Okanagan family learns tough lesson on travel insurance (Kel...

Okanagan family learns tough lesson on travel insurance (Kelowna)

An Okanagan woman is warning others to be careful of the travel insurance they choose before setting out on long trips, particularly if they have health complications. This fall, Melodie Domene’s mom Sonja visited Spain, her birth country. She had intended to stay for five weeks, but some discomfort turned into something life threatening. “She just had two tiny blisters on her foot, and then she got this bacterial infection,” Melodie said. “Her leg was huge. It got red and there were blisters the size of golf balls.” Worse yet, it was incredibly painful. With no other choice, Sonja went to seek medical care. At first she got antibiotics, and a misdiagnosis of cellulitis. Then the infection spread rapidly and developed into a severe necrotizing condition. She had to check into the hospital, where she stayed for two weeks. Sonja had travel insurance, but didn’t realize it expired two weeks into her trip. But, more importantly, because she was a breast cancer survivor with lymphedema, her insurance didn’t cover her condition, something she didn’t realize before she got a policy. Her lymph fluid doesn't drain properly Melodie explained, and that makes her more susceptible to infection, thus negating her coverage just as she was trying to get life-saving treatment. “They had to open up her leg on both sides because it was so swollen, it was literally like exploding,” Melodie said. She was in hospital for nearly two weeks, at a price of $1,300 a day and without coverage. The family was out $20,000 before she was well enough to get on a 26-hour journey home. Melodie says she's heard from people that she should have done her due diligence before booking the trip, but said she simply didn't know what to look for. Melodie said her family, which owns a small flooring store in Oliver, depleted their contingency fund trying to make up for the cost of the medical misadventure and Sonja’s still not fully healed. Melodie said she’s learned a lot about what to look for before booking a trip but would like to help her parents navigate this medical crisis. She posted a fundraiser in hopes that she could help her parents through this tough time, particularly as her mom heals.

An Okanagan woman is warning others to be careful of the travel insurance they choose before setting out on long trips, particularly if they have health complications.

This fall, Melodie Domene’s mom Sonja visited Spain, her birth country. She had intended to stay for five weeks, but some discomfort turned into something life threatening.

“She just had two tiny blisters on her foot, and then she got this bacterial infection,” Melodie said. “Her leg was huge. It got red and there were blisters the size of golf balls.”

Worse yet, it was incredibly painful.

With no other choice, Sonja went to seek medical care. At first she got antibiotics, and a misdiagnosis of cellulitis.

Then the infection spread rapidly and developed into a severe necrotizing condition. She had to check into the hospital, where she stayed for two weeks.

Sonja had travel insurance, but didn’t realize it expired two weeks into her trip.

But, more importantly, because she was a breast cancer survivor with lymphedema, her insurance didn’t cover her condition, something she didn’t realize before she got a policy.

Her lymph fluid doesn't drain properly Melodie explained, and that makes her more susceptible to infection, thus negating her coverage just as she was trying to get life-saving treatment.

“They had to open up her leg on both sides because it was so swollen, it was literally like exploding,” Melodie said.

She was in hospital for nearly two weeks, at a price of $1,300 a day and without coverage. The family was out $20,000 before she was well enough to get on a 26-hour journey home.

Melodie says she's heard from people that she should have done her due diligence before booking the trip, but said she simply didn't know what to look for.

Melodie said her family, which owns a small flooring store in Oliver, depleted their contingency fund trying to make up for the cost of the medical misadventure and Sonja’s still not fully healed.

Melodie said she’s learned a lot about what to look for before booking a trip but would like to help her parents navigate this medical crisis. She posted a fundraiser in hopes that she could help her parents through this tough time, particularly as her mom heals.