This is a Cautionary Tale

After several years of EA+ membership, we weren’t traveling and let our EA+ lapse. Then, in 2019 we went on a lifetime dream trip to Alaska. It was a small photography group of 6. We traveled in a large van and spent time in Seward, including a day long boat trip on Resurrection Bay. We traveled on to Homer, where we had a flight on a small plane to Lake Clark. The water was the most beautiful color! We spent most of the day photographing brown bears from a pontoon boat. We flew back to Homer, and having such a great time, I thought about flying lessons when I returned home.

Walking back up the dock, I tripped on a raised board. My leg broke immediately, due to osteoporosis medications, and I fell over, landing on my side. Local EMT’s rushed me to the local hospital, where a CT scan revealed that my femur had completely broken and was no longer attached. My shoulder was smashed, my arm and ribs were broken.

I was flown by helicopter to Anchorage where I had immediate surgery to place a rod in my leg. They offered to do the shoulder replacement surgery, but I was worried about another big surgery, and wanted to have it done at home. I stayed in the hospital for 15 days.

I had arranged for a friend to come accompany me home, but she called 3 days before and had suffered a heart attack. I had to find another friend who could drop everything and come to get me home. It was a terrible end to an otherwise fabulous vacation.

I realized while I laid in bed in Anchorage, that if I had EA+, I wouldn’t have to do all my own work to find help getting home. It was a nightmare! I am back with EA+ now, and ready to try that Alaska trip again!”