Woman who suffered ‘catastrophic’ genital injury is facing brutal reality as update issued
The woman who suffered a 'catastrophic' injury on a rope swing has undergone reconstructive surgery.
Kirsten Lindsey is now recovering at home after having an operation to repair the 'extensive' damage her genitals suffered during an excursion on holiday.
She was left in 'unbearable' pain and experienced swelling which caused her private parts to become a similar size to a 'grapefruit', according to her partner Blake Ford.
Kirsten's first ever cruise came to an abrupt end on the third day of the voyage after she sustained a grisly injury which forced her to get medically evacuated from the vessel.
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The tourist, from the US state of Louisiana, had headed out on a 'rope swing excursion' with Blake - but was left 'seriously injured' due to what they believe was some sort of malfunction.
In a GoFundMe post explaining what happened to his girlfriend, Blake wrote: "Based on what we witnessed, a retrieval/tag line appears to have been improperly connected to the swing.
"As she swung out, the line tightened between her legs just before she dropped, causing a catastrophic injury.
"At first, she thought it was only a scratch. She even walked back to our transportation trying to laugh through the pain. Within hours, everything changed."
Kirsten experienced 'severe' swelling, was left in agony and 'eventually needed a wheelchair' just to make it back to the couple's cabin on the Carnival Cruise ship.
The excursion that the pair went on was not an activity sponsored or recommended by them, the cruise firm said previously.
Mounting medical bills
Kirsten was ultimately evacuated from the ship due to her worsening condition - leaving the couple with a bill totalling upwards of $50,000 (£37,614) for this alone.
Charges for the care she received onboard 'reached around $3,500 (£2,600)', Blake said, while they are also having to fork out for other 'medical expenses, travel, lodging, lost income, and unexpected costs of getting home'.
On top of all this, Kirsten's medical bills for the subsequent treatment she has received since returning to the States is also adding to the pair's financial worries.
That's why Blake launched a GoFundMe, which has now racked up more than $22,000 in donations.
Now, an update on Kirsten's condition has been issued on social media by Fox San Antonio news anchor Ryan Wolf.
The journalist said Kirsten wanted to speak out about her intimate problem in the hopes that her story 'might save someone else'.
Her loved ones thanked people for the 'overwhelming support' shown towards Kirsten since news of her injury hit headlines and explained she has undergone surgery in the last few days.
Wolf wrote in a post shared on Facebook: "Kirsten underwent reconstructive surgery to repair the extensive injuries she suffered in the accident. Her family says her surgeons were able to successfully repair the damage.
"While she still has a long road ahead, they say her doctors are encouraged by her prognosis.
"She’s focusing on healing physically and emotionally, one day at a time. Her recovery won’t happen overnight."
'One split second can change your life forever'
"She still faces follow-up appointments, pelvic floor therapy, pain management, and months of rehabilitation as she works to regain the life she had before that single, life-changing moment," Wolf added.
Kirsten then issued her own public plea - where she warned folks heading on holiday to be extremely wary when booking excursions in foreign countries.
"Please don’t assume an excursion is safe simply because it’s offered or looks fun online," she said.
"Ask questions, inspect the equipment if you can, trust your instincts, and never let the excitement of the moment outweigh your safety. One split second can change your life forever.
"If sharing my story prevents even one family from experiencing what we’ve been through, then something good can come from this."
Topics: US News, Health, Cruise Ship, Carnival Cruise Line, Travel
Olivia Burke