Question about scissors

[jsjjkelly]

Hi all!

 

I'm usually a lurker more than a poster here, but I truly don't know what to do.

 

We leave on Sunday on the Legend (me, my husband, daughter and son) and today at school my son fell and smashed his head on the steps. The end result was 8 stitches where his left eyebrow used to be.

 

So the ER doc said to bring him in 7 days to get the stitches removed, but we'll be on our cruise. So she said no problem, she'll send me with a suture removal pack.

 

In this blister pack is gauze, alcohol pad, 1 pair of scissors and a pair of serrated forceps, whatever that is.

 

SO, measured the scissors without opening the pack and from tip to tip they're 5 inches. Carnivals rule is 4.

 

Do I try and take them out and show them my son's stitches (which will be WAY noticeable along with the black eye he's starting to sport). Do I pack the blister pack in our check throughs? I want to do the honest thing, but how do I bring this kit along with me without causing the most trouble?

 

Also, could we be denied boarding for some reason because of these scissors? My mother in law said to just let the ships dr take them out, but after hearing how much other peoples visits were, I don't want to pay $150 for a simple thing.

 

Any suggestions from you pros?

 

Thanks in advance!

Shawn

[DocF]

I am almost 70 and I would not want an amateur taking out stitches from my eyebrow area. I guess I am suggesting a visit to the ship's infirmary.

 

If you feel confident in doing this, I would toss the suture kit in checked bags and go blissfully on my way. The worst that may happen is a visit to the naughty room.

 

Doc

[luvcruisetime]

My daughter had surgery on her arm last may, and they missed a couple stitches when taking them out. I sterilized a pair of nail scissors, you know, the kind in a manicure kit. They worked perfectly. Maybe replace the scissors with ones that are acceptable by Carnival.

[ktm2171]

We're on this cruise as well, we've cruised on carnival as well as other lines and I've never had a pair of scissors removed from our luggage and I always carry them - you just never know when you'll need them. I would put them in your carry on - if they are in a blister pack I doubt they would even question you.

I've got years of experience removing sutures from critters - as a zookeeper and then a vet tech - be happy to help you if you find yourself unable to do it yourself... ;)

;)

[YubaSutter]

We've used a new pair of nail clippers to remove stitches, many times.

[jsjjkelly]

Thanks everyone! I thought worse case scenario is they confiscate them, then we'll just have to use nail clippers. But I'd prefer to bring this kit along with me. Fingers crossed and hope for the best! I just didn't want to be removed from the cruise and deemed a terrorist or something for having the scissors! I've been looking forward to this cruise for too long now to have it taken away because of something like this!

 

Shawn :-)

[firefly333]

I had some $3 scissors and they just wanted to confiscate them saying the blades were too long. the 4 inch rule is the blade only, not the whole scissors. See if you can find some sewing scissors that are not as long in the blade.

[firefly333]

We're on this cruise as well, we've cruised on carnival as well as other lines and I've never had a pair of scissors removed from our luggage and I always carry them - you just never know when you'll need them. I would put them in your carry on - if they are in a blister pack I doubt they would even question you.

I've got years of experience removing sutures from critters - as a zookeeper and then a vet tech - be happy to help you if you find yourself unable to do it yourself... ;)

;)

 

I've always carried the same pair on cruises too .. until they decided this year to enforce the rules .. this was in Galveston. They also took my corkscrew though in Miami .. maybe Im just unlucky or look like a trouble maker.

[Texarribean Chick]

I carry scissors with me on every cruise. I put them in my checked baggage (cosmetic bag) and move forward. I wouldn't be concerned. Just "go about your business" and do not alert anyone to anything!

 

Have Fun!

[lady_cruiser]

Bring everything that your doctor gave you, along with a letter from the doctor saying why this is neccessary and you should have no problem.

[ChefSusan]

I'd put the stitches removal kit in your carry-on bag, along with a note from your doctor. This way if they want to question the kit, you can provide proof that your doctor gave you the kit. Or spend the $$$ and have the ship's doctor remove the stitches while you're on the cruise.

[loxley]

If worse comes to worse, it will cause no harm to leave them in a few extra days.

 

Depending on the cut and how your son heals, they may not even be ready to come out in 7 days.

 

Have you ever seen someone who had their sutures removed too soon? It can gap back open and they can not resuture it if that happens.

 

I remove sutures everyday at work. Sometimes people don't get back in for several weeks. It is not a problem until it is several months past due.

[BeccaBecca1713]

I've always packed scissors and even a small screwdriver in my make up bag in checked luggage. No probs....

 

For those curious, the screwdriver was to replace a curling iron spring if one broke. Me and my hair always have contingency plans, LOL!

[skewsus]

I'm a scrapbooker and have taken my 8 inch scissors with me on many many cruises, never questioned! Pack 'em!

Also, I am a nurse and promise you, if the sutures are ready to come out, do it yourself, do not pay the infirmary. I cut my hand once and they charged me $5.00 for handing me 3 betadine packets.

[Crusin Karen]

If worse comes to worse, it will cause no harm to leave them in a few extra days.

 

Depending on the cut and how your son heals, they may not even be ready to come out in 7 days.

 

Have you ever seen someone who had their sutures removed too soon? It can gap back open and they can not resuture it if that happens.

 

I remove sutures everyday at work. Sometimes people don't get back in for several weeks. It is not a problem until it is several months past due.[/quote

I have to agree with this. Why don't you call the dr. and tell him what day you will be home and ask him if it's okay to leave the sutures in that long, then make an appt. for that day or the next and have him take them out! ;) Either way, glad it's not as serious as it could have been and have a great cruise!

[MicksMom]

Sounds familiar... DD sliced open her leg a week before our first cruise... Deep cut, had 2 layers of stitches. Dr. Wanted them in 10 days... He took them out on the 7th day & told her to be careful & if it opened up, clean it & cover it. She was cautious at first but by the end of the week she was fine.

 

She has a decent scar & tells people it is a shark bite. Lol she sliced it open on a license plate running through a parking lot in the rain wearing flip flops...

 

Kids heal fast. Have a great cruise!!

[mousey]

My daughter had surgery on her arm last may, and they missed a couple stitches when taking them out. I sterilized a pair of nail scissors, you know, the kind in a manicure kit. They worked perfectly. Maybe replace the scissors with ones that are acceptable by Carnival.

 

That's exactily what I was thinking, just replace them with the size that fits Carnival's rules. :D

[jsjjkelly]

Thanks so much everyone.

 

After much deliberation, I think we're going to wrap the kit with the paperwork and send it through the checked luggage. This will save hastle during the check in process which I was hoping to avoid. Then if we do indeed get called down to the naughty room as some call it, we'll have the paperwork with it to explain it all. And worse case scenario, we'll use nail clippers to take them out the old fashioned way!

 

The dr said 7-10 days so we'll play it by ear to see what the darn thing looks like. Right now he's started to get a nice black eye. And my mother in law wanted a nice "family" picture!!! Oh well. At least he's fine.

 

I'll make sure to take his picture, stitches and all, and post it afterwards in my review... :-)

Thanks so much!

Shawn

[StillPooh]

Put the suture removal kit in your locked checked bags. In your carry-on the TSA is far more likely to take it from you than Carnival security is.

[kelkel2]

First,

I dont think you will have it taken away. I had full size scissors on my last cruise and didn't have any problems. Also packed a cork screw etc... I think that will the be least of their worries..

 

Second,

My sister is a nurse and took my stitches out once. She told me it was silly to go to the doctor for something as simple as that. So, I just had her do it. I'm quite confident after watching her do it, anyone with a steady hand and concentration can do it easily.

[lgbteacher]

My DD stuffed her school backpack with her carry on stuff(book, ipod, make-up, etc). It still had her art stuff in it from the previous school year. They stopped us at check-in and took her backpack to the side. The lady said the xray shows a huge pair of scissors. Her dad and I were horrified. The lady pulled them out and they were huge. My husband told her to just throw them away. He was so embarassed. The lady told my daughter they were too long but she would just put them back in her back pack without my husband seeing. I guess the DD truly looked surprised when they were found or not too scary. We ended up needing them later on the cruise.