Misdiagnosis aboard Regatta

[esther e]

I wasn't going to mention this but someone urged me to post just for the sake of possibly helping someone else.:)

 

I had a bad fall on a tour on the 3rd day of the 25-day cruise. That would be just about a month now, give or take. I saw the ship's MD and had several X-rays taken of my shoulder and ankle. He said I dislocated my shoulder and badly sprained my ankle. By the end of the cruise I still wasn't able to put on some shoes and the swelling was still there. My shoulder had pretty much healed. However, I was not going to be happy until I had my own personal MD (who happens to be a Mayo MD) check me out. Of course, they did their own X-rays last Friday, the day after we arrived home. My doctor said my shoulder had pretty much gone back to where it should be, but I did have a broken bone in my ankle and not just a sprain. I was shocked!!! A broken bone? How could that be? Bottom line, I am now in a soft cast for the next few weeks. I am healing well, but still swollen and hobbling around.

 

I am urging everyone if you have any injuries (and I truly hope you do not) to please, please get a re-evaluation when you get home, even if you feel great. You never know. I shudder to think of the consequences if I had let this ankle go and just chalked it up to a sprain.

 

Another thought: my ship's medical bills totalled almost $700. Of course we had traveler's insurance. Again, only a fool would not take insurance. And I do not mean ship's insurance. TravelGuard or Access America are the ones that come immediately to mind.

 

I hope this experience is helpful to anyone out there. :)

 

Esther

[lcand1923]

Esther,

 

So sorry to hear of your fall. We hope you managed to enjoy your cruise in spite of it.

 

We like to caution anyone who has a fall while on vaction to be checked out by their own Doctor when they get home. A dear friend of ours had a fall at the beginning of a land tour of the National Parks. She was rushed by ambulance to a major US hospital where it was determined that she had several complex fractures of her arm. She was admitted to the hospital, the arm was set, etc. When she was finally approved for travel, she flew home.

 

She went to her regular practitioner who scheduled additional x-rays. The arm needed to be reset and she had several broken ribs that were not identified at the first hospital.

 

Most people do not think of Travel Insurance when considering the cost of seeing the Ship's Doctor, but those charges can definitely add up. Thank you for reminding us.

 

Please have a Happy and HEALTHY 2006!

[esther e]

Thanks for your kind thoughts. One thing I forgot to mention is that you should ask questions when examined. Now, that's easier said than done; I was not functioning and though.of things to ask after the fact. I noticed on the invoice that the ship's MD only put a diagnosis on my ankle and never mentioned my shoulder. I had to go back to him and have him fill out the form a second time.

Esther

[digby]

"A broken bone? How could that be? "

 

I asked that very question to a radiologist and he said there could be many reasons it did not show up on the ship. A couple of the reasons he gave are that it could have been a hairline fracture which might not show up, and some small breaks don't show up until they actually begin to heal.

 

In any event you certainly did the right thing by having it checked when you got home. I'm glad to hear you are healing well now.

[ridolphi]

WOW a lesson for all of us - as my daughter would say 'Be proactive, ask questions and don't give up until you have an answer that satisfies you - and get a second opinion" won't go into why this is her philosophy - but will say that from experience she is right! I guess though, that we do need to remember that a ships hospital is not a trauma center and they do have limited facilities available, not excusing it, just pointing out something to remember.

[FrogCruiser]

It is not an infrequent occurance that a fracture may not be seen on the first set of x-rays taken following an injury. Follow up films in 10 - 14 days may show evidence for the fracture that did not show up on the first films. This may have been the case here, or perhaps the doctor on board mis-read the films. I doubt that doctor was a radiologist and some fractures are difficult to see even if they are there even for a board-certified radiologist.

Also frequently a severe sprain can be more problematic and take longer to heal than a fracture.

I hope the doctor told you to avoid weight bearing until it was better and to follow up with your doctor if not improved or recheck with them if it got worse - but regardless, not seeing a fracture on a film is not necessarily negligent. Of course, if the bones were obviously in two pieces such that ny med student would notice it then it might innded be negligent.

I hope now that it's been immobilized, you heal quickly!

[esther e]

FrogCruiser

Thanks. I'll have to agree with you that the ship's MD was probably (more than probably) not an ortho. And I'll give him the benefit of a doubt about seeing a fracture. My point, though, is to always see your own MD when you return home, IF you feel there may be a question in your mind. That seems prudent, but so many people might shrug it off and end up with more problems.

[FinelyCruising]

esther, good advice given the example of your circumstances. Can't have been one of the best trips for you not feeling too good as a result. Sorry to hear this happened.

[FinelyCruising]

esther, good advice given the example of your circumstances. Can't have been one of the best trips for you not feeling too good as a result. Sorry to hear this happened.

[esther e]

Finely

On the contrary. It was a wonderful trip. Do not think for one minute a bad ankle is going to keep me from "kicking up my heels." Seriously, since I thought it was only a sprain, I treated it as such. All I really missed out on was a couple of beach tours the first couple of days. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to go back and catch those beaches!!!!!

Esther

[FinelyCruising]

There you go! ;)