Leave the Fear Behind During Your Cruise By Linda Walsh Article Word Count: 786 [View Summary] Comments (0) |
A few years back, my parents took their first cruise on a short 4 day excursion to the Mexican Riviera. Several months before taking their cruise, my Father had a very close brush with death from Diverticulosis. He had lost 9 pints of blood through rectal hemorrhaging due to a small fisher somewhere in the intestines. Although he had seen several medical doctors and had multiple x-rays, it was never determined what had caused the massive and uncontrollable bleeding at the time. We later learned (after the cruise) that the smallest seed from a piece of fruit is enough to tear his frail intestines. This cruise on the Royal Caribbean was a celebration of life for my folks as well as their 51st Wedding Anniversary celebration.
On board the cruise ship things were going great, and a beautiful picture was taken of the two of them as they boarded this luxury liner. It was shortly after dinner that something terrible happened.
My parents had just finished up an incredible meal with the Captain when my Father consumed a desert that had blueberries with small seeds which was enough to trigger another serious episode of hemorrhaging. He was rushed to the ships infirmary where the ships doctor did everything possible to stop the hemorrhaging. My Mother was an absolute wreck as my Father was treated by the ships doctor for this potentially deadly situation. They discovered that they would have to pay the whole medical bill up front by credit card and submit the bill later to their insurance company when they returned to shore for reimbursement. Fortunately, the bill did not exceed their maximum credit line.
What they learned from the whole experience was quite interesting. The doctor on board their cruise ship was excellent. He was able to stabilize my Fathers hemorrhaging through the use of blood coagulating medication until they returned to shore. Not only was he able to stabilize my Father, but he was able to calm my Mother and was extremely caring and attentive during the entire experience. He also informed my parents as to what foods my Father should completely avoid from that day forward.
The medication that was administered to my Father while on board worked well enough that there was no need for more extreme measures such as an emergency air lift or to have my Father dropped off in Ensenada Mexico for Hospital treatment while my poor Mother returned to the US port with the ship. He recovered so well that they were both able to enjoy the last day of the cruise and even take a short excursion (the last of 4 excursions) to Ensendada for some shopping.
That was about 7 years ago. To our surprise, my Father recently shared his interest in taking another cruise for 15 days to Hawaii. He hasn't had an episode with Diverticulosis since that last cruise in 2003 and has mastered what foods he can and cannot consume to avoid any further episodes. My Mother, however, is terrified at the thought that something might go wrong. She is so consumed with fear of having a similar experience that she would rather not go on the cruise.
I have shared with her my personal opinion, one that I have developed from traveling with my own Special Needs child. Leave the fear at home. Do some home work - research and educate yourself on the following items, you will be able to overcome the fear, and enjoy a wonderful experience.
- Research the age of the ship (typically, newer ships have better medical doctors and equipment)
- Learn any information you can about the ships doctor on board
- Find out what level of service the on-board clinic is capable of providing
- Ask beforehand what foods are provided at the buffets, and other meals
- Learn about travel insurance plans that specifically include medical clauses
- Carry a credit card with a large line of credit only for those just in case medical expenses
- Try to avoid the ships infirmary altogether by being proactive with your medical condition
- If you have food restrictions-carry a list of what you can have to reference when you are standing in front of a cruise buffet that may have the ability to dazzle and confuse you
- Carry your own medicines
- And find out what the procedures and possible expenses are for the worst case scenario
Fear is a terrible destroyer of good times, an enemy of relaxation, and a deadly plague against fun vacationing. Fight fear with knowledge, preparation, and a determined attitude to have fun. Only then can you learn to life to the fullest, no matter whether you are young, or old, healthy or living with disabilities.
Happy Travels!
| Linda Walsh is a mother of 3 young children - one with special needs and a forth child on the way. She is also a family travel expert who has developed a unique system for traveling with babies and young kids, budgeting money, cooking from scratch on the road, managing life with special needs, and living an organized lifestyle to get the most miles out of raising her family. If you would like to find more ways to simplify and organize your travels through life with your children, visit her website at http://www.familytravelgear.com or her blog at http://www.blog.familytravelgear.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Walsh |  |
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