AT CRUISE; ONBOARD MD80S; CABIN ATTENDANT BECAME ILL AND FLC DIVERTED TO ALTERNATE TO GET MEDICAL ASSISTANCE.
Synopsis
AT CRUISE; ONBOARD MD80S; CABIN ATTENDANT BECAME ILL AND FLC DIVERTED TO ALTERNATE TO GET MEDICAL ASSISTANCE.
Narrative
I WORKED A FLT FROM CHICAGO TO LOS ANGELES. I WAS #1 FLT ATTENDANT. SOME BACKGROUND IS NECESSARY TO EXPLAIN MY REASON FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION. I HAD BEEN ON A DIET FOR 2 WKS WHICH CONSISTS OF NO CAFFEINE; NO SUGAR AND NO CARBOHYDRATES. PRIOR TO MY FLT IN CHICAGO; I DRANK AN EXTRA LARGE COFFEE (WITH CAFFEINE); AS OUR FLT WAS A LATE DEP; AND IT WAS A LONG DUTY DAY DUE TO A SCHEDULE CHANGE. APPROX 2 1/2 HRS INTO THE FLT I FELT STRANGE. MY INITIAL THOUGHT WAS HYPOXIA. I ASKED THE OTHER 2 FLT ATTENDANTS IF THEY FELT UNUSUAL; AND THEY SAID NO. MY NEXT SUSPICION WAS POSSIBLE HYPOGLYCEMIA. I DRANK ORANGE JUICE; HAD SOME SUGAR AND WATER. NOTHING HELPED. FROM MY FIRST AID TRAINING; I DEDUCED THAT I MIGHT BE HAVING THE SYMPTOMS OF AN ONCOMING SEIZURE. #4 FLT ATTENDANT MADE A PA ASKING FOR A DOCTOR OR MEDICALLY TRAINED PERSON; HOWEVER THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. I FELT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE FO TOOK MY PULSE; AND ASKED IF I FELT THAT AN EMER LNDG WAS NECESSARY. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT IN MY MIND; I FELT THAT THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING SIT. WE DIVERTED TO LAS VEGAS. PARAMEDICS MET THE FLT. I WAS PUT INTO AN AMBULANCE; AND TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THE EMER ROOM PHYSICIAN DETERMINED THAT I HAD AN ACUTE ANXIETY ATTACK DUE TO THE CAFFEINE THAT I DRANK. HE SAID THE DIET I WAS ON IS NOT SAFE. I LEARNED LATER THE DIET DEHYDRATED THE BODY; AND AFFECTS THE ELECTROLYTES; AND ALSO CAUSES LOW BLOOD SUGAR. THE DOCTOR FELT THAT A CATSCAN AND BLOOD WORK WAS NOT NECESSARY. MY VITAL SIGNS WERE NORMAL; AND I WAS RELEASED. OVERNIGHT ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE; AND I FLEW TO LOS ANGELES. I WENT DIRECTLY TO MY PHYSICIAN (INTERNAL MEDICINE/CARDIOLOGIST). HE GAVE ME AN EKG AND PERFORMED BLOOD WORK. HE CONCLUDED THE SAME AS THE DOCTOR IN LAS VEGAS; DUE TO THE DIET; I HAD AN ADVERSE REACTION TO THE CAFFEINE. NO FURTHER MEDICAL TREATMENT WAS NECESSARY. I WAS IMMEDIATELY RELEASED TO FULL DUTY; AND ASSUMED MY NORMAL FLYING SCHEDULE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.