Doctors and nurses,any funny cruise stories?

[alexandra cruiser]

The reason I ask is my DH is a surgeon and I m a semi retired RN)1 day/wk.Seems every time we travel,always SOMETHING.How about you?

Last time had a call on the plane to Europe for a Dr.or nurse to help out with emergency.A woman in labor, well DH has not done any OB work since school.Me,only my own child and observing during training.Really, not much we could do and she waited till we landed to give birth.

I could go on and on.Is it just us??

On cruise(a few yrs.ago)we had dinner with group.Naturally someone choked and DH did Heimlich manuver.

Guess these are not "funny" per se, but sort of odd situations.:confused:

[Dcoy]

We were on a 3 week European tour and we became friends with one of the families. The father was a MD but did not want anyone in the group to know so he could enjoy his vacation. We managed to help keep his secret till one of the last days when the entire group (around 40) was going to dinner. An older gentlemen fell down the stairs cutting his forehead.

 

The MD had to do something so he quickly identified himself and helped the guy. Luckily it ended being a small cut and a bandaid and some booze cured in injury.

 

Don

[LHT28]

Why was a woman close to delivery even allowed to fly??

 

If a nurse cannot help deliver a baby I am sure others onboard could help

The flight attendants probably have some training in medical emergencies

 

My nephew delivered one on the highway... he is a FF

Edited November 24, 2013 by LHT28

[Colorado Kat]

Why was a woman close to delivery even allowed to fly??

 

Some women just don't look pregnant. Must have been wearing a bulky coat or sweater.

[Daisyloo]

Why was a woman close to delivery even allowed to fly??

 

If a nurse cannot help deliver a baby I am sure others onboard could help

The flight attendants probably have some training in medical emergencies

 

My nephew delivered one on the highway... he is a FF

 

She could have gone into premature labour.

[donaldsc]

deleted

Edited November 25, 2013 by donaldsc

[20pluscruises]

We were on a 3 week European tour and we became friends with one of the families. The father was a MD but did not want anyone in the group to know so he could enjoy his vacation. We managed to help keep his secret till one of the last days when the entire group (around 40) was going to dinner. An older gentlemen fell down the stairs cutting his forehead.

 

The MD had to do something so he quickly identified himself and helped the guy. Luckily it ended being a small cut and a bandaid and some booze cured in injury.

 

Don

 

 

Pretty sure he wanted it to be hush hush due to legal reasons. Unfortunately, if he treats someone they can turn around and sue him. Sad, because I know they WANT to help if needed.

[Karysa]

Why was a woman close to delivery even allowed to fly??

 

If a nurse cannot help deliver a baby I am sure others onboard could help

The flight attendants probably have some training in medical emergencies

 

My nephew delivered one on the highway... he is a FF

 

 

Please don't count on the flight attendants medical knowledge. They call on passengers for medical assistance promptly for a reason!!

[Bonnie J.]

A Maitre'd on a Carnival ship had a heart attack on the Lido deck and the ship detoured to Port Canaveral to the closest hospital. When he got there he was told if it weren't for the care he got on the ship, he would be in a wheel chair or pine box!

He never told his wife he had the attack and was going home for his 3 month check up when we met him, and was afraid to tell her. They lived in Orlando. He was afraid she wouldn't let him keep cruising but she did.

Well, we met him again a few weeks ago and he is still a Sr. Maitre'd for Carnival and is in good health.

[alexandra cruiser]

She could have gone into premature labour.

 

and I was referring to the fact I had no recent OB experience>just had to rely on training knowledge.Same with DH.

And flight crew DID help,as much as any of us could.

 

Also, agree with the Dr.that didnt want anyone to know>sometimes people feel its necessary to go thru whole medical history or even show scars,etc.Just like lawyers ,and many other professionals.Sometimes you just want to "Relax" .

 

Also, its not like on TV. When you have no equipment,supplies,etc.,its very hard to really DO anything,ex.basic stuff(no matter WHAT your training).

 

;)

[SuitCaseBears]

Pretty sure he wanted it to be hush hush due to legal reasons. Unfortunately, if he treats someone they can turn around and sue him. Sad, because I know they WANT to help if needed.

 

Not entirely true. Most jurisdictions have what's called a "good Samaritan" law specifically designed to encourage people to step up in an emergency. It changes the law in terms of level of negligence required to sue someone and often burden of proof.

 

We also have a friend who's an MD but wont tell anyone he meets casually because of the people who have chronic issues and want to take up hours of his time telling him their entire history. It doesn't matter if the doctor is a gynecologist and want to talk about some eye problem. But he will identify himself (and has) in an emergency.

 

I'm an attorney and specialize in one area of law - but people are always asking questions about which I know nothing. Luckily I'm really good at getting them to back off;)

[SuitCaseBears]

Guess these are not "funny" per se, but sort of odd situations.:confused:

 

That may be why you're not getting a lot of responses. Your fun cocktail party story is someone else's vacation ruining terror.

 

I know you didn't mean it that way - but having had my last cruise end prematurely with my husband in pain and misery and eventually taken off the ship by ambulance and then spending 3 days in a hospital in a foreign country, the question hit me oddly. I realize I'm probably overly sensitive too.

[alexandra cruiser]

but too late to change.

Agree about the "good samaritian law"but my sister in law is a malpractice attorney and shes always warning DH about some lawsuit or other.

She says in FL.there are technicalities that some try to use to get around the law,and bring a lawsuit anyways.

My DH has NEVER been successfuly sued in 30 yrs.of practice.Had a few filed but they were pure fraud and dropped.His sister successfully drilled it into his head, if its not written down,it didnt happen.

Again,sorry about your recent experience.:(

Edited November 25, 2013 by alexandra cruiser
spelling

[chengkp75]

You have to watch considering the "good Samaritan" law, as once onboard ship you are dealing with the laws of the flag country of the ship.

 

On NCL in Hawaii, we gained a crew member one night, when a crew member gave birth while at sea. NCL thought the ADA or Family Leave act required them to allow the woman onboard when 9 months pregnant as long as her physician didn't preclude it. Actually, USCG regulations trump the ADA and Family Leave acts, when it comes to someone assigned an emergency duty onboard a ship.

[maureencruiser]

d.

 

Also, agree with the Dr.that didnt want anyone to know>sometimes people feel its necessary to go thru whole medical history or even show scars,etc.Just like lawyers ,and many other professionals.Sometimes you just want to "Relax" .;)

 

Slightly off topic, I knew a travel agent that whenever she went on a cruise, she would tell people she worked for the IRS. All the people that would have pestered her for free advice otherwise, stayed far away from her. :)

[alexandra cruiser]

who recently died at age 19(while I was on a cruise)SADLY. I was SO upset that I posted this on a thread under Floataway lounge for animal lovers.They were SO KIND and made me feel a little better.

 

Also, good point about laws when ships at sea.Never considered THAT TOO.

 

Funny, about the IRS agent thing.Maybe that or an insurance agent,haha.

 

Strange about the heart attack passenger,but so glad he did alright.

 

Guess all the unusual stuff that happens on land,also happens on the sea.;)

[Karysa]

This is the closest cruise medical emergency that DH responded to. We were flying into San Juan last summer for our cruise as were many others including the Shopping Consultant on the RCI Jewel of the Seas. She was a really nice and friendly young lady and we all got along very well. DH got up to use the restroom and a minute later the flight attendants were calling for a physician or nurse to assist them with a passenger. Well this announcement perked this girl up like a double espresso at midnight. She told me later, gesturing with her hand in the air, "I was like we got this, aisle 21." So back to the emergency. I am a nurse but removed from the hospital but DH is an ICU doc so I knew that he would finish his "business" and stop to see if he could help on his way back to his seat. This has happened on flights before and thankfully it's always been something quite minor, relatively speaking. So here is this shopping consultant turned have way out of her window seat ready to make sure DH stops to help. She was so delighted to tell me that he had stopped to help this teenage girl on her way home from a group trip to Toronto. When DH returned to his seat you would have thought that he had returned home from battle. She was beaming with pride and said the same to him and he just said it was not a big deal and got back to his movie.

[alexandra cruiser]

on 2 occasions my DH and I (drowsy only)were asleep when the call went out.Took us awhile to really WAKE UP,its been quite awhile since he did that as intern,etc.Other time we were eating dinner,got up.left trays on floor and when we returned the flight attendant gave us NEW ONES.Now maybe cause we were in Business class,don t know.BUt very nice gesture.

Once at a VERY NICE restuarant ,call for Dr. and he responded but they NEVER OFFERED to give us new dinners.Did ask if they could ""warm it up".:rolleyes:

[SadieN]

We are not in the medical field but this is a medical story. (DH loves talking to IRS agents.:))

 

Took the 2003 3day repo cruise on the HAL Amsterdam, San Diego to Vancouver. 188 pax onboard. The World Cruise ended in San Diego.

 

8 of us were seated at a 10 top. DH says to the waiter that the two women sitting at individual tables by the railing can join us if they want to. Our waiter looks over at the two women, points and says, 'Her husband died on the World Cruise. She went home, buried him and came back. She (pointing to the other woman) just shipped his body home.' He then proceeded to take our order without missing a beat.:p

[LA_CA_GAL]

'Her husband died on the World Cruise. She went home, buried him and came back.

 

Never thought about this.

 

Would it be possible to just have hubby buried at sea?

 

I am sure that is what HE would want.:rolleyes:

[chengkp75]

Never thought about this.

 

Would it be possible to just have hubby buried at sea?

 

I am sure that is what HE would want.:rolleyes:

 

Not usually. The death needs to be certified by a medical examiner in the first port reached following the death. Then the will needs to be probated and all living relatives need to be contacted for their okay for a burial at sea. Then, generally only ashes are allowed to be spread at sea. We have done several of these, but not when the deceased is "fresh".

[alexandra cruiser]

the wife must have REALLY wanted to continue with that cruise.But who knows ,,maybe the husband WANTED her to.One really never knows and I shouldn t judge.BUT...would YOU?

Hey, I love to cruise with the best of them,but a little mourning period seems called for,NO??

 

As a aside,my MOM was cremated and buried at sea by scattering ashes from a plane.I live near the beach and the first time I went to "talk "to her,I twisted my ankle and fell down(at which time I was stung by a jellyfish).True story,really, THink she was TRYING to tell me something,but it seemed unsettling.Still not sure WHAT it meant,but have gone back MANY TIMES with no more "messages".She loved to travel and wanted to 'keep moving and see the world,even after ".;)

[Beachdude]

Pretty sure he wanted it to be hush hush due to legal reasons. Unfortunately, if he treats someone they can turn around and sue him. Sad, because I know they WANT to help if needed.

 

I doubt it was laws, my father inlaw got in the habit of not letting anyone know he was a doctor after he missed a couple days of vacation at a Colorado resort. None of the issues were life threatening, the resort just gave his name out as incidents occured. Most doctors will volunteer for a life threatening situation, but they'd like to enjoy their privacy for cuts and bruises.

 

Burt

[Karysa]

I doubt it was laws, my father inlaw got in the habit of not letting anyone know he was a doctor after he missed a couple days of vacation at a Colorado resort. None of the issues were life threatening, the resort just gave his name out as incidents occured. Most doctors will volunteer for a life threatening situation, but they'd like to enjoy their privacy for cuts and bruises.

 

Burt

 

 

The legality behind it definitely stops some doctors from coming forward to help. We know this from colleagues and by reading professional newsletters. There is a lot of pressure put on doctors on flights especially. Emergency or general medicine is not everyones specialty. On one occasion DH was asked to make a decision if our 30 minute late flight could proceed with take off or if the patient needed to be removed from the plane. On a flight from Venice he was asked if the plane should be diverted to Gander Newfoundlad as we were just over 1/2 way across the Atlantic. On the first occasion DH asked if a defibrillator was on board and the flight attendant said yes. He then said "We're good to go then". The second lady had gotten a little dizzy when she stood up and fell down and lightly bumped her head on the arm rest. He could hardly believe that he was asked if he thought that they should divert a jumbo jet for an incident that almost no one would even go to a doctor for. Perhaps one flight attendant on long haul flights should also be a nurse. That would be much cheaper than the cost of diverting a plane.

[herbanrenewal]

I'm an OB nurse so I could have easily handled the delivery...my 1 time i responded to a call for help was a heart attack. I responded "I know CPR" without disclosing my profession. I initiated CPR and used the defib. Luckily the man survived We diverted to nearest airport.

 

Afterwards another passenger said he was an ER doc, and said he knew another doc would respond. I told him I was an OB nurse and he said he didn't know OB nurses could run a code. <<<sigh>>>