Husband got bit by Brown Recluse on the Breeze! True story!

[suzycruiser2]

My only knowledge of a Brown Recluse bite is first hand when I was bitten on my hip three years ago. I actually found the spider before I realized I had been bitten. When I went to the doctor later that afternoon, I was told that I had the "classic" symptoms which was sort of like a red, white, and blue bullseye. (Large red swollen area, with blue that almost looked like bruising inside of that, with a white center.)

 

My ordeal ended up lasting for over six months. I had to endure two surgeries and then stitches would not hold the area together and I ended up having to get the wound packed daily for over two months. It was horribly painful, but I went about my life. I even went on a cruise during my recovery. (Let's just say that Nexcare Tegaderm is AMAZING! I was able to even go snorkeling and that stuff did not leak!)

[crusinpsychRN]

If you google some of those brown recluse bites (images), it is scary stuff.

They leave huge, gaping flesh wounds. GROSS!!!!!:eek:

 

 

Thanks a lot. I had to look and that grossed me out!

[NBlewett]

Tegaderm is great stuff

[DebJ14]

We have lots of brown recluse spiders in Texas, so I am not surprised to hear this. It probably hitched a ride inside someone's suitcase. One of the places they love to hide is in clothing or shoes in a dark closet.

 

When we switch from summer to winter clothes and vice versa we shake everything out. A dear friend put on one of his summer suits after storing them for the winter and got a brown recluse bite on his leg. Within days he had a wound about the size of a fist. He was in St. Luke's in Houston for about 10 days because the wound got infected. They ended up having to do a skin graft.

 

They are really nasty bites.

 

I hope the OP's husband has a quick recovery.

Edited August 10, 2016 by DebJ14

[bumorgan]

It could have come on board in the crates of fresh fruit and vegetables the ship bring on.:(

[Hobbsey]

We were on the Breeze out of Galveston 7/24-7/31. We had an amazing time! We were cruising without our kids for our 15th anniversary.

 

However....

 

On Friday we were eating the Sea Day Brunch when my husband grabbed his leg under the table and said he had just been bit by something. We looked and saw a tiny bump. We didn't see anything and it didn't hurt terribly bad right away so we just dismissed it. I kept saying, "Surely, not! I haven't seen so much as a fly all week!"

 

By the end of the cruise it was big enough to put a band aid on and it hurt just a little bit. During our 11 hour drive home it really started bothering him. He took some ibuprofen and we called our doctor. He prescribed an antibiotic saying it sounding like an infected boil. We picked up the meds and he took them. By the next day it was huge and we knew something was wrong. He went to the dr and sure enough, it is a brown recluse bite. Thankfully my husband has a super high pain tolerance and was not in major pain till we were able to go to the doctor.

 

It has been 10 days and he is on a strong antibiotic because he developed cellulitis but he is feeling better!

 

Carnival gave us 20% a future cruise and I think that was fair. I emailed them just to let them know. I would hate for a baby or child to get bit!

There was no way to prove it because he did not report it right away. We just had no idea what it was.

 

This incident does not change our opinion about Carnival or cruising. In fact, we are going to use the 20% off to take our kids on a cruise next summer. The fact is that people get bit all the time. One of the coaches my husband works and teaches with got bit at our school.

 

Crazy things happen!

 

Edited to add: I could post a pic but I really doubt no one wants to see it!

 

When I saw the title of this post I thought, OH NO, SOMEONE WANTS SOMETHING FOR A MISHAP THAT IS NO ONES FAULT. I am glad I was wrong.

 

I think it is great that Carnival offered you an incentive to come back. I am thrilled that you have such a great attitude and understand that, even in the fantasy land of a cruise, Things happen that are simply a result of living in an imperfect world.

[Cuervosar]

Once, during band camp, I knew the sister of the cousin of that guy who plays tuba, you know the one right? Anyway he has a mother that once was surfing in Angola, and right next to him a brown spider popped up and totally jacked her wave. We know it was that spider because they've established a gang there. Luckily the great white sharks eat them so it's all chill yo.

[RCmommy]

This one time at band camp? [emoji12]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[MtnDweller]

Well I could certainly see people randomly making up facts about brown recluse spiders. It could not possibly be people assembling facts and putting them in a reference material site.

 

How about this one? You know, the science site that says virtually the same thing.

 

http://www.livescience.com/39996-brown-recluse-spiders.html

 

 

You missed my point. However, that site you posted hasn't been updated in 2 years.

 

Things happen, things migrate or involuntarily travel. Read the post below yours stating they are in New England.

[sprint180]

Feel for ya. My sister in law has been bit Twice by them. Not good

[3redheads]

I checked google images for a picture of the spider, but the photos of the wounds is SCARY!

 

Hope your husband's appointment goes well today.

[Florings]

Oh my word! I never thought about bugs on a cruise before...:eek:

 

Glad your husband is on the mend and all worked out well.

[Justwant2cruise]

what a nasty souvenir to bring back from your cruise , hope your hubby is doing well

both my grandfather and brother have been bitten by one (separate times) here in California , my grandfathers took awhile to heal like a few months .

Freaked me out for the longest time , I still haven't been in my shed since and it's been YEARS

[NHL Philly Fan]

We were on the Breeze out of Galveston 7/24-7/31. We had an amazing time! We were cruising without our kids for our 15th anniversary.

 

However....

 

On Friday we were eating the Sea Day Brunch when my husband grabbed his leg under the table and said he had just been bit by something. We looked and saw a tiny bump. We didn't see anything and it didn't hurt terribly bad right away so we just dismissed it. I kept saying, "Surely, not! I haven't seen so much as a fly all week!"

 

By the end of the cruise it was big enough to put a band aid on and it hurt just a little bit. During our 11 hour drive home it really started bothering him. He took some ibuprofen and we called our doctor. He prescribed an antibiotic saying it sounding like an infected boil. We picked up the meds and he took them. By the next day it was huge and we knew something was wrong. He went to the dr and sure enough, it is a brown recluse bite. Thankfully my husband has a super high pain tolerance and was not in major pain till we were able to go to the doctor.

 

It has been 10 days and he is on a strong antibiotic because he developed cellulitis but he is feeling better!

 

Carnival gave us 20% a future cruise and I think that was fair. I emailed them just to let them know. I would hate for a baby or child to get bit!

There was no way to prove it because he did not report it right away. We just had no idea what it was.

 

This incident does not change our opinion about Carnival or cruising. In fact, we are going to use the 20% off to take our kids on a cruise next summer. The fact is that people get bit all the time. One of the coaches my husband works and teaches with got bit at our school.

 

Crazy things happen!

 

Edited to add: I could post a pic but I really doubt no one wants to see it!

 

Glad he is OK but how in the heck do you think it is "fair" that CCL gave you 20%? Them giving you anything at all, even 1¢ was more than what you were entitled to under any conditions. You seriously think that CCL had any control over a spider biting your husband? Glad you enjoyed your cruise...

[NHL Philly Fan]

One of the guys I work with was bitten by a brown recluse a couple of weeks ago, and when he went to the clinic/doctor, they were able to tell it was a brown recluse by the "fang marks":eek::eek:

 

If you google some of those brown recluse bites (images), it is scary stuff.

They leave huge, gaping flesh wounds. GROSS!!!!!:eek:

 

I am SHOCKED to hear that there was on a cruise ship. Just don't understand how that would happen, but I guess someone could have brought it on the ship, in their luggage, and he found his way to the dining room?:confused:

 

I would be so freaked out. Hate spiders to start with, but the poisonous ones are the WORST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Why? It has been said that you are normally no further away from a spider than 10' no matter where you are at any time. Do you think there is some magic spider repellent that only cruise lines know about?

[NHL Philly Fan]

We are actually from MO. So we maybe even brought it. I told Carnival that. I really was just trying let them know. Just in case.

 

It did "ooze" a little that's why he put the band aid on it.

 

I'm telling you his pain tolerance is really high. I thought he pinky fingerlooked weird today and I asked him about it. He said he dislocated it earlier in the week. I think the bite was bugging him, he just didn't say anything.

 

We thought MRSA also but the Dr was pretty sure it was a spider bite. We will never really know. Which is why I didn't demand our $ back for our cruise. Too much in question!

 

And you still think it is fair that CCL gave you 20%?

[JaniceB]

Thanks for sharing your story.

 

Also look for fang bites around a red mark when you don't know where it came from. Other spiders bite too just don't inflict as much pain.

[bar1068]

And you still think it is fair that CCL gave you 20%?

 

I don't get any of this either. When I first read this, I was like, soooooo, why exactly did Carnival refund 20%? And can't see at all how any of that would have warranted a total refund of the cruise fare. Good the guy is ok, but just can't see how or why Carnival would need to reimburse anything.

[ShakyBeef]

I don't get any of this either. When I first read this, I was like, soooooo, why exactly did Carnival refund 20%? And can't see at all how any of that would have warranted a total refund of the cruise fare. Good the guy is ok, but just can't see how or why Carnival would need to reimburse anything.

 

Read the OP again. Carnival didn't give a refund. They gave a 20% discount on a FUTURE cruise. There's a big difference. Nothing was reimbursed.

 

 

OP said: "Carnival gave us 20% a future cruise and I think that was fair. I emailed them just to let them know. I would hate for a baby or child to get bit!

There was no way to prove it because he did not report it right away. We just had no idea what it was.

 

This incident does not change our opinion about Carnival or cruising. In fact, we are going to use the 20% off to take our kids on a cruise next summer. The fact is that people get bit all the time. One of the coaches my husband works and teaches with got bit at our school.

 

Crazy things happen!"

[mom2tcdx2]

They are no joke! My dad almost lost his leg to a brown recluse bite!

 

My sister was bit by one years ago in Miami, she ended up in the hospital for weeks. It caused her to become quite ill with MRSA when the bite didn't heal. It was pretty awful

Edited August 15, 2016 by mom2tcdx2

[NHL Philly Fan]

Read the OP again. Carnival didn't give a refund. They gave a 20% discount on a FUTURE cruise. There's a big difference. Nothing was reimbursed.

 

 

OP said: "Carnival gave us 20% a future cruise and I think that was fair. I emailed them just to let them know. I would hate for a baby or child to get bit!

There was no way to prove it because he did not report it right away. We just had no idea what it was.

 

This incident does not change our opinion about Carnival or cruising. In fact, we are going to use the 20% off to take our kids on a cruise next summer. The fact is that people get bit all the time. One of the coaches my husband works and teaches with got bit at our school.

 

Crazy things happen!"

 

 

 

You are now debating whether they guy got quarters or dimes. The point is that CCL giving this guy 20% of his cruise far either as a refund or as a future credit was not "fair". Fair would have been for them to have received $0. Gee with this supposedly being 'fair', I guess if I get sun burn on my next cruise I should expect 20% back to be 'fair'... Gee this entitled generation is so lame. :rolleyes:

[diverdon48371]

please show me in the original post where the OP asked for anything? I will take them on their word they were just trying to let carnival(and us) know it can happen and what to look for. thank you OP. what should they have done refused it?

[ShakyBeef]

You are now debating whether they guy got quarters or dimes. The point is that CCL giving this guy 20% of his cruise far either as a refund or as a future credit was not "fair". Fair would have been for them to have received $0. Gee with this supposedly being 'fair', I guess if I get sun burn on my next cruise I should expect 20% back to be 'fair'... Gee this entitled generation is so lame. :rolleyes:

 

 

Wow, you've sure got your panties in a wad.:rolleyes: I am not debating anything. There is nothing to debate. I'm simply pointing out that it is incorrect to say the OP got a refund or a reimbursement of any kind.

 

If upon checkout, a store gives me a coupon for 20% off my next purchase attached to my current receipt, did I get a refund? No. I got a discount to apply to a future purchase. If you can't see how that is a very different thing, I can't help you. Alas, I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.

 

Furthermore, your "point" may have been about what is "fair", but if you read very carefully:rolleyes:, you might be able to see that I wasn't speaking to you or quoting your post. And "fairness" wasn't what I was addressing, at all, so it is not my point. You may even be able to see that it is not "the point" of the OP, or the entire thread, for that matter. You may be all worked up and trying to pick a fight with the OP (and me, too, apparently) about what's fair and what's not, but I was not and am not having that conversation. I am simply setting the record straight as far as the facts in the matter. Carry on judging and pouncing on people...

Edited August 15, 2016 by ShakyBeef
spelling

[Staceelvls]

Informative post ...no need to argue.

[BellaSweet]

Perhaps Carnival gave the discount as a sign of goodwill. I'm sure they appreciated knowing the accident happened and would like to keep the family as cruisers.