Three medical emergencies in three flights - how lucky are we?

[sergeyvzn]

well, my partner and I were travelling from Rarotonga to Sydney on a direct Air NZ flight a couple of years ago. My partner had been taken ill in the morning of the departure day showing standard flu symptoms - you know, fever, muscle aches etc...but felt OK enough to travel in the afternoon.

However, 40 min into the flight he goes all pale and sweaty and becomes almost unconscious and I'm almost unconscious with panic...anyway, long story short - the flight crew were wonderful, administered O2, when he got worse and indeed fainted they called for a Dr onboard, and guess what - 17 people from Cowra Hospital were on board how lucky we were...a mini-hospital was organised for us (we were travelling in J) where my partner was stretched on the floor between rows of seats, wrapped in blankets (at this stage his body temperature went below 35C and blood pressure was 80/50) and a drip was made on a hook hanging from the overhead locker. An emergency room doctor and nurse did all they could but at some stage we were going to divert to Auckland. My partner somewhat recovered later and we safely landed in Sydney where paramedics took us to a waiting ambulance and straight into St George hospital...got all checks done, by 2 am he recovered and got discharged. Apparently this was a toxic shock, he was very sick for another 10 days but fully recovered and I got the same exotic Rarotongan flu from him and was very sick for a week myself

It all sounds mildly entertaining now but geez I was scared! I remember how at some stage of the flight I was seriously thinking 'ok, what am I going to do with the body when we land":shock:

 

[mannej]

Was on a Death Star flight MEL-DPS when a young lady on her honeymoon just keeled over next to me in J- . Having studied nursing a long time ago, I helped out and got the JQ people to get oxygen, but I must say they were absolutely useless. Didn't understand recovery positions or even DRABC. In the end I think the young bride had a severe panic attack (says something about either the groom or the airline) and was OK (recommended she went and saw a Doc straight away).

Wouldn't want to be on JQ when a *real* medical emergency occurred.

Saying that DRABC is outdated - the last time I went through the training it was DRSABCD, but that is slightly off topic isn't it

 

[maureeng]

Just got back this morning from our big anniversary trip to the US. Plenty more to report on that later.

In all my 30 years of flying I've probably had about three medical situations or emergencies on my flights that I know of, could be more but not much. Anyway about ten days ago we flew LGA-MCO (La Guardia-NYC to Orlando) and there was a woman who was very sick and they put out a call for a doctor/nurse/paramedic. There was a spare row at the back of the ('full') plane where she was looked after and she recovered enough not to need special assistance on landing. Yesterday we flew MCO-LAX and about two thirds of the way through the flight there was the call again. This woman required a doctor - luckily there was one on board - at one stage I thought we might have ended up landing in Phoenix or somewhere but we got to LAX. We then waited for medical personnel to come on board and escort her off.

Last night we flew home LAX-SYD and about two hours from Sydney there was another sick woman. I assume they knew who the doctors were on the plane as there was no call but on landing we sat at the gate for a good half hour waiting for local medical personnel to come on board and escort her off. Having already sat on the plane for 15.5 hours and having missed breakfast due to expected turbulence that unexpectedly didn't turn up, some of the passengers were in a less than charitable mood. Not me - I'm just glad it wasn't me feeling that sick on a plane.

Felt this was an odd enough occurrence for me to report it - three times in three flights! Anyone had similar?

On EK 406 last Monday coming from Dubai to Melbourne we were diverted to Perth as a man had taken ill on board. We had 3 hours on tarmac till medical team came on board and offloaded the passenger and his family then we had to refuel.

 

[juddles]

Saying that DRABC is outdated - the last time I went through the training it was DRSABCD, but that is slightly off topic isn't it

The last time it was hammered into me it was DRABCA - at some point later in another career it was some fancy DRblah blah blah, but it is still DRABCA that sticks (The extra A is assistance)

 

[k_sheep]

What about DRABCDEFG? (don't ever forget glucose)

 

[mannej]

The last time it was hammered into me it was DRABCA - at some point later in another career it was some fancy DRblah blah blah, but it is still DRABCA that sticks (The extra A is assistance)

The extra A is now S - send for assistance.
I guess it does change which makes regular training a good thing.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Warks you weren't on the red eye last night PER/BNE by any chance were you? :shock: :shock:

 

[karen blancfield]

We had a Dreamliner land in Alice Springs this week .... Middle of the night so I missed it .... Medical emergency. That would have been interesting to watch!

 

[mannej]

We had a Dreamliner land in Alice Springs this week .... Middle of the night so I missed it .... Medical emergency. That would have been interesting to watch!

As the airline involved was Emirates, it wouldn't have been a Dreamliner.

 

[karen blancfield]

It was actually a 777 according to our newspaper.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

It was actually a 777 according to our newspaper.

The Dreamliner is the B787.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Medical emergencies not just limited to flights as we've had a bit of drama on the high seas during the past week on a Caribbean Cruise. A medical offload just as we were about to set sail from St Maarten when a pax had suspected appendicitis left the ship by ambulance. Last night a guy went overboard about 0100 after some kind of argument with a family member as security had already been called to their cabin due to a disturbance.

The ship had stopped for about 7 hours until the US Coast Guard released the ship from the search so it could continue it's journey. The Coast Guard continue to look for the man however he has not been recovered as yet. Despite the down time the ship is due into Port Everglades FLL about one hour behind schedule as they've increased the speed from 17 to 23 knots to make up time.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Interesting OZ. many do lose their lives at sea. An old sailor told me about the number of losses even due one relieving ones self and accidentally going overboard.

 

[mannej]

It is horrible footage the incident that OBB is referring to.

 

[Franky]

Interesting OZ. many do lose their lives at sea. An old sailor told me about the number of losses even due one relieving ones self and accidentally going overboard.

True - and it's also where the expression 'pissing into the wind' comes from, you have to choose the lee side of the ship for that, and keep an eye on the swells as well.

 

[Quickstatus]

Warks I don't think I want to be on a plane with you. Three out of three is unbelievable.
We had a freak out and unload before we took off....would have been better if we had not made it to the runway.....but we left her behind after the luggage was located.

Things happens in threes so I would think it would be ok now

 

[Quickstatus]

QF has a practice of putting "DOCTOR instead of "Dr". On the boarding pass. Presumably so the CSM can quickly identify potential medical assistance without announcing it via the PA?

Many years ago QF offered lifetime QPub membership to Members of the AMA. I suspect this was partly so they can identify the medical doctors from the real doctors who are PhD

Anyone with a non medical Dr notice their boarding pass says DOCTOR?

 

[defurax]

QF has a practice of putting "DOCTOR instead of "Dr". On the boarding pass. Presumably so the CSM can quickly identify potential medical assistance without announcing it via the PA?

Many years ago QF offered lifetime QPub membership to Members of the AMA. I suspect this was partly so they can identify the medical doctors from the real doctors who are PhD

Anyone with a non medical Dr notice their boarding pass says DOCTOR?

My BP say DOCTOR and I'm a PhD, but I've been asked a few times by CSM if I was a MD.

 

[Melburnian1]

Appropriate for you defurax, because as suggested above you are a real 'Doctor', but confusing for QF staff in a hurry to find someone with medical training given its common usage.

 

[defurax]

Appropriate for you defurax, because as suggested above you are a real 'Doctor', but confusing for QF staff in a hurry to find someone with medical training given its common usage.

I guess airlines will always have to ask. Even if I were to book my personal travel as Mr, conference and meeting organisers would still book my flights as Dr.