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A tale of travel insurance and Europe.

jackretired

By jackretired,
in Holland America Line

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jackretired

jackretired

Posted
Posted

About day 2 or 3 of the cruise I must have hit my bad leg on something.

My skin on that leg is very thin and easy to damage. I now have 2 small wounds on that leg.

No infection. Bandage etc. Went to ships doctor who said watch it carefully so it does not turn into cellulitis. Which could become septic.

Things progressed in a good way. Every time the ships doctor saw us he would stop and check my progress.

Then, I got a head cold.

Within 24 hours my leg went from an open sore to infection.

The ships doctor said cellulitis, and that is what he was afraid of.

He treated me with IV antibiotics and declared me unfit to cruise.

At the next port I was put in an ambulance and taken to scary hospital. See below.

The hospital had ships doctors report.

The hospital ran several test including ultra sound on my bad leg.

Found nothing.

After 12 hours the hospital decided they would give me the same IV antibiotics as the ships doctor. But it was not cellulitis. After three days,

When I refused a second round of ultrasound and seeing a vein specialist, the hospital decided not to treat me anymore. Gave me oral antibiotics and kicked me out.

I had travel insurance that took 3 days to get me on a plane.

 

The port was Palermo Italy

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jackretired

jackretired

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Scary hospital.

 

No soap in restroom

No towels in restroom

No gowns

Few wheelchairs

You must bring almost everything.

Almost no seats anywhere.

Two people per room.

Vendors wandering the rooms and halls selling all sorts of things

....hair cuts, shaves, Angels, flowers, etc.

.... But no soap, nothing to drink, nothing to eat, etc.

NO ice.

No soda, but a vending machine for lattes.

No yellow lines to follow.

Patients are moved from one part of the hospital to another via ambulance

....as many as 8 per ambulance. One transfer I made was in the jump

....seat and the old man on the gurney looked almost dead.

This is a teaching hospital in a city of one million.

98% of the doctors are young and female. No old experience here.

No wi-fi

Call button has two hour delay built into it.

No electric adapters.

No CPAP machines.

One electrical outlet per bed.

I was given a big bottle of water every day, and not much else.

Breakfast was a spoon, four small pieces of something like Melba Toast and a small glass of HOT milk. No eggs, no protein, no fruit, no juice, no selection.

Lunch and dinner a little better than breakfast, but no selection and did not consider your condition.

No TV or radio.

The whole place was COLD. Even the interior walls.

Many windows left open (cold and flies).

The rest room had a smell that almost kept you out of it.

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jackretired

jackretired

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We had travel insurance.

 

We left hospital with no bill, not sure what will happen.

 

While I was in hospital, DW was put up in cheap hotel.

Minimal support from HAL.

Insurance company said save receipts.

After I was released from hospital, the insurance company took three days to get us on a plane.

The arrangements to pick us up at hotel was good and prepaid.

The flight arrangements were wonderful. Business class with my leg up for me. DW was two rows behind me and could also put her feet up. Wheel chair waiting at every airport.

When we arrived in Miami, once through customs, meet by a driver.

The driver was prepaid and drove us from the imam airport to our car in Ft Lauderdale.

We had been up around 24 hours and checked into hotel to get some sleep before the long drive home.

Then the travel insurance company called and asked if we had made it ok and now that you are in US the coverage has ended.

Not sure what to do with the stacks of receipts.

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jackretired

jackretired

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And what happened after you got home? Are you better now? Did you get a proper diagnosis and treatment back in the US?

 

Just got home.

Antibiotics are doing there job.

I am sure the ships doctor made the right diagnosis.

Have not had time to see about more treatment.

Most doctors are on holiday. So maybe next week.

If it starts looking bad, will go to emergency room.

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sapper1

sapper1

Posted
Posted

The hospital experience sounds like a nightmare even with good insurance coverage. Just imagine how much more of a horrible experience it would have been without insurance.

 

I know we have been to some dicey places that we shudder to think of having to receive medical treatment in, insurance or no insurance. We always travel with a supply of antibiotics as a first line of defense before we resort to medical treatment. I like to joke that we are prepared for any ailment known to man. :D

 

I am glad to hear that you are improving but am sorry that your cruise was interrupted.

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innlady1

innlady1

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We had two people taken off by ambulance in Civitavecchia. One gentleman happened to be traveling with someone on our roll call whom I talked with around the ship quite frequently so I got the "scoop".

They thought it was his heart (but ultimately, it was not...I don't know what it was).

He stayed overnight in the hospital; then he and his wife took the train to meet up with the ship in Livorno the next day.

The hospital sounded like it was OK...not great, but OK. Nothing like what this poster experienced in Palermo.

I never heard what happened to the 2nd passenger removed by ambulance.

For such a long cruise, as far as I know, those were the only two medical evacs.

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Silvery Seas Cruiser

Silvery Seas Cruiser

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What a terrible experience! I hope you are recovered now with no further complications. What a scary story!

 

Your hospital sounds very much like one I had to go to in South America when I had a very severe asthma attack. I was in the ER, but needed to go to the bathroom. What follows sounds like a nightmare but is true. I was escorted to a broom closet with a toilet and big janitor's sink. The sink was filled with blood and bloody mops! The smell was indescribable. I had to use this toilet because I was desperate, but I will never, ever forget that scene.

 

I somehow got back to the gurney, but the nurses could not find where they kept the solucortef or whatever it was and I was gasping for air. Finally, again, this doesn't seem real, the doctors sent Hubby out to a local pharmacy to buy solucortef because the ER was out of stock (if they ever were in stock.)

 

Then the doctor took my Hubby in the next room and scolded him for letting my asthma get so bad that I could die as if Hubby or anyone on earth can control a severe and sudden asthma attack.

 

So, to the OP, I can certainly sympathize with what you suffered in that hospital. It is very risky to need a hospital in some places, unfortunately.

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misty57

misty57

Posted
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I'm sorry..I didn't read through all the posts but if no one else has mentioned being thankful this holiday season for the outstanding healthcare we have in the US then let me be the first! I am glad you are doing much better. I have been an RN for many years, and although I grouse a bit about all the checks and hoops we have to go through, it reassures me that we have really good care here! The system is by no means without its problems but the standards are so much higher than many places around the world. I will proudly bear my red scaly hands from washing my hands a million times a day and my aching feet and back from caring for my patients for 13 hours non stop, knowing that It could be so much worse. I'm glad you are safely home and that you are able to travel again soon.

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startwin

startwin

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Posted (edited)

Awful story, but I'd like to know - which country? Europe is made up lots of different countries with very different standards, but many of those countries are ahead of N. America in health care.

Edited by startwin
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Motorman23

Motorman23

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Government healthcare at it finest.

 

Italy has a private/public health care system.... sort of what can happen here if people dont wake up to what is going on with healthcare.

 

In Italy many hospitals are state owned and provide free service to residents, private hospitals are available and charge for service. Usually, but not always, there is a difference in quality associated with private vs free hospitals.

 

http://www.italytravelescape.com/Health%20system.htm

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Tampa Girl

Tampa Girl

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It sounds, however, that your travel insurance treated you well. And so much for the complaint from several on this board that they want the right to choose what hospital. If there is no choice, what good is that option? Did you expect that HAL should have done more? Once you were off the ship, what is their responsibility?

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