A Massachusetts ER nurse is stranded in Costa Rica after falling 15 toes on a hike, fracturing her backbone and leaving her legs quickly paralyzed.
Kiara Diaz was on the ultimate day of her trip with mates on Friday after they determined to absorb the views of the tropical Central American nation earlier than flying again to her residence in Worcester, WCVB reported.
Diaz, 29, and her two mates selected to trek as much as El Miro, a long-abandoned, never-finished mansion overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the town of Jaco.
However in the course of the last-minute journey, the nurse “stepped backward” with out realizing there was a drop-off behind her, Diaz’s brother, Gindember Diaz, instructed the outlet.
Gindember stated the autumn broke his sister’s collarbone and backbone, quickly paralyzing her legs and leaving her hospitalized in Costa Rica as she recovers.
“She simply needs to get again to the US. That’s the largest factor,” he stated.
A pal, Samantha Cruz, instructed NBC Boston that it took emergency crews about two hours to achieve Diaz after they known as 911.
The 2 mates along with her — each registered nurses — managed to stabilize her whereas they waited for assist.
“They spent two hours on the ground, taking turns stabilizing her backbone as a result of they didn’t need her to maneuver in any respect. They didn’t know the extent of her accidents at that time,” Cruz stated.
Diaz’s household is now determined to fly her residence so she will endure surgical procedure in Boston, however the paperwork and prices are overwhelming as a result of she has neither journey nor medical insurance.
“Sadly, she canceled it earlier than securing a brand new one, went to a different nation and bought injured,” her brother instructed WCVB.
He stated his sister dropped her earlier insurance coverage after it stopped masking a medicine she wanted and had been planning to change to a brand new coverage.
Medical doctors have since instructed Diaz she is presently unfit to fly, and she or he was scheduled to endure surgical procedure in Costa Rica on Tuesday.
Even after the process, medical doctors count on she’s going to face an extended restoration.
Cruz launched a GoFundMe to maintain everybody knowledgeable and to assist cowl the prices of bringing her residence.
She stated Diaz has “obtained very restricted medical care” and had been “mendacity within the hallway with out monitoring” when she first arrived.
Diaz’s mom and brother have since flown to Costa Rica to be along with her, however when she’ll have the ability to return to Massachusetts stays unclear.
“Being significantly injured abroad has made an already overwhelming scenario even more durable,” Cruz wrote.
“Kiara has spent her profession caring for others. As an ER nurse, she has devoted herself to serving to folks heal and really feel protected at their worst. Now she wants that very same care and assist in return.”
