Preface - This happened a week ago, but we figured better late than never!!
Imagine cascading down 27 waterfalls or jumping 30 feet off a rock into a pool of freezing cold water. Now imagine slipping and dislocating your shoulder in an effort to not crash and fall onto many rocks below. Bianca decided her weekend should consist of a little adventure so went Cascading down 27 Waterfalls with Iguana Mama. With her clumpsy self, she slipped in line waiting to do the “jump” right after the highest jump. In an effort to save her life, she grabbed a slab of rock and dislocated her shoulder. She thought her arm as just sprained from holding all her weight out it and that she just needed a minute to breathe. From the look on all the others’faces she knew something was wrong. With still 5-6 more jumps to go before the end of “nature’s best water park” (which it truly was), she allowed the “bombero” or fireman on the excursion to attempt to “pop” the shoulder back into place. After three painful attempts, they decided to descend as quickly as possible to meet the Dutch physical therapist waiting at the bottom, who was the husband of a woman on the excursion. After sliding and being lowered as gently as possible (and when we say lowered we mean having one guide hold her by her life jacket and hand her to another guide below as she cried), the physical therapist had her lay on a large rock as he tried three times to get the shoulder back into place. Third time was a charm! He massaged to arm as Bianca cried and screamed it pain. All she was thinking about was the 25 minute hike through mini rapids, rocky paths, and hills to the excursion’s entrance. While most individuals were excited for a hearty Dominican lunch, Bianca was ready to go to a hospital. The physical therapist told her to get an x-ray to ensure she didn’t have a fracture and instructed her not to take any pain medication just in case she need to be put under anestisia.
Because she is a great person and an excellent Dominican Spanish speaker Dani came with Bianca. They first arrived at a pretty sketchy “first aid” station 10 minutes away. The girls felt like there should be a chainsaw somewhere waiting to be used for the next amputation… needless to say it wasn’t very sanitary. Then... on to a bigger hospital in Puerto Plata. By the time she reached the hospital her shoulder bone had moved out of place again due to the not so smooth ride on Dominican streets. Did we mention this was the only time Bianca has entered a hospital in a swimsuit and lifejacket? In extreme pain and on the verge of begging for an amputation to take away the pressure, Bianca didn’t have to wait in the waiting area. Dani filled out basic paperwork while the nurses tried to twice to start an IV but kept “missing”… but fortunately … third time was a charm again. Dani left for Hummingbird to get Bianca’s insurance information and passport, while Bianca was taken to the x-ray room and then transported to the surgical floor in the sketchiest elevator ever! The only thing Bianca muttered while in pain was “I don’t speak Spanish but me duele mi hombro y por favor necesito dormir ahora con anestia.” And for those of you non-spanish speakers… that is the neither grammatically correct and barely makes sense.
The next things she knew Bianca woke up in a hospital bed unaware of where she was with a sling on her arm. She looked around for a “call button” (YAH RIGHT?) and then just started to yell “Hola” wait a minute and then yell again. Just when she had given up… in rolled in another patient who hurt herself at Ocean World. A nurse realized Bianca as awake and gave her medication but explained it to be in Spanish… YIKES! After signing a few legal documents concerning insurance coverage and being told she was in a sling due to hurt ELBOW… which was false… she was wheeled out only to see Sarabeth, Sarah, and Gillian! Here new friends with pitiful faces and then big welcoming smiles. As the attendant wheeled her out to the emergency entrance to be picked up by Catherine (the DREAM director), Sarah asked Bianca what they did to her. She simply responded with, “I have no idea.” Catherine got it all figured out. After meeting Lindsey and Catherine, the girls rode back to Hummingbird and with no feeling in her shoulder, Bianca decided to join the girls for dinner at Onos! BEST burger EVER… maybe it was because it was Bianca’s first and only meal of the day. Then time for bed!
During this time SaraBeth was sleeping/reading/walking on the beach. As she returned with Lindsey to Hummingbird, Sabrina and Ambrin informed her that Bianca was in the hospital in Puerta Plata. Um, this put SaraBeth into panic mode. Lindsey, Sara, SB, and Gillian began a mission to rescue Bianca. This is one of the few places you can travel where public transportation by bus = sharing a van with 23 people when it was clearly constructed for 11. After this pleasant 40 minute ride, we finally made it to the Sala de Cirguias (surgery rooms) at the Centro Medico of Puerto Plata.
For those of you who think that this little mishap would put a damper on the last week of our trip… you are sadly mistaken. Sunday included a delicious lunch at Friends followed by a day at the beach. If you have to rest your shoulder… it might as well be on a beach chair and watching crashing waves! J Oh and did we mention we stopped at Iguana Mama to by a souvenir shirt from the excursion. You would think it would be “por gratis” but unfortunately Bianca had to cough up 500 RD pesos to pay for the shirt and prove she was hardcore…
