Castaway Cay day, cont.---
We hurriedly ate breakfast and anxiously awaited going onto the island. I'd heard so much about it. I was really looking forward to this day! Boy would I like to have it over to do differently!!!
Anyway---we headed off to the beach. Found our way to the snorkelling beach and snorkelled for about an hour. THen checked out more of the beach and the shops.
When lunch time came, we headed to Cookies for our bar b q--- Great food, great company, .... .
Soon it was time to meet our tour group for our snorkel excursion---Seahorse Catamaran (or something like that). And we were off!
With my Dad's experience at snorkelling and the number of guards on boogie boards and the shallowness of much of the reef and him having his life preserver half inflated---I had too much confidence! Checking on my Dad many times, he was on the reef and doing well, as always. Suddenly, I heard the horn blasting, whistles blowing and them frantically waving their hands to come in! My first though---Oh My God, Sharks! Instead, I was met at the boat with someone saying your Dad is in trouble! Somehow, he had taken in water, blown up his life preserver the rest of the way, swam on his back all the way back to the boat by himself, was helped on board, then collapsed! Noone noticed him in destress! Once on board, he became unconscious, unresponsive, but still breathing.
THe boat took off back towards the ship. Lifeguards on jet skies met us part way. By then my Dad had regained consciousness, but was still unable to move and was extremely tired, as well as breathing way too fast.
Back at the dock, a golf cart sped us to the ship's clinic. There my Dad's stomach was emptied, he was put on a breathing machine to slow his breathing and put less stress on his heart, and medicine to remove the water from his lungs were given. The Dr. explained he would have to be evacuated at that point. Several plans were considered---helicopter (would take to long), dock in Freeport, go to Nassau or Freeport hospital, ultimately the ship left the port at it's scheduled time and a tug boat met us at sea. But before we could leave, I did have to recount the story several times and pay the medical fees on board (we hadn't taken trip insurance), and pack all our stuff up. Finally the tug was there, we transferred to it, went on to Freeport where we met a Lear jet Ambulance that flew us both (and our luggage) back to Ft. Lauderdale. (If they had taken him by helicopter, I would have had to fly on a public plane and make my way to the hospital by myself). In all, it took about 9 hours from the time of his accident until he was in the hospital! Fortunately, the medical staff on the Disney ship were well qualified and the Disney staff was kind. The medical staff and customer relations at North Ridge Medical Center was also extremely good!
Not a great way to end a cruise, but it could have been a lot worse! My Dad spent 2 nights in ICU , 1 in CCU, and 2 in a regular room. Fortunately he seems to be fine now and is back home in Oregon.
Sue
We hurriedly ate breakfast and anxiously awaited going onto the island. I'd heard so much about it. I was really looking forward to this day! Boy would I like to have it over to do differently!!!
Anyway---we headed off to the beach. Found our way to the snorkelling beach and snorkelled for about an hour. THen checked out more of the beach and the shops.
When lunch time came, we headed to Cookies for our bar b q--- Great food, great company, .... .
Soon it was time to meet our tour group for our snorkel excursion---Seahorse Catamaran (or something like that). And we were off!
With my Dad's experience at snorkelling and the number of guards on boogie boards and the shallowness of much of the reef and him having his life preserver half inflated---I had too much confidence! Checking on my Dad many times, he was on the reef and doing well, as always. Suddenly, I heard the horn blasting, whistles blowing and them frantically waving their hands to come in! My first though---Oh My God, Sharks! Instead, I was met at the boat with someone saying your Dad is in trouble! Somehow, he had taken in water, blown up his life preserver the rest of the way, swam on his back all the way back to the boat by himself, was helped on board, then collapsed! Noone noticed him in destress! Once on board, he became unconscious, unresponsive, but still breathing.
THe boat took off back towards the ship. Lifeguards on jet skies met us part way. By then my Dad had regained consciousness, but was still unable to move and was extremely tired, as well as breathing way too fast.
Back at the dock, a golf cart sped us to the ship's clinic. There my Dad's stomach was emptied, he was put on a breathing machine to slow his breathing and put less stress on his heart, and medicine to remove the water from his lungs were given. The Dr. explained he would have to be evacuated at that point. Several plans were considered---helicopter (would take to long), dock in Freeport, go to Nassau or Freeport hospital, ultimately the ship left the port at it's scheduled time and a tug boat met us at sea. But before we could leave, I did have to recount the story several times and pay the medical fees on board (we hadn't taken trip insurance), and pack all our stuff up. Finally the tug was there, we transferred to it, went on to Freeport where we met a Lear jet Ambulance that flew us both (and our luggage) back to Ft. Lauderdale. (If they had taken him by helicopter, I would have had to fly on a public plane and make my way to the hospital by myself). In all, it took about 9 hours from the time of his accident until he was in the hospital! Fortunately, the medical staff on the Disney ship were well qualified and the Disney staff was kind. The medical staff and customer relations at North Ridge Medical Center was also extremely good!
Not a great way to end a cruise, but it could have been a lot worse! My Dad spent 2 nights in ICU , 1 in CCU, and 2 in a regular room. Fortunately he seems to be fine now and is back home in Oregon.
Sue
