I Hurt Myself Today

[Diver Lori]

All, take Mary's advice and have a credit card with a high limit with you when traveling abroad. Your medical insurance at home will cover you, but it reimburses you AFTER you come home and provide receipts.

I have a card with a high limit that I keep tucked in my passport wallet for this very purpose. I do use it now and then for nominal charges so they don't cancel the card for lack of use.

 

[ggunn]

Hey, what a deal! Go to Cozumel, smash up your hand, pay the med expenses with a credit card, get airline points to pay for your next trip. Rinse and repeat...

Next time, wait until the end of your stay to smash the hand, though.

 

[judydivescoz]

It was nice to meet you last night Mary! We stayed on for a while and ended up at El Pique for a very late dinner with a few new friends. You sound like you are on the mend. Have a great time in Playa, looking forward to the trip report.

 

[alohagal]

Hey, what a deal! Go to Cozumel, smash up your hand, pay the med expenses with a credit card, get airline points to pay for your next trip. Rinse and repeat...

Next time, wait until the end of your stay to smash the hand, though.

I know. Hope my insurance company isn't paying good attention.

Just got back from Mamitas beach. Gosh, falling in love with Playa Del Carmen. It reminds me of early 60's (when I was tiny child) Seems most of the tourists are of some Spanish ethnicity. Very few Gringos about. Anyway, the locals are cute with the boys in their capris, small panama hats with cloth trim, large sunglasses, cigar shops, men in trunk style swimsuits. All very Cuban feeling for some reason.

Also, there was a TOPLESS girl on the beach. Okay, she was only two years old... but very adorable.

Mary

 

[DandyDon]

All, take Mary's advice and have a credit card with a high limit with you when traveling abroad. Your medical insurance at home will cover you, but it reimburses you AFTER you come home and provide receipts.

I have a card with a high limit that I keep tucked in my passport wallet for this very purpose. I do use it now and then for nominal charges so they don't cancel the card for lack of use.

And for us poor boys who don't have that kind of credit, there is DAN Preferred Ins who will advance at least $5,000 on Accidents, all members Travel Assist benefits, plus Trips Ins company advances. :cool2:

 

[Diver Lori]

And for us poor boys who don't have that kind of credit, there is DAN Preferred Ins who will advance at least $5,000 on Accidents, all members Travel Assist benefits, plus Trips Ins company advances. :cool2:

Oh come on Don! With all the trips you take and all the writeups of yours that get printed in the Chapbook, we know you've got bucks!

 

[alohagal]

Oh come on Don! With all the trips you take and all the writeups of yours that get printed in the Chapbook, we know you've got bucks!

Diver Lori,

What is a Chapbook?

Also, people spread the word. Playa Del Carmen is ON SALE. Hotels are willing to negogiate. No swine flue. Everything cheap!!

Riviera Maya Discount: Mayan Riviera Vacation Deals

 

[Diver Lori]

Diver Lori,

What is a Chapbook?

Undercurrent prints up a "Chapbook" annually of reviews of dive resorts, destinations, and operations. Don has been known to grace it's pages. If I'm not mistaken, I think it was one of Don's reviews that led me to Fantasy Island.

 

[scubawife]

And for us poor boys who don't have that kind of credit, there is DAN Preferred Ins who will advance at least $5,000 on Accidents, all members Travel Assist benefits, plus Trips Ins company advances. :cool2:

When you're sitting in an ER with a contorted limb or gushing wound and waiting for a secondary insurance provider to vouch for your payment before they'll treat you, you might rethink that.

Forget about medical emergencies, in today's world I wouldn't travel anywhere without the cash and credit with me to get by for at least a week and to pay for a return trip home. If I can't afford to do that then I probably should be rethinking if I can afford the trip.

 

[scubawife]

Thank you Dandy Don for answering much better than I ever could. Especially since I did not know all the answers. I know DAN has been great about contacting me. My sister was able to get a hold of them and they kept calling until I answered. I told them I no longer needed their assistance, but, appreciated their quick response. I am feeling well enough that I have extended my stay until 14 July 09. I know......I am bad.

I really want to finish what I started here. So, after my stitches are removed by the lovely folks here...I will be diving the cenotes and snorkeling with the whale sharks. I will keep everyone posted.

Thanks to everyone who visited this thread. Scubaboard is a wonderful community of people I am truly discovering. And can be your saviours when needed.

Muchas Gracias,
Mary

Not meant to scare you, but as someone who went through a couple months of dealing with a very nasty deep infection (acquired in bacterial infested cenotes and ocean... not in Cozumel) I would really caution you to rethink jumping in with freshly removed stitches. I had very tender but basically healed burn, all was well until day 2 of diving in contaminated water... 2 days later my leg was a big red mess from the knee to ankle, could hardly walk and I won't even describe the actual wound site... went to a doctor, one look and her first question was, "how many days were you diving? Then she listed off dive sites, ocean and cenotes, asking which ones I'd been too... The meds I was given are used here only in hospital when bad infections are contracted to open wounds.

When you go to get the stitches out, please let the doctor know your plans and ask them if you should have any concerns about "water quality" and bacterial infections in the places you plan to be diving. Even if they say no, watch for signs of infection and take it seriously.

PS - if you want to extend a few more days, the Whaleshark Festival is in Isla Mujeres July 15-19. Welcome to Whale Shark Festival 2009| Isla Mujeres, Mexico