Kirsten Lindsey suffered what have been described as 'catastrophic' injuries during an excursion on holiday and has already racked up thousands in medical bills. 

She was enjoying her first ever cruise with her boyfriend Blake Ford, 28, when horror struck while she was suspended in the air - and now, she has issued an update on how she is doing. The holidaymaker, from the US state of Louisiana, headed out on a 'rope swing excursion' on the third day of her voyage with Carnival Cruise. 

According to the travel firm, this was not an activity sponsored or recommended by them. In a GoFundMe explaining what happened, her partner Blake wrote: "What was supposed to be Kirsten’s first cruise turned into the worst experience of our lives. 

"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. Kirsten and Blake's cruise ended in horror after she suffered a 'catastrophic' genital injury (GoFundMe)

'The size of a baseball' 

"As she swung out, the line tightened between her legs just before she dropped, causing a catastrophic injury," he explained. Kirsten initially believed it 'was only a scratch' and attempted to 'laugh through the pain', but soon realised it was a lot more serious than she had imagined. 

"Within hours, everything changed," Blake said. "The swelling became severe, the pain became unbearable, and she eventually needed a wheelchair just to get back to our cabin." 

The couple called US emergency services from the ship and Kirsten was taken to the medical centre onboard the Carnival Cruise liner, where she spent 'hours' being treated by doctors. "The swelling continued to worsen until it had reached roughly the size of a baseball," Blake added. The couple suspect the rope swing was 'improperly connected' (GoFundMe) According to the pair, they were told they could either be air evacuated to the US, taken to a hospital in Cozumel and be forced to 'figure out our own way home', or remain at the ship's medical centre for the rest of the journey. 

They opted for the air evacuation - which doesn't come cheap, as Kirsten and Blake said they were told to hand over a $20,000 (£15,000) deposit, while they'd need to stump up another $30,000 (£22,500) after touching down. 

And that's without mentioning the bill they racked up while Kirsten was in the onboard medical facility for approximately 26 hours in total. Blake went on to explain: "Charges alone reached around $3,500 (£2,600), not including physician services, medications, and procedures. 

During that time, her pain became so severe that she could barely move, and at one point the medical staff told me they were trying to keep her awake because she would stop breathing whenever she drifted off from the pain medication." Kirsten initially tried 'to laugh through the pain' (GoFundMe) After hours of waiting, the couple boarded a private medical jet which flew them to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Blake said they were 'away from home' while they sort out Kirsten's 'testing, treatment, and recovery'. 

The pair launched a fundraiser as they still have a 'long road ahead' and the 'financial impact has been overwhelming' already. At the time of writing, it has acquired nearly $20,000 in donations. 

This cash will help Kirsten and Blake pay the fees for 'emergency medical expenses, air evacuation and transportation costs, hospital bills and follow-up care, travel and lodging while she recovers, and getting us and our vehicle home safely'. 

Kirsten underwent surgery and claimed medics told her they have 'never seen anything like' her injury. "They are doing everything they can to prevent permanent damage to her… grapefruit sized lady bits," Blake wrote. 

In a post shared to Facebook on Thursday (23 July), Kirsten offered an update on her condition while praising the kind people who have donated to help her. She explained that she has been made aware that GoFundMe campaigns referencing her plight have been launched 'under Blake's name' - but she has explained that this is not related to them. The tourist, who was medically evacuated from the ship, has racked up huge medical bills already (GoFundMe) "We have one go fund me account and that is it," the tourist said. "Please be aware and don’t let people scam you trying to profit from my injuries. I can’t believe I’m even having to get on here to say this."

Kirsten then explained that she has finally made it home after her ordeal, adding: "I’m now home finally and trying to get settled in. I want to say, thank you a million times to everyone so much for your love and support. "It does not go unnoticed." 

In a comment under the post, she also noted that asking for financial help is 'out of their comfort zone'. A spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Line said in regards to the incident involving Kirsten: "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."