Russian River Cruise
Sep 14th, 2004 | 10:41 AM
#21
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
We are back for our 10 day Russian River cruise and really enjoyed it. Garfield has it right. There appears to be some really big tour companies like Viking who own their own ships or like General Tours, they are part of a big ship with several tour companies. The group on General Tours was an interesting and diversified one and we enjoyed the ship and their activities.
My husband and I learned a very big lesson especially for those who are getting up in years even if you are extremely healthy and active.
My husband developed appendicitis on the boat. We at first thought it was something he ate but the food had always been good and no one had had any problems. We finally consulted the ship's doctor after 12 hours of having "stomach" problems. She immediately contacted Euromed by ship to shore radio and they proceeded to direct my husband's health care from St. Petersburg. The ship pulled over to a tiny town along a canal where a pre-World War ambulance took us to the Regional Hospital on a drive that took 1 1/2 hours on unpaved highway. We had decided to have his surgery in St Petersburg but there were thunderstorms and the helicopter could not take off for 10 hours to come get us. They were worried that his appendix would burst and had the regional surgeon on standby. Fortunately the weather finally cleared and came for us which took them almost 2 hours to reach us and then another 2 hours to get back to St Petersburg. The surgeon in St Petersburg not only spoke English but did laproscopy surgery. He was waiting
for us when we arrived. My husband
had state 2 appendicitis with stage 3 being gangrene. The care from the ship
who provided us with an English speaking guide to all the doctors, hospitals and surgeons was fantastic. However, we did have to pay $17,000 + on our credit cards and we are so happy we told our credit card company before we left that we were going to Russia.
It was all an adventure but all of our friends now say they will be very careful about medical care when and where they go. We were lucky to have most of the decisions made for us which is the benefit of a tour.
My husband and I learned a very big lesson especially for those who are getting up in years even if you are extremely healthy and active.
My husband developed appendicitis on the boat. We at first thought it was something he ate but the food had always been good and no one had had any problems. We finally consulted the ship's doctor after 12 hours of having "stomach" problems. She immediately contacted Euromed by ship to shore radio and they proceeded to direct my husband's health care from St. Petersburg. The ship pulled over to a tiny town along a canal where a pre-World War ambulance took us to the Regional Hospital on a drive that took 1 1/2 hours on unpaved highway. We had decided to have his surgery in St Petersburg but there were thunderstorms and the helicopter could not take off for 10 hours to come get us. They were worried that his appendix would burst and had the regional surgeon on standby. Fortunately the weather finally cleared and came for us which took them almost 2 hours to reach us and then another 2 hours to get back to St Petersburg. The surgeon in St Petersburg not only spoke English but did laproscopy surgery. He was waiting
for us when we arrived. My husband
had state 2 appendicitis with stage 3 being gangrene. The care from the ship
who provided us with an English speaking guide to all the doctors, hospitals and surgeons was fantastic. However, we did have to pay $17,000 + on our credit cards and we are so happy we told our credit card company before we left that we were going to Russia.
It was all an adventure but all of our friends now say they will be very careful about medical care when and where they go. We were lucky to have most of the decisions made for us which is the benefit of a tour.
Sep 14th, 2004 | 10:48 AM
#22
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,738
Likes: 0
Gretchen! Good Grief!! I am so glad for you and your husband that this was a happy ending to this story!
Poor man, he must have been so miserable. We have seen that first hand and I have a great dread of it happening to me~
I am so glad that all worked out well for you two.
Poor man, he must have been so miserable. We have seen that first hand and I have a great dread of it happening to me~
I am so glad that all worked out well for you two.
Sep 19th, 2004 | 10:28 PM
#23
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Scarlett,
Thanks for your concern but we learned and had been told by someone on the ship that Russia has a very good medical care system and we agree. The doctor who did the surgery proformed laproscopic surgery, spoke English and had a variety of patients from the Japanese consul general's daughter to a woman from Crete and a man from Portugal with ruptured colon. The care and concern was fabulous. My husband only had a sore point where the appendix is but no other of the familiar symtoms. He usually runs 3 miles every day and being is good shape did very well through it all. We were able to return to the ship for the last night. It was an adventure from the docking of the ship at a tiny village to the ambulance ride for 1 1/2 hours to the Regional hospital to the helicopter ride to St Petersburg.
Thanks for your concern but we learned and had been told by someone on the ship that Russia has a very good medical care system and we agree. The doctor who did the surgery proformed laproscopic surgery, spoke English and had a variety of patients from the Japanese consul general's daughter to a woman from Crete and a man from Portugal with ruptured colon. The care and concern was fabulous. My husband only had a sore point where the appendix is but no other of the familiar symtoms. He usually runs 3 miles every day and being is good shape did very well through it all. We were able to return to the ship for the last night. It was an adventure from the docking of the ship at a tiny village to the ambulance ride for 1 1/2 hours to the Regional hospital to the helicopter ride to St Petersburg.
