eye emergency in mexico... and the saga will continue...

endoshred · Since 22 May 2006 232 Posts HR Stoked

I went to ventana with wife and kids two weeks ago. great 7-9m kiting on the first day. after a relaxing breakfast the second day I started noticing some peripheral vision loss in my left eye. after googling my symptoms we quickly concluded I was suffering a retinal detachment. it was defined as a medical emergency requiring immediate surgical intervention to prevent rapidly progressive vision loss and potentially blindness. within ten minutes my suitcase was packed and we were off to lapaz in search of an ophthalmologist. on the way we called our good friend carlos (owner of Mr Fish in lapaz...serves great fish tacos) who contacted the ophthalmologist and met us at the private hospital. he got me right in and within 20 minutes the diagnosis was confirmed. The lapaz ophthalmologist noted he could do the repair but I would need to stay in mexico for at least 2 weeks because he would inject gas into the eye, but he were me he would return to the states asap for treatment to allow healing in my own home. We paid $50 us dollars and we were off to the airport. It was now 1:00 pm and we were 10 minutes from the hospital. On the way my wife contacted the eye clinic in portland and arrange for my surgery for the next morning. Now the challenge…..getting on the plane. You think that the airlines have a protocol for this. No way. The counter turned us away saying the flight was overbooked and the only option was a flight leaving cabo in two days. We returned to the counter several times over an hour and a half pleading our case. The agent seemed to eventually warm to us and said they had requested volunteers to give up tickets but there were no takers. So eventually I just stood near the counter and just watched them. Only once did they ask a person checking in to volunteer in a half hour. I again confronted them again on this. My wife even called the main Alaska airline # but without success. We actually had friends who had just checked in who tried to give up their and their children’s 4 seats but the airline said no because they had checked bags previously. When it finally seemed like we were out of luck the last people to join the ticket line were friends of ours from captain kirk’s flighing out. After telling them our problem they agreed to give up their seats.
I made it alone on the plane… no room for my wife and kids. They returned the next day.

time from discovery of problem to boarding plane: 3 hours. crazy trip!

It is interesting to think about what needs to happen if you really need to get home asap. are there good strategies for booking emergency flights? I probably should have tried to buy someone’s ticket. I hear you can get medical evacuation insurance. Anyone have any knowledge of this?
Does it affect your selection of travel destinations? lapaz is at least close and has pretty good medical facilities. But what if you are in the Yucatan, or san carlos or other hard to reach places?

surgery was completed two weeks ago. all had gone well and vision restored. i even went to the great nwkite party on Saturday night. thanks phil and everyone else for a great night. Yesterday i booked a return trip to ventana in February to make up for the injury shortened vacation.

began losing vision again this morning. the retina is redetaching. unfortunatly I will now need a second and more significant surgery to repair the detachment. Surgery scheduled tomorrow at ohsu. Probably out of work for 1-3 months. Kiting done until summer. Snow sports done for season. Can only do light exercise and no weights above 20lbs. Surgeon said I am not allowed to travel to altitude above 2500 ft as gas will be injected into eye during surgery. Next ventana trip cancelled.

to cope all I want to do is kite right now. Kite and kite and kite. yes i am addicted. long time until summer.

Joshiebaby · Since 14 Oct 2007 569 Posts Vancouver, WA Addicted

Dude that stinks! So sorry to hear it. Glad that you were able to get back to the US for the surgery though... Even if you have to get it done again. At least you will be in shape for the summer!

Rollo Tomasi · Since 17 Mar 2005 983 Posts Attractive

Jeez.... Major bummer Endo! Sorry to hear about your circumstance.
Hang in there. Vision is so precious. Take Care.

tstansbury · Since 06 Jun 2006 649 Posts Rowena and P.C Addicted

scott check this out. http://www.kiteforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2345030&sid=7e5d4f885fccd09606aa0c9419638528 I guess it could be worse. Get well soon.

tinyE · Since 21 Jan 2006 2004 Posts not really an XTreme Poster

sorry to hear that man.
there used to be a couple of kite games around, this was the only one I could find that still worked in the posts...

www.winggamepak.com/kiteboarder3.exe

at least it's something.

Mark · Tue Jan 22, 08 8:10 am

That is "below average" Sorry to hear about the second surgery. After talking to you at the party I thought you on the quick mend. Remember the wind and water will always be their waiting for you.

As for medical evacuation insurance, Julia had purchased it for us for our trip to Africa. Not sure of the cost. (it was cheap) The insurance allowed us to be evacuated to a major modern city. (somewhere in europe) It would have paid for private jets, helicopters whatever. Very comforting as we were in extremely poor areas.

We will keep our fingers crossed for your quick healing.

Mark

railgrab · Since 29 Mar 2005 177 Posts Seattle, WA Stoked

Endoshred, I'm sorry to hear about your vision, but it sounds like you are in good hands and getting it taken care of. Did you have a note from the doctor in Mexico when you went to the airlines?

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4907 Posts Portland Unstrapped

So sorry to hear that Scott.

Kraemer · Since 24 Apr 2006 1735 Posts Sky Pilot Unicorn Captain

Bummer dude, hope you are back at 110% by summer!

(How do you think that happened? Kiteboarding? Bad crash?)

pjc · Since 06 Mar 2005 649 Posts Addicted

bummer to hear about your troubles....

although i'll bet the MX ophthalmologist was trained in the U.S. and would have given good care if need be. "medical tourism" is a growing field.

endoshred · Since 22 May 2006 232 Posts HR Stoked

people who are moderate to severely nearsighted are at an increased risk for retinal detachment. trauma is also a common cause. i had no previous recollection of recent trauma. two years ago my 5 year old poked me in the left eye and pretty much floored me on the spot. i had to go the the er for that. maybe that was it.

gotta just keep pushing forward. 3 months until kiting (i hope).

well, off to the hospital. remember the motto: A chance to cut is a chance to cure!

magicmaker · Since 29 Oct 2006 895 Posts da Hood Opinionated

d00d, that is a total bummer! 2 attempts at vacation, ruined! arg! I hope all goes well with the 2nd surgery and you're blessed with a speedy recovery.

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1803 Posts XTreme Poster

Darn--bummer Scott.

Three months will pass before you know it. You will be ready to roll in time for the start of kiteboarding here, which for my money is about the best there is. To a speedy and complete recovery!

Eric

endoshred · Since 22 May 2006 232 Posts HR Stoked

home from surgery. man do i love general anesthesia. good stuff.
i am required to lay face down for the next several days, day and night. so we purchased a massage table at costco and put it in the living room. it has a donut head rest so i can lay on my stomach with my face in the donut and still look down to the floor. i then put the laptop below me on the floor so i can type away. i also have a mirror that i hold to watch the tv.
dr feels surgery successful and retina in good shape. prognosis should be good. just gotta do exactly what he says. i have a huge eye patch on. not sure how sleeping on this table will be. will just try to drug up to sleep. well i better go, time to watch pirates of the caribbean......arrrrrrr!

Sol-flyer · Wed Jan 23, 08 7:39 am

hope it heals fast

i guess you get all the massages you could ever want now eh? just no more staying up all night and party'n with the NWkite crew.

endoshred · Since 22 May 2006 232 Posts HR Stoked

i guess this is probably not the site to post for volunteers to provide the massages either.

maybe come summer i can just donate this table to the sandspit beachfront rehab center. im sure more than a few of us will be a bit beat up after a good session. can any port funds be diverted to the salary of a massage therapist?

shastadogs2 · Since 28 Mar 2005 336 Posts Obsessed

nah, man i'm not rubbin anything but i do wish you god-speed and a quick and full recovery. Cool

funny how we dont think much about our eyes or what life would be like without 'em.
get well man, we're with ya.
jimmi