After an unexpected injury 2.5 days into our summer family vacation, I have since had surgery and preparing to leave Tampa, sooner than later, most likely tomorrow morning.
The 3rd morning after the 4 rods and stabilizer were removed and 2 incisions with 18 staples each, I was finally discharged from St. Joseph’s Tampa Bay Hospital.
My cousin came to help get me loaded into car and have lunch before we got on the road back to Texas.
PT throughout this painful process has helped me to navigate a walker and wheelchair. Still need a lot of practice. Maneuvering restrooms are exhausting.
8/14/2019:
Had my first appointment with the Houston orthopedic who just happened to be the chief of surgery – Orthopedics for Kelsey (I am in good hands). He was impressed with the work done by the Tampa team and confirmed I had a significant break reiterating no weight bearing for 3 months 😳. I start range of motion PT next week.
Went to office today to complete leave of absence paperwork. Since I haven’t been at my new company more than 180 days, I am not eligible for paid short term disability or FMLA.
08/28/2019:
Staples came out last week. Whew, that was painful.
1st physical therapy (PT) yesterday went well but the pain following has been brutal. Ibuprofen regimen can only do so much. The nerve pain is surreal. Even broke out the essential oils to help since nothing else has worked and the ortho office has yet to respond to my inquiry about something for nerve pain. 😳
09/24/2019 update:
PT goal in straightening my leg is less than 5 degrees to zero. First PT I was at 30 degrees. Yesterday I was at 12 degrees at the beginning of PT and 10 by the end. Great progress
Scars are healing nicely.
Next doctor appointment is tomorrow. I am still not allowed to bear weight but been practicing getting in and out of vehicle with walker and getting wheelchair out with success but getting it back into the car has been a bit more challenging.
09/25/2019 Update:
So excited! Doctor was very happy with the progress I have made with range of motion. He wants me to use my walker more to put some pressure on foot to stimulate healing and to prepare for full weight bearing in another month or so.
X-rays from today from the front and inside view of knee. #titanium
10/10/2019 Update:
After several weeks of PT I am not quite where I should be but I am okay with that. I am getting stronger each day. This is a straightening exercise that is hardest thing so far. Range of motion and bending hurts but I can do it. Straightening my leg is not as easy. If I can’t get this, I’ll end up with a permanent limp.
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Please help if you can: gf.me/u/ui73fj
Every little bit helps and is greatly appreciated.
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It only took 11 cruises and the wrong decision of declining travel insurance before having a medical emergency on a cruise. That’s how we ruined our vacation without even knowing it (sort of).
We drove to Miami at the end of July this year. We met my brothers family from South Carolina and my sisters family from California on The Carnival Horizon for our 2019 #fambam cruise. Saturday, July 27th was our first day and totally chill. Sunday, July 28th was our first sea day, we all did our own thing. Chris and I had Sea Day Brunch then I went sunning for about an hour. My sister, her momma, and my sissy-in-law were at a cooking demo in the atrium so I met up with them after sunning. We listened to some tunes, and I tried a pineapple chipotle martini, delish.
Before heading to our rooms, Michu mixed up a Blue Moon Martini. It was good but the pineapple chipotle was much yummier.
Off to get ready for our first formal night where the kids were entertained by a magician and we indulged on lobster and steak. Below are my nephews and niece. My ❤️❤️❤️❤️’s.
My nephews and niece
Magical Magic on the Carnival Horizon. How did he do that?
Wake up Family! We are in Grand Turk on this fabulous Monday, July 29th! We were actually the late risers but only behind by 20 minutes 🤪! Brother-In-Law rented a cabana at Margaritaville (thank you Scott) so we were poolside a few hours.
Then we took a stroll on the beach to the end where Jack’s Shack was. We indulged on some themed drinks, lunch, and snorkeling. The Jerk Chicken they served melted in your mouth, so good! We had so much fun with the kids both poolside and snorkeling. It was an absolutely beautiful day. We met Topher and Calypso the curly dogs at Jacks and a stray we named Lucy Lulu. The kids got to hold a barracuda that a local fisherman caught (see pic and video below) 🦈 🦈
Jack’s Shack
Best moment for the kids I think was holding the Barracuda 🦈🦈🦈
WILSON!Topher
We returned to the ship for showers and rest.
Instead of dinner in main dining room we sat with family for some Guy’s burgers 🍔 🍔. Kids went to camp ocean and adults strolled the ship before meeting up later.
Meanwhile, Chris and I made lunch reservations at Bonsai Teppanyaki for Wednesday 7/31, looked around some more at the different places on the ship such as Guy’s Pig and Anchor Brewery, a couple of shops, etcetera before finding our way to casino where the others were.
About to call it quits, I win a nice sized jackpot 🤑🤑🤑, yay! We are green again and more than we had came with. Since we had to be up early for our excursion with the family in the Dominican we decided to head back to the room about 11:15pm (this is early for us on vacation). Chose stairs over elevator because of the wait besides we were only 2 floors down from the 4th floor. We’ve done this thousands of times and I was in my sneakers for comfort.
Picture of stairs from web for example.
About 2 steps from approaching the second floor my foot slips. It all happened so fast. I remember catching myself with my left foot and grabbing my left knee and dropping to the floor like I was dying but instead crying not able to move anything. Any attempt to stand was unsuccessful. Next, the Carnival stretcher team appeared and lifted me onto a scoop stretcher and carried me to the medical center.
I vaguely remember what happened shortly thereafter. I had been sedated and upon awakening, my left leg was in a splint and I’m being told I have an unstable fracture and need to be transported to a Dominican hospital to see an orthopedic there in which I declined immediately. Next option was giving our insurance info and they got clearance to have Jet I.C.U. transport me to Tampa, Florida from the Dominican.
Back view of my left knee / tibia : See the solid horizontal line? That’s one break.Side view of fracture at joint: see the wishbone figure? The top part is one of the 3 breaks. I believe the bottom one is too.What I woke up to on ship – Splint 1
Our Jet I.C.U. Nurse Scott and Medic Jared we’re very accommodating and escorted us every step of the way in the transportation from the ship to the La Romana, D.R. airport to Tampa Airport and then to St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Blue suits are Jet I.C.U.
Splint 2 – prepared for medi-vac
Now let’s rewind a bit. We drove from Houston to embark on the Carnival Horizon in Miami. Due to the medical emergency, we were flown from the port we happen to arrive in after the accident (La Romana, D.R.) to Tampa. Same state but a 4-7 hour drive each way depending on traffic to Miami where our car is. Chris was able to rent a car one way to go fetch our vehicle (note to self, that is a transportation expense to document for medical).
Honestly I didn’t even see this when being transported from ship to La Romana Airport. Scott my medivac nurse took it and dropped to me so I could at least have a picture showing I actually arrived there 🙀😹😿Courtesy of Nurse Scott: the ambulance when they arrive to the ship.Courtesy of Nurse Scott: the Jet at Tampa Airport before heading to D.R but including here since my pic wasn’t as pretty.Off-boarding ambulanceOnboarding Jet
View of La Romana as we depart. I’m still on a stretcher 😕 At least I had a window 😊
Below, in Tampa, I’m in critical condition in an emergency room for five or so hours before being put into a room where we don’t see an orthopedic until sometime the next day. I now have a blood clot in my arm from an infiltrated I.V. either from the cruise medical staff or Jet I.C.U. medical staff not that they did anything wrong, it’s a pretty common complication, but painful.
E.R removed ship and medivac splint – ouchSwole not quite 💪 swolePretty State Side SplintClear view of 2 breaks courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital 🏥
After being transferred to the Critical Care Unit Orthopedic Wing, when we finally see the orthopedic, it wasn’t him but his P.A. explaining that I may be too swollen to repair the Tibial Plateau Fracture and if that was the case they would install an external fixture device to stabilize the leg and wait for swelling to go down.
Meanwhile, the rest of my family is still onboard enjoying their vacation as they should. Before the accident, we had seen the family comedy show headlining Cee-Jay Jones. He was hilarious. With the kids at camp ocean, the rest of the family went to see the adult comedy show and had drinks with Cee-Jay after. He made a video for me. It was the nicest and funniest video. It did cheer me up. Thank you family and Cee-Jay.
Finally, on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 31st my surgery is scheduled and we meet the orthopedic right before. Unfortunately, I woke up with the external device instead of the plates and screws to repair the break.
External Fixation Device AKA – Stabilizer; AKA – there are flipping rods screwed into my tibia and femur 😳😳😳
I’ve been and continue to be in pain. Since leaving the ship, I have been injected with fentynal, morephine, and dilaudid and no matter how much Benadryl they gave me I could not stop itching. Now my face is dried out and there are blisters around my mouth as a reaction to the meds. It’s an ugly site. Now they have me on Percocet which barely works but no scratching holes through my skin so it will do.
Thursday 8/01, a minor setback when one of the rods punctures a hematoma with a good amount of bleeding. I was already being treated for the blood clot in my arm so it explains the spewing blood, but there were also clots of it at the rod site as well. Say prayers please. 🙏🙏🙏
they applied a pressure dressing to help:
We are still here in Tampa, a 16 hour drive from home without an immobile passenger and the extended time for stops being I am completely incapable of caring for myself at this time so estimating it could actually be a 24 hour drive in my condition. Still no definitive surgery date yet but today (8/04), the PT guy noted I was penciled in for 8/7 but that could change depending on my swelling and mobility.
Carnival charged us $1,017 dollars cash for the care they provided over a period of 12-15 hours. They have yet to refund us for our unused cheers program as promised or any compensation toward a future cruise.
As of 8/11/2019 – We have been reimbursed for 5 days of the pre-purchased cheers program to our credit card. We have not been reimbursed any port, taxes, fees, or gratuities for those 5 days nor have they been applied to our itemized statement from the ship. The only items reimbursed on our statement were the pre-purchased spa and excursions.
We were hoping since we were only on the ship 2.5 days of an 8 day cruise at a cost of $1400 per person approximately (roughly $175 per day pp not included added expenses such as spa, excursions, etcetera), they would be a bit more gracious other than check on me everyday (which is actually nice but my business brain says they are covering themselves in case we decide to seek legal counsel). I’m pretty generous and round that 2.5 days to 3. This would mean we have lost $875 per person or $1750 for the 5 days left of the cruise we missed.
We were so excited for this trip with our family only to have it taken away from us, at least my husband and I in the very beginning. 😌😢
8/5 – Technically the last day of our planned vacation. I was supposed to return to work tomorrow. We are still #StuckinTampa. I can see my knee cap though instead of a swollen shiny skin blob.
Wait, wait. Pause. Jesse, Othro’s P.A. is here…..
Good news, at this time swelling has significantly decreased and my mobility has improved so they are putting me on the schedule for the surgery Wednesday 8/7. Hallelujah!
8/6 – Good news continues. Jesse, the P.A. says my knee looks even better today than yesterday. We are still on for surgery tomorrow. 😬 Never thought I’d be so excited about having plates and screws inside my leg. Sure beats this erector set bolted into my femur and tibia.
8/6 – One step forward, two steps back. Doesn’t it always seem that way? After the great news about surgery actually happening, I found out since I haven’t been at my new company more than 180 days, I am not eligible to use the optional paid Short Term Disability Insurance or FMLA. This means I will have no income until I return to work which can be anywhere from 4 weeks to as much as 12 weeks or longer depending on my progress. 😳🙄😌😢
Tibial Plateau Fracture Surgery Pain is Searing
8/8 – The pain is real! We are now on the mending side after yesterday’s surgery. 2 plates and 10 pins, 1 plate on each side of the upper tibia. They have me on Percocet every 4 hours with last dilaudid in IV at 7:05 AM this morning. Occasionally as needed they give me a robaxin to relieve the muscles. It barely manages the sharp knife like pains.
I tried to bend my leg when PT was here and it was awful. The splint is a locking splint to keep it straight so the bones can heal. Only to be unlocked when bending for sitting, etcetera. I miss the running hot water of a shower more than most anything right now. I miss my boys, home, animals, and work so much. I want to get better but this pain is so debilitating. 😢
8/9 – Saw PA this morning who removed the ace bandage and redressed the surgical sites with coverderm. The incisions are gnarly looking but clean.
Currently on conditional release pending PT session.
Scratch that, no release today. Most likely tomorrow 8/10 while PT coordinates ambulatory devices (wheelchairs/walker) with my insurance.
Current lessons learned:
1. Always purchase travel insurance.
Lesson here – Have you read the blog? Unless Carnival decides out of the kindness of their hearts to credit us for the 5 days we missed, we are out of luck since we didn’t purchase travel insurance. 😢
2. Document and take pictures of everything.
Lesson here – Have you read the blog? Notice all the pictures? In the event, we have to have proof for insurance or any other reason, it’s documented not only here in verbiage but also in photos.
3. Ask questions and stand your ground (i.e. they tried to convince us our only option was to be left in the Dominican to see an orthopedic, we refused and pushed for something better, not ideal being stuck 4 states away from home but still better than being stuck in a foreign country).
Lesson here – Do what is best for YOU!
4. Keep in mind, if you are ever medivac’d for a medical emergency from a resort, cruise etcetera, you are limited on what you can take. I know most of us overpack on a cruise, we had 3 bags plus a carry on. The items in the carryon did not come back with us (gifts, deco, Fresca, wine, etcetera) so we could have a suitcase for souvenirs. We were limited to 1 bag each no more than 23lbs each. My husband had to determine what was essential and what was not in less than an hour for the jet bags and then pack everything else in our 2 largest suitcases for Carnival to ship to our home upon debarkation in Miami. Needless to say, he had to go shopping for toiletries in Tampa after retrieving our vehicle from Miami.
Lesson here – pack a separate essentials bag for emergencies only as an additional bag on future vacations (this could be a collapsible soft-pack that can easily fit into main luggage w/ a list of what to pack in it so you pack what’s necessary per the list rather than guess).
5. Make sure you have adequate personal health insurance. We are greatly underinsured and have no choice but to ask for help as my medical expenses continue to grow. Please spread the word and the gofundme link: gf.me/u/ui73fj. Every little bit helps and is greatly appreciated. For those who prefer not to use gofundme, you can PayPal friends and family or Venmo at:
Then we took a stroll on the beach to the end where Jack’s Shack was. We indulged on some themed drinks, lunch, and snorkeling. The Jerk Chicken they served melted in your mouth, so good! We had so much fun with the kids both poolside and snorkeling. It was an absolutely beautiful day. We met Topher and Calypso the curly dogs at Jacks and a stray we named Lucy Lulu. The kids got to hold a barracuda that a local fisherman caught (see pic and video below) 🦈 🦈
rubyrochelle 