A cruise ship passenger was airlifted to hospital 800 miles from home against his wishes when the ship doctor misdiagnosed his "pulled muscle", he claims.<br /><br />Stephen Cassidy, 60, was airlifted off a cruise he was enjoying with his wife, Carol, 61, after the ship’s doctor suspected he had an infection in his hip, he said.<br /><br />However, he was later told by medics in the hospital there was "no sign" of an infection – and that he had most likely pulled a muscle, he claims. <br /><br />Stephen says he was left in Shetland, 800 miles from home, and "felt like a prisoner" when he was not allowed to leave the ship’s medical centre before being airlifted. <br /><br />Now, Stephen says that the experience left him feeling panicked and angry – and he missed out on celebrating his wife’s birthday.<br /><br />Stephen, a music teacher and former army reservist and police dog handler, said: “I just can't understand it - I was feeling totally panicked and angry. <br /><br />“I asked if I could leave the medical centre to pack my own bag – they said no and I felt like a prisoner. <br /><br />“The ship’s doctor told me that something in one of the blood tests he carried out suggested I had infection in my hip. <br /><br />“I never should have been medically disembarked from the ship – I was absolutely fuming.” <br /><br />Stephen and Carol, from Poole, Dorset, paid £3,598 for a two-week cruise to Norway with Princess Cruises for her 60th birthday and their 40th wedding anniversary. <br /><br />Halfway through the trip, Stephen began to experience pain in his left thigh.<br /><br />He had previously had a hip replacement on that side, so visited the ship’s doctor. <br /><br />After a physical examination and an x-ray, the doctor determined there were signs to suggest Stephen had contracted an infection in his hip. <br /><br />He was placed on an IV drip twice a day - then three times per day - during between May 19 and 24. <br /><br />Initially, it was planned that the ship would dock in Iceland and Stephen could visit a doctor on land before re-joining the cruise, however the boat was unable to stop. <br /><br />Instead, the ship’s doctor consulted with an orthopaedic surgeon online and sent the x-rays to be analysed – with the x-ray report indicating there was nothing to worry about and the surgeon suggesting Stephen should stay on the ship, he claims.<br /><br />However, on May 24, Stephen says he was asked his weight by nurses and claims his wife was told to go and pack his bag. <br /><br />And when he asked if he could pack his own bag, Stephen says he was told he could not leave the medical centre. <br /><br />He was then placed in a wheelchair – despite being able to walk – and wheeled onto the deck, where he was airlifted into a helicopter along with two other unwell passengers. <br /><br />The trio were flown to Lerwick where they were delivered to Gilbert Bain hospital and assessed. <br /><br />To Stephen’s frustration, he was told there were no signs of infection, and he was most likely suffering from a pulled muscle. <br /><br />Stephen paid £870 for flights home and a night in a hotel.
