Update on Louisiana woman hospitalized after suffering 'catastrophic' injury on rope swing

The Louisiana woman has revealed the brutal reality of her recovery after suffering a 'catastrophic' rope swing injury.

Kirsten Lindsey was travelling on a Carnival Cruise when she and her boyfriend, Blake Ford, decided to take part go on a rope swing after the ship docked in Honduras.

According to Blake, the activity went horribly wrong after what they believe was a malfunction involving the swing.

"What was supposed to be Kirsten’s first cruise turned into the worst experience of our lives," he wrote on the couple's GoFundMe page.

"Kirsten was seriously injured during a rope swing excursion.

"Based on what we witnessed, a retrieval/tag line appears to have been improperly connected to the swing."

Photos of the incident were uploaded by the couple on their GoFundMe page. Credit: GoFundMe

Blake said after Kirsten swung out, 'the line tightened between her legs just before she dropped, causing a catastrophic injury'.

At first, the couple believed she had only suffered a minor cut, as 'she even walked back to their transportation trying to laugh through the pain'.

"Within hours, everything changed," Blake wrote.

"The swelling became severe, the pain became unbearable, and she eventually needed a wheelchair just to get back to our cabin."

"I called 911 from the ship, and she was rushed to the medical center where doctors treated her for hours. The swelling continued to worsen until it had reached roughly the size of a baseball," he added.

Blake later revealed the injury caused her private parts to swell to around the size of a 'grapefruit.'

Kirsten received treatment in hospital after her emergency air evacuation. Credit: GoFundMe

Medical bills continue to mount

After spending more than 12 hours receiving treatment in the ship's medical centre, the couple was presented with several options, including remaining onboard in the ship's medical facility or seeking treatment at a hospital in Mexico.

Instead, they chose to arrange an air evacuation back to the US.

"We chose the air evacuation because we believed it was the best way to get Kirsten the care she needed," Blake explained.

The decision came at a high cost, though, as Blake shared that the treatment onboard the ship totalled around $3,500 (£2,600), while the emergency evacuation ultimately cost more than $50,000 (£37,614).

The couple has also been left covering additional medical expenses, travel, accommodation, lost income and other unexpected costs after returning home.

As of this writing, the couple's fundraiser has raised $22,337 of the $26K target.

Woman shared update that shows the brutal reality of her injury

An update on Kirsten's condition was later shared by Fox San Antonio news anchor Ryan Wolf, who said she wanted to speak publicly in the hope that others could avoid suffering a similar ordeal.

"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," he wrote in a post on Facebook.

"While she still has a long road ahead, they say her doctors are encouraged by her prognosis.

"After being medically evacuated back to the United States for emergency treatment, Kirsten has now made it home to Louisiana, where she’s focusing on healing physically and emotionally, one day at a time."

According to Wolf, Kirsten still faces follow-up appointments, pelvic floor therapy, pain management and months of rehabilitation before she can return to normal life.

Kirsten issues safety warning to travellers

Speaking publicly following her surgery, the woman urged travellers not to assume excursions are safe simply because they appear online or are available in popular tourist destinations.

"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."

Following the incident, Carnival Cruise Line reiterated that the rope swing activity was not organized or recommended by the company.

A spokesperson said: "We are aware of reports regarding a guest who was injured while independently exploring Honduras.

"After returning to the ship, the guest was promptly cared for by our onboard medical team, which provided treatment and facilitated access to additional medical resources.

"While the incident did not occur on a Carnival-sponsored excursion, we remain concerned for the guest's recovery.

"The safety and well-being of our guests is always our top priority," they concluded.

Featured image credit: GoFundMe