EMERGENCY. Need help NOW

[hedgehog]

DD just called from Cuba.  She had an anaphylactic reaction, cause unknown.  She had one epi-pen with her and used it.  She was treated, GiVen some ind of injection, and they put her in prednisone again.  Problem is she only had one epi with her.  The doctors there have no idea hat an epipen is, apparently they don't have them there.  Does anyone know how she can get an epipen or other form of epinephrine injection in Cuba?  Since she has no idea what she reacted to, she cannot avoid, and I am going out. Of mind thinking she will react again without an epi.  And the closest hospital is 20 minutes away.

[Macabre]

Oh goodness.

Let me think.

Do you mind if I tweet this and ask for help? We have some international followers.

[hedgehog]

Fine.  Anything that can get n answer. I am on hold with her school right now.  They are trying to get what info they can from their end.

[Macabre]

She could get a script for epinephrine and a syringe.

She could get enough for four doses.

[Macabre]

I am also asking an international relief friend I have.

[momma2boys]

Oh no! How much longer is she there? Is it possible to express mail some to her?  Or get her home asap? So sorry, I can't imagine how stressed you are.

[Macabre]

Background: this young woman has no known food allergies. She only had the EpiPen because she had reacted strongly to a required vaccine two weeks before the trip.

[twinturbo]

Can she radio someone in US SOUTHCOM? Navy or Coast Guard should be operating in the surrounding waters. http://www.southcom.mil/Pages/Default.aspx I've never cold called them only my father's direct line. I wish I could advise how to best navigate them. I only know the area they are assigned.

I would call Lifeflight (Air Ambulance worldwide), that's the closest I can think to an evacuation. Civilian medical transport to military to get back to at least Florida. http://www.airambulanceworldwide.com/air-ambulance-havana-cuba

[CMdeux]

She could get a script for epinephrine and a syringe.

She could get enough for four doses.

Yes--individual ampoules and sterile buffer for reconstitution, though, otherwise they won't be stable enough for use, probably, in the heat.   She may also need to be prepared to keep them with a cold pack to keep the drug stable anyway.

[hedgehog]

I just got off the phone with someone at her school.  Someone from the international dept. is looking into what her option are, calling their insurance company to see what is available in Cuba, etc.  she is supposed to leave Saturday  morning.  Tomorrow is just a day of beach, shopping or whatever.  Basically free time.  I know there are no commercial flights to the US until Saturday.  They only fly two days a week to the US.  DH was thinking that maybe she could get a flight to Mexico or Canada, then fly home from either if those places.  But that would mean flying alone, without an epi, which could be worse.  At least, if she can make it until the flight Saturday, Cuba to FL is a very short flight, then she could get an epipen.

[twinturbo]

Have you tried the air ambulance service out of Havana Cuba? I linked above. They might be able to fly her from hospital to hospital on med transport, or at least to maybe the nearest ship or base that can and will take a US citizen in need of medical evacuation.

[hedgehog]

Thanks TT.  You posted that while I was writing my last post.  I started, then was on the phone and restarted.

[momma2boys]

Do we have any members here in Florida that could get an epi to the airport? 

[rebekahc]

What did they inject her with at the hospital - epi?  Can they give her some already loaded syringes (and an ice pack to keep them cool) to take with her?

[yelloww]

Are her steroids liquid form or pills? At the very least she probably should have liquid steroids available for the flight. If she needs more, then it would get into her bloodstream faster.

Can they get her some needles and a vial of epinepherine? She's going to need a dr's note to get those back on the plane.

Hugs to you guys! This is awful!