TROUBLE IN PARADISE - Steve Sauter

Most of us go through life working to have the things in life we want. We all need a break from the grind of daily work so we save up to take those dreamy vacations. Everyone has a different idea of what vacation is for them, some want to travel to exotic far away places others long for the trill of pushing the envelope. I think in some form or another we all make a list of places we want to see or things we’d like to try. This is where our vacations come into play and planning the perfect get away. Maybe going to the Bahamas to try diving for the first time or climbing some ancient ruins in Mexico is your thing. All the great planning we do with bags and getting the correct gear to make our adventure fun we never imagine any disasters. I want to plant a vision of a young man named Bill who was like the rest of us working hard to get ahead and loving life. One of Bill’s dreams was to go to an exotic place and go white water rafting just like all the cool pictures he’d seen.

Bill booked a great vacation with a few of his close friends to Costa Rica for just such an adventure. Everyone in Bill’s group was excited and well prepared for this vacation of a lifetime. On the first day of the river trip things couldn’t have been better, the weather, the friends and really big white water.  As the fun on the river started everyone had been instructed about safety and paying attention, as we all do the group sort of listened. Not far into the day the river became very exciting with lots of big drops and torrents of water rushing around the rafts.  In the second set of rapids almost everyone was tossed out of the raft laughing and screaming, this was the fun they had come all this way for. It only took a few minutes for everyone to climb back in the raft except Bill.  In a matter of seconds panic set in because Bill wasn’t anywhere to be seen, then he popped to the surface with his face down in the water. The river guide got to Bill quickly and pulled him back into the boat, he was breathing but not moving !

Bill had struck a large rock underwater and had severe neck damage, now they had to get him out of the jungle and to a hospital quickly.  This fun adventure of a lifetime now turned into a rescue mission for everyone.  We never want to think about how horrible a situation like this could be until we are faced with it.  Every year hundreds of vacationers all over the world experience tragic accidents only to realize we have no clue how to handle it.  If you need to get back home and are immobilized you can’t just jump on the next commercial flight. Fortunately there are some good organizations out there that can help you get in touch with the means to get you home. Wright here in Florida there is a company call “Jet ICU” that has a fleet of Lear Jets ready at a moments notice to head anywhere in the world. Most of us never think that our health insurance doesn’t do anything for us once we leave the good ol USA.  None of us set aside bundles of cash for a situation that Bill now finds himself. Arranging a medical flight to the US from just about anywhere outside the country can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Bill’s family was now faced with the reality of how to get him to a hospital as close to home as possible. Bill suffered a broken neck and was paralyzed with limited movement from the neck down.  Fortunately Bill’s family got in touch with Jet ICU and within hours a plane was in the air headed to Costa Rica.  Each one of the medical jets is equipped with state of the art technologies as well as two on board Hospital trained professionals.

Bill was flown back to the states the same day to receive the help he needed for his injuries and start his new journey of recovery.

The world we live in today has become a lot smaller because of computers and the internet but not physically. When we travel to far away lands to explore the world we don’t consider if anything happens how would we get home. If you have ever been on an international flight even with a cold it is very uncomfortable, imagine being in multiple casts. I know for a fact that if I became violently ill I couldn’t afford to lay in a foreign Hospital for weeks waiting to get better.

Maybe the company you work for has an emergency plan for work travel but I bet they wouldn’t pick up the tab if you were hurt while sight seeing on the job. Things happen quickly and without reason, even that exotic local dish you tried could contain a disabling parasite. We are all lucky that we live in a time as today that an organization such as Jet ICU exists.  Besides flying all over the globe to help people in emergency situations Jet ICU does hundreds of humanitarian mission during natural disasters. During the recent tragedy in Haiti Jet ICU flew medical supplies and personnel to the island with no regard for what it cost the company.

This is what people in the business of saving people do when we need help, this is why our friend Bill can get the best care possible.

I have personally seen the letters from families gushing with thanks to the team at Jet ICU for bringing there loved ones home quickly and with meticulous care. I read a letter from a career nurse that has worked twenty years in an ER who’s son was injured in a car accident in England, she professed that the Jet ICU team was the best she had ever seen !  Fortunately for those of us that like to travel the world and experience new adventures there is some new re-patriot insurance available. This means that if you are injured or incapacitated while traveling the company guarantees to get you safely back to the states.  An air ambulance service such as Jet ICU will provide the aircraft and the medical staff to bring you home no matter where you are. I feel for the nominal amount of money this may be, the peace of mind is invaluable for you and your family.  Not all medical air services are the same so make sure you do some homework and check the level of professionalism and certifications. If you would like more information on programs like this feel free to contact Jet ICU.

I would like to personally thank the family and team at Jet ICU for allowing me insight into there business. Thanks for being there !