This just came in by email

Hi Ngaire,
I'm sorry I have not updated you about Betty sooner. We were air evacuated
from the ship at Nuku Hiva to Papeete. She is in the cardiac ward at
Hospital Jean Prince. They have taken very good care of her. The thing they
were most concerned about when we arrived was a very elevated heartrate. She
has been taking medicine to stabilize this. She is now on beta blockers
which seem to be doing a good job.
Yesterday she moved from the intensive care cardiac ward to a private room
with bathroom and shower in the other part of the cardiac care unit. She now
has a view of the Tahitian mountains from her room with her own outside
balcony.
The nurse escort arrived from the US to escort us back home. We will be
leaving Tahiti tomorrow morning on Air France to LA, and then on Alaska to
Seattle. She will be going into the hospital in Kirkland to get a coronary
angiogram and any further required tests to see what the next step is going
to be.
We really appreciate all of your help. The ship's staff was excellent in
this situation. The dortor and Chief nurse even came to see Betty in the
hospital when the ship was in Papeete.
I well try to keep you posted on Betty's progress.
Thanks again for everthing,
Al

Wow, what an experience this must be for those two. I am glad to hear that Betty has been stabilized and moved to her own room. I wish them both a speedy trip home and I hope all Betty's tests in the US produce good results!

Get well soon Betty!

When I first read about Betty, I couldn't believe anyone could have such bad luck, but at least she's been well looked after. I hope one day she'll be able to finish the wonderful journey she started.

Hopefully, with all the good wishes she's received from everyone on this site, she'll be feeling much better soon.

What reassuring news to know that Betty is doing well and is being looked after. Thanks so much for passing this along, Ngaire.

I am certainly glad that she is doing better. I wonder if it is AIG that is providing all of the travel.When Marty got hurt our insurance was through Radisson and the policy was with Berkeley Care. AIG took care of us until we got back to the hospital in the US. They were fantastic.

Betty must be doing better or they wouldn't let her leave.Is she from Seattle?

Thank you, Ngaire, for passing this along. I think we've all been anxious for word on Betty & Al. My very best wishes to both of them,

I feel much better now that we have some news. And the fact that she is on her way home sounds good. Ngaire, I hope you will let Al know how much all much of us wishing her well.
Betty, hang in there. You will be home soon.

This is very welcome news. Get well, Betty! And hang in there Al.

Wow a hosptial room with a view of the Tahitian mountains...that certainly will cheer things up!!

Thank you for the update. Glad she is strong enough to come back home now and more happy that she is on the mend. Al, wishing you lot of strength

I hope these "welcome home" Flowers will cheer you, Betty and Al.

Good to hear that Betty's doing better!

Masaki

Oh good news Ngaire and gang.. I was wondering how she was doing and her darling husband sounds like he is hanging in there very well too.. I don't think I would be able to email anyone if I was in that situation as much as I love all of you..
anyways that makes me feel that she must be okay... and that is good!

I'm so glad to hear that Betty is doing better and will be flying home today to get to her home hospital for further evaluation. She and Al are still in my prayers.

It's so good to hear that Betty and Al are on their way home. Normal surroundings should make her feel better... even if she is in the hospital. I'd imagine getting sick in a foreign land can unsettle you, but is sounds like she has had great care in Papeete.

Speedy recovery, Betty.

Beth

I am relieved to hear this news and wish Betty the best.

Ngaire,

Thank you for your report on Betty. We have all been anxious to hear. I'm very glad that she is on her way back. That is good news! Still praying for her and Al.

Betty

Wishing both Al and Betty the best. I hope the trip home and plane switches won't be too vexing. I bet she'll feel good to be home.

So good to hear positive news; I know they'll both be so relieved to get back home.

So happy to have news about Betty. I hope the trip home is uneventful. I wish both Betty and Al the best.

What good news to start the day. Ngaire, thanks for sharing it with us.

Hopefully that beautiful mountain view will sooth Betty as she wait to return home.

Wishing Al and Betty a speedy and trouble-free trip back.

That is good news, thank you Ngaire for shareing that email from Al with all of us.

Hopefully, the worst is over, now. So glad Betty is getting to go home. I would imagine a hospital room in Tahiti would either have a view of the mountains or a view of the lagoon. But the private balcony... I might never leave.

Thanks for sharing Al's correspondance with us, Ngaire. How good to learn that Betty is stabilized enough to make the long journey home.

Despite the lovely view from her hospital window, I'm sure the sight of home will be tremendously comforting and reassuring in her condition.

Our thoughts and wishes for a very speedy and full recovery to you, Betty! And, to you, Al - Betty is so fortunate to have you by her side, providing the strength that she needs to get through this!

Please continue to let us know how she's coming along. We all care!

Glad to hear this positive news about Betty!

Claudia

Thanks so much for the update! I'm glad to hear that Betty will be enroute home soon. I hope Betty and Al know they remain in our thoughts and prayers.

Ngaire, appreciate the update, great to hear Betty is on the road to recovery..hope Al and Betty can consider MUSH/SALMON..r/wes

Excellent news. Thank you for sharing.

Ngaire - thanks so much for keeping us all posted on Betty. Hopefully she'll be feeling so much better in her own home!

Cyndi

I'm so happy to hear this! So many here on the ship have asked about her status...great update!

Hi Everyone,

Here I am, the Queen of Bad Timing!! If I had to do this, couldn’t I have waited until Bermuda???? I didn’t even make it to the first port …

I genuinely want to thank all of you for all your good wishes and positive thoughts. What a great community this is! Hard to believe I’ve met so few of you. I usually tend to be someone who avoids the spotlight, so it’s been an experience for me to be the center of so much attention. Can I go hide in my closet now???

Gosh, where to start??

First of all, the people on the ship were fantastic. And the facilities on the ship quite literally saved my life. They had thrombolytic therapy available – a series of two large injections that essentially work like Drano on your heart. This is something that is apparently widely used around the world outside the US, where of course surgery is king. The injections are expensive, but under the circumstances a bargain! I tease Al that when asked by Dr. Adam on the ship if he would approve their use, Al asked to think it over. He went back up to finish dinner, discussed it with the table over coffee and soufflés, had a few aperitifs, stopped by the casino to see how his luck was holding, and finally came back down to the hospital and said OK.

Jamie, the cruise director, came to see me at least once a day. Even Dana, his wife stopped by and then went upstairs to find a ‘trashy magazine’ for me to leaf through. At that point I couldn’t concentrate enough to really read or do crosswords. Captain Dag came by, and even King Neptune! Marcie came to see me every day, and actually made me a Get Well Card in craft class!! I certainly didn’t lack for company. Birgik(sp?), the chief nurse, was my absolute lifeline. She’d do anything she could to help me be comfortable, and stayed in a chair at my doorway for the entire night. What a nice, nice woman – someone I truly wish I knew better.

When we got to Nuku Hiva, I was medevaced to Papeete. What an ordeal THAT was! First, strapped into a stretcher on the ship, then carried by several guys (I TRIED to pretend I was Cleopatra, didn’t work!) to the tender on deck five. I was loaded into the tender, then the tender was lowered into the water. When we got to shore, an ambulance, doctor and nurse were waiting. I was loaded into the ambulance and we went to the heliport ten minutes away. I was loaded into the helicopter for the ride to the airport across the island. It was maybe a 20 minute ride to the airport. After we got to the airport we had to wait (in the heat, lashed into a stretcher, not able to even sit up) while the helicopter returned to the dock to get Al. The helicopter was just barely large enough to hold the stretcher, doctor and nurse. When we were all there, I was loaded into a small private plane where the stretcher latched onto the side of the plane. It was cozy. Then came the 3 ½ hour flight to Papeete -- longest flight of my life. I was still strapped into the stretcher and unable to move at all. It was extremely uncomfortable. At Papeete I was put into another ambulance for the 40 minute ride to the hospital.

So finally I was at the cardiac ICU in Papeete. Luckily one of the nurses, Sally, was from Montreal and spoke fluent English. She was extremely helpful to us the whole time we were there. After blood tests and an echocardiogram, the doctors there soon said I could probably be returned to the US by the weekend (This was now Wednesday, the ‘event’ was on Sunday). When the Voyager got to Papeete on Friday, Al went onboard to pack up (with help from a friend) all our 415 lbs of luggage. I admit to some concern he’d not return – I couldn’t really have blamed him if he’d locked himself in the suite and replied to all who asked – ‘Wife?? WHAT wife????’. But also on Friday, Dr. Adam and Birgik came to see me at the hospital – just one more example of doing so much more than required.

To make a long story short (I know this is getting LONG, sorry!), due to a satellite communication breakdown between North America and the South Pacific, we didn’t get to leave until the following Thursday. A nurse was sent from the States to escort me and provide drugs and oxygen throughout the trip.

We arrived in Seattle Friday morning about 1am, and both my sons were there to meet us. There was an ambulance too, of course, and we were at the hospital by 2am. I had been told I must be in a hospital both by the doctors in Papeete and the nurse who accompanied me. But after blood tests and an EKG and conference with my doctor and cardiologist, the hospital let me go home at about 4am. This was Wonderful! Sleep in my own bed with NO tethers – oxygen, automatic blood pressure cuff going off every 15 minutes, cardiac leads to a monitor who’s bell would ding whenever my heart beat fast, blood-oxygen monitor clipped to the end of a finger, IV … how on earth is someone supposed to sleep, much less heal, with all this STUFF???

Not too much sleep, though. The phone rang at 8:30 am to make sure I had an appointment for the cardiologist’s Friday (yesterday). I spent over three hours at the cardiologist’s yesterday. I have a whole new series of drugs, have been referred for cardiac rehab, and will have a nuclear imaging stress test in two weeks. Last night I got the very best medicine, though. My grandkids came to see me.

We DID insure this trip, thank heaven. Our insurance was with CSA travel and bought online through insuremytrip.com. Of course it will be months before we see how this all shakes out financially. But I must say that the people at On Call, who do the medevac arrangements for CSA, and also Platinum American Express were very, very responsive and stayed on top of things at all times. In fact that was our first clue that the satellite communication had gone down – suddenly we weren’t hearing from them.

Most of all, I must say that Al has been spectacular throughout. The best gift he’s ever given me was in Papeete – a FAN! – the cardiac ICU has few air conditioned rooms, go figure. He also had to go buy towels, as towels are not included at the hospital. He then proceeded to do my laundry – towels and everything else – by hand at his hotel every day. This man has talents I’d never discovered!! And on top of all that, he let me beat him at Scrabble almost every day I was there.

I’m sure you’re all tired of reading all this, and I admit I’m tired from writing. I’m astonished at how quickly and easily I tire right now.

Again, thank you all so much for caring.

Betty

Betty: I don't think you can realize how happy we are to hear from you and that you are "on the mend" - you were the subject of much discussion and worry so it is wonderful to read your post!! Sounds like you had great care, under the circumstances, and know people on LCT were pulling for you. I think this board has some "power" for good wishes for people - Joanna

You are an inspiration Betty. Reading that post you retained your sense of humor and personality throughout such trials and tribulations. I am so glad you are home safe and sound and under good care. Sounds like you picked a winner in Al and so wonderful that he rose to the situation and took such good care of you. He will be an LCT hero for life now. Cant wait until we get to meet you both. Take it slow and heal, and keep us posted. WONDERFUL to see your baby face again!!!

Betty:

You've got to love that guy...and obviously he loves you!

Thanks for your personal update. We've all been sending thoughts and prays your way. So glad they worked and you're home safe and sound.

Keep us posted on your recovery. There are many women here who may learn something important in detecting heart conditions...men seem to get different warnings. I, for one, always worry because heart disease runs in the family.

Best wishes for continued recovery,

Betty, I admire you so much! With all you have been through, you can still make us laugh.
I must say, you went to extremes for that fancy
helicopter/airplane island excursion!

Please continue to heal until you are 100% healthy Betty again!

When you receive your insurance adjustment, we will start bidding for your and Al's company to take the various cruises we all have booked!

xoxo,

Betty, (Queen of bad timing) I can't tell you how happy I am to read all this. I've thought of you everyday and so many here on the Voyager have inquired....many will be so happy to hear you're back in Seattle. Big hugs coming your way from Bay of Islands, New Zealand!


You can look at the photos (through 1/17) I posted on ofoto.com
username: cruise@yahoo.com
password: cc

Wow! Betty, so great to hear from you and you sound as though you're doing so well! Such an ordeal for both of you; I think Al is definitely a "keeper!

Take care and please keep us posted about your recovery,

Betty, it's such a relief to see that baby picture and know that you are able to sit at a computer (even for just a little while)!

Trust me, Betty, I was riveted to every word, and I'm glad every word was in there. What a tribute to your wonderful husband, and to all the people on board and off who helped you through this ordeal.

The transportation from ship to hospital sounded quite trying -- you described so well, I was right there with ya!

Be well, and best wishes for a very speedy recovery.

Betty,

Wonderful to hear from you. So glad you are doing well. Thanks to that nice guy, Al and all the fine care you received. Welcome back. Take it easy, o.k.

Betty

Betty,

The only thing I can say is WOW! Your positive spirit after that ordeal just astonishes me. I admire your great attitude. Take care!!

Betty, it's good to hear the story in your own words. It's such a relief to know that the healing process has begun.