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S.A.M.J.R.
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S.A.M.J.R.

S.A.M.J.R.

Posted
Posted

We just got back from our Freedom of the Seas trip. We left 6/22. That night the US was playing Portugal in the World Cup and we went to watch pool side. DS & DD(8) got in the pool, DW & older DD were on deck 12 in chairs, and I was sitting in the pool with the younger ones.

 

DD stood on the underwater ledge and tried to backflip into the pool. I told her she almost completed the backflip, so of course she tries again (yes, bad move on my part). This time, she flips, but doesn't push off enough. Her head hit the ledge. I'm less than two steps from her and pull her up. I'm holding her and calming her down and she finally stops crying.

 

A teenage boy comes over and tells me she's bleeding. Honestly, I hadn't seen it. We immediately get out of the pool and head to the pool bar. We get some napkins (I'm thinking it's just a cut). They call medical, and another passenger who's an ER nurse comes over to help.

 

We finally see the gash on the top of her her head (she's got a lot of hair). We gather our family together as the nurse arrives. She takes us down to the medical facility where we wait for the doctors (they brought both of them in).

 

DD needed a couple stitches under the skin and 6 stitches to her scalp. No pools for two days and no ocean for three.

 

We had checkups on Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. She was cleared to fully swim Thursday morning.

 

The medical staff was wonderful to us. I can't find the discharge papers with the staff names, but they were always calm and did their best to keep DD calm also.

 

Kudos to RCI!

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pattle66

pattle66

Posted
Posted

Thanks for sharing your story. Thankfully you were by the pool. It highlights why we should never leave our young ones unattended by the pool.

 

It sounds like you had fabulous service by the RCI medical team. I am glad your DD is recovered well.

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beautiful.thing

beautiful.thing

Posted
Posted

I'm sorry this happened to your daughter. Hopefully it didn't completely ruin the cruise for you all.

 

We had to spend a few unfortunate hours in the medical facility on our recent April Freedom cruise and I couldn't have been more impressed with their professionalism. It took awhile to get medical assistance to arrive with a stretcher on scene but once we got to the medical facility I was very impressed by the "bedside" manner of both of the staff members that assisted us.

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jmrothermel

jmrothermel

Posted
Posted

Wait.....did you steal this story from me?!?!?! We seriously had the EXACT same thing happen! (Just kidding about stealing it of course)

 

My DS did a second backflip on Enchantment (because he wanted me to take a picture). I told him "I don't think that's a good idea", and he goes "I did one earlier". I'm like whatever, and grab the camera. Worst mother ever, I know! Anyway, he hit his head on the pool ledge. Guess what, SIX STITCHES! I'm going to post pics below, that's just too crazy ironic! LOL :D

 

Glad to hear that I don't hold the "worst parent of the year" award alone :p

 

IMG_8686.jpg

 

IMG_8689.jpg

 

IMG_8708.jpg

 

IMG_8967.jpg

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Yorkvillain

Yorkvillain

Posted
Posted (edited)

Thanks for sharing. The medical staff was fantastic to me as well when I had a kidney stone on the Oasis a few years ago.

 

It was the most pain I have ever had however the staff was wonderful in trying to keep me comfortable. (Of course the two full bags of morphine didn't hurt either :D).

Edited by Yorkvillain
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Annicruise2014

Annicruise2014

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Posted

Yes, backflips may be a bad idea. But I'm sure all the olympic and stunt trickery that is done, have had more than a few bumps, bruises, stitches etc and their moms were right there rooting them on! LOL

 

I am not one to talk because I'm the mom that can't watch, OK I do between fingers with hands covering my face, while dad is the one yelling go higher, do it again!

 

The "bad" moms are the ones that are NOT THERE watching their kids while they get hurt LOL. I don't want any flack for my post, I'm just simply reasurring the OP and other moms know that they are good moms even tho there kiddos got hurt.

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CP3o

CP3o

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Posted

Yep, I'm sure the OP just wants to focus on good medical care from RCCL and this thread not take a turn. I've heard more ships are having lifeguards now, not sure about RCCL but I'd like a lifeguard or worker stationed in that area to be saying "no flips or jumping" after the very first jump.

 

There is a time and place for everything, including back flips, but, IMHO, it's not on a cruise ship in their pool. Too crowded and easy for injuries to the person flipping or someone else in the pool and head injuries can be scary things that don't always work out as well as did for the OP. Injuries aside, it's less comfortable for others in the pool if kids are jumping and flipping in.

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S.A.M.J.R.

S.A.M.J.R.

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There are signs all over the pool areas saying no diving. Yes, a back flip is a form of diving.
No more so than "belly flops". :D

 

Yep, I'm sure the OP just wants to focus on good medical care from RCCL and this thread not take a turn. I've heard more ships are having lifeguards now, not sure about RCCL but I'd like a lifeguard or worker stationed in that area to be saying "no flips or jumping" after the very first jump.

 

There is a time and place for everything, including back flips, but, IMHO, it's not on a cruise ship in their pool. Too crowded and easy for injuries to the person flipping or someone else in the pool and head injuries can be scary things that don't always work out as well as did for the OP. Injuries aside, it's less comfortable for others in the pool if kids are jumping and flipping in.

Believe me, DD won't be doing backflips into the water for a while. For the record, while the pool deck was crowded, the pool wasn't. There was maybe 5-6 kids in the pool.

 

As far as pictures, DD didn't want any taken, although I did manage to snap one right after the stitches. I don't have any uploaded yet to show though.

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Capt_BJ

Capt_BJ

Posted
Posted (edited)

kids doing backflips off the side of the pool

 

a lifeguard's nightmare

 

[parents: do you allow this in your home pool????? I don't]

 

bellyflop contest .... while it IS a bad example in light of NO DIVING ....

we are talking adults (well, they are over 18 anyway)

and there is a form of 'supervision' with the whole idea being NOT

to go deep ....

 

sidebar

 

I was on the swim team in HS and in our pool the 'starting blocks' were in the shallow end - 3 to 4 feet ... common practice in the 70's. As competitive swimmers we knew 'racing starts' and diving into this depth was safe FOR US.

 

I recently saw pictures of the HS taken during a reunion tour and I see the blocks have been moved to the DEEP END. A WISE move! I remember on the first night of lifesaving class a student who did not 'know' our pool climbed a block and dove in ... to the 4 feet of water ... and the dive was not a racing start dive (shallow) ... but a swan. Sadly they came up bloodied and missing several teeth. Luckily there was no neck or spinal damage . . . .

 

Today it is recognized that diving into most pools is a BAD idea. Home pools are seldom built with diving boards anymore because of the recommended minimum depth and area required for SAFE diving. Hotels don't install diving boards today because of liability concerns ...

 

Tell your kids ... no diving and ESPECIALLY no backflips .... PLEASE!

 

 

{Sometimes pools ARE built with special diving areas ... typically with 10 to 12 foot depths .... these are 'safe' .....}

 

p.s. I taught swimming for several years back in the 70's ... as a full time job .....

 

back then we taught diving as a part of basic swimming ..... a simple dive from the side of a pool ... a headfirst entry

 

is that still done? (is RedCross still the primary force in basic water safety and if so is 'diving' still a skill?)

 

oh .... I'm old . . .

Edited by Capt_BJ
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dacsmom

dacsmom

Posted
Posted

Thanks for sharing your story, it is nice to hear positive stories about the medical staff. We have all done things with our kids that we would change if we could go back in time, it is so easy for some to judge after the fact. Glad everything turned out fine.

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jmrothermel

jmrothermel

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Posted (edited)

I read the ironic story to my DS, and he wants to know if she got free ice cream. The crew gave him his choice of anything from Ben & Jerry's after the ordeal was done :D

 

Did they end up charging you for the medical visit and stitches?

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited by jmrothermel
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S.A.M.J.R.

S.A.M.J.R.

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You left out the important part: did she lose any hair?:eek:
A small strip ~1/2" x 3".

 

I read the ironic story to my DS, and he wants to know if she got free ice cream. The crew gave him his choice of anything from Ben & Jerry's after the ordeal was done :D

No B&J's :(

Did they end up charging you for the medical visit and stitches?

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

No! :D

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