a daily jab of blood thinning drug to prevent clots and the pain therapy drugs are a plenty!
I have some great pics of spectacular bruising but will save you all the grusome detail!!
So, now we are stuck in the middle of red tape between the hospital, the travel insurance and Dads normal medical insurance, and at the mo I feel no closer to knowing when we will fly!
The hospital wrote to our travel insurance yesterday afternoon saying he would be fit to fly from Sunday, providing we can confirm that he is checked into a hospital in Spain once he arrives. So, Mum had spent all afternoon today trying to get him booked into a Spanish hospital from Monday ?? this is the sticking point. Spanish Bupa are SHIT!! After being transferred from dept to dept with 10 to 15mins on hold each time she was repeatedly told to call back on Monday, they clearly are not appreciating the situation even though Mum speaks fluent Spanish!!
So, we?ve explained our predicament to the travel insurers who have confirmed they will chase the Spanish medical system direct to try and get Dad booked in somewhere ??.. unitil we have a hospital bed confirmed in Spain our travel insurers will not go ahead and book us flights, let alone sort a medic to fly out to accompany us!!! At this rate I?m looking at mid next week before returning and am slowing going insane in the meantime!!!
Again I state this really has been a full time job not only dealing with Dad and his injuries but the red tape that goes with. Our travel insurance still receive top marks, the Canadian hospital come in a close 2nd and as for the Spanish ??.well, words aren?t strong enough for how crap they?ve been!!!
The saga continues??. hopefully my next post will be confirming when we get to travel home!!
I simply can not impress enough on how important it is to have good travel insurance ....... as for living in spain well that's another story all together.
Sorry for the long post once again ........... bored and not much else to do!!
KP
x
Dad's off the oxygen whilst just sitting and although he still needs it when moving about and when sleeping its now down to an acceptable level for the airlines to allow him to fly. He still has a daily jab of blood thinning drug to prevent clots and the pain therapy drugs are a plenty!
I have some great pics of spectacular bruising but will save you all the grusome detail!!
So, now we are stuck in the middle of red tape between the hospital, the travel insurance and Dads normal medical insurance, and at the mo I feel no closer to knowing when we will fly!
The hospital wrote to our travel insurance yesterday afternoon saying he would be fit to fly from Sunday, providing we can confirm that he is checked into a hospital in Spain once he arrives. So, Mum had spent all afternoon today trying to get him booked into a Spanish hospital from Monday ?? this is the sticking point. Spanish Bupa are SHIT!! After being transferred from dept to dept with 10 to 15mins on hold each time she was repeatedly told to call back on Monday, they clearly are not appreciating the situation even though Mum speaks fluent Spanish!!
So, we?ve explained our predicament to the travel insurers who have confirmed they will chase the Spanish medical system direct to try and get Dad booked in somewhere ??.. unitil we have a hospital bed confirmed in Spain our travel insurers will not go ahead and book us flights, let alone sort a medic to fly out to accompany us!!! At this rate I?m looking at mid next week before returning and am slowing going insane in the meantime!!!
Again I state this really has been a full time job not only dealing with Dad and his injuries but the red tape that goes with. Our travel insurance still receive top marks, the Canadian hospital come in a close 2nd and as for the Spanish ??.well, words aren?t strong enough for how crap they?ve been!!!
The saga continues??. hopefully my next post will be confirming when we get to travel home!!
I simply can not impress enough on how important it is to have good travel insurance ....... as for living in spain well that's another story all together.
Sorry for the long post once again ........... bored and not much else to do!!
KP
x
Everything in moderation except moderation itself!
Slamb
reply to 'Fed up in Calgary ........' posted Mar-2007
KP - Crikey what more can I say?
Just found your post after returning to the board after a bit of an absence.
I would like to re-iterate your assertion re' travel insurance. I had a small accident (as nothing compared to what your dad's going through) in Austria in January and my travel insurers were fabulous, all my expenses were met, they even paid the taxi firm directly for the running around that was needed to get me home. I will now never travel without insurance and although I got lucky with mine (took out the cheapest that Moneysupermarket.com came up with) I will look much more carefully in future insurance purchases.
Good luck with your dad. I wonder if you are on the way home yet, but hope it works out ok.
Sharon
Just found your post after returning to the board after a bit of an absence.
I would like to re-iterate your assertion re' travel insurance. I had a small accident (as nothing compared to what your dad's going through) in Austria in January and my travel insurers were fabulous, all my expenses were met, they even paid the taxi firm directly for the running around that was needed to get me home. I will now never travel without insurance and although I got lucky with mine (took out the cheapest that Moneysupermarket.com came up with) I will look much more carefully in future insurance purchases.
Good luck with your dad. I wonder if you are on the way home yet, but hope it works out ok.
Sharon
KP Ski
reply to 'Fed up in Calgary ........' posted Mar-2007
Hi Sharon - thanks for your comments and I'm really sorry to hear about your knee - I really hope things go well for you and you get your strength back sooner than hoped.
As for me - well finally I am home - yipeeee!!! Am still feeling somewhat dazed by the whole episode on top of the jet lag!!
I flew Sun eve, Dad flew with a UK medic yesterday (upgraded by the insurers to 1st class, flat bed, very nice too had he not been so injured and uncomfortable!!). He's been transferred direct to a hospital in Spain and having just spoken to him he is less than impressed with the Spanish medical services compared to the Canadian! We're hoping he can be discharged today so he also can finally get home where my Mum will take over the running around for him!
Well, that pretty much closes this story - thanks once again to you all for your well wishes.
Remember - NEVER EVER travel, ski or board without adequate travel insurance, and please do take a few mins to read & take note of Pavelski's invaluable safety thread. Hopefully with a united front these types of accidents can be avoided in the future!!
KP Ski
As for me - well finally I am home - yipeeee!!! Am still feeling somewhat dazed by the whole episode on top of the jet lag!!
I flew Sun eve, Dad flew with a UK medic yesterday (upgraded by the insurers to 1st class, flat bed, very nice too had he not been so injured and uncomfortable!!). He's been transferred direct to a hospital in Spain and having just spoken to him he is less than impressed with the Spanish medical services compared to the Canadian! We're hoping he can be discharged today so he also can finally get home where my Mum will take over the running around for him!
Well, that pretty much closes this story - thanks once again to you all for your well wishes.
Remember - NEVER EVER travel, ski or board without adequate travel insurance, and please do take a few mins to read & take note of Pavelski's invaluable safety thread. Hopefully with a united front these types of accidents can be avoided in the future!!
KP Ski
Everything in moderation except moderation itself!
Geoff Smith
reply to 'Fed up in Calgary ........' posted Mar-2007
I found Pavelski's contribution on ski safety very much to the point. However I was surprised by his statement that" the famous and well known rule that the person in the upper section of the hill is responsible to avoid others is no longer valid" . Surely it remains true that the skiers in front have priority? It is not the whole story of course. The rule has to be used in conjuntion with others- notably :
1 when stationary stay at the side of the piste, and
2 don't move off without checking up the slope and waiting for near skiers to go by first.
Geoff Smith
1 when stationary stay at the side of the piste, and
2 don't move off without checking up the slope and waiting for near skiers to go by first.
Geoff Smith
Topic last updated on 22-March-2007 at 15:05