Aussie nurse’s horror pool accident at Bali beach club

An Australian nurse has vowed never to return to Bali after a shock injury led to a horrid hospital experience.

An incredibly unlucky jump into the pool at a popular beach club in Bali had an Australian nurse fearing she would be left with paraplegia.

Footage of Linda Dehnert-Rowe’s jump from the five metre diving platform at Mrs Sippy Bali last month appears like nothing more than a tourist having a good time.

But an awkward landing on the water left her in a world of pain – and the fear of not being able to walk again. She had fractured her spine.

The 52-year-old was taken to a local hospital by ambulance but she tells news.com.au what happened next ensured she would never return to Bali again.

Melbourne woman Linda Dehnert-Rowe jumped into the pool from a diving platform at Mrs Sippy Bali. Picture: Supplied

An awkward landing fractured her spine and she was taken to hospital by ambulance. Picture: Supplied

Ms Dehnert-Rowe said she was asked to pay more than $1100 for pain medication and medical imaging, and $2500 to be transferred from “the morgue trolley” she was on, to a bed.

And she said she was told that if she didn’t pay up she could walk out.

“This was impossible as the minimal pain relief I received was not enough to allow me to get off the trolley to walk,” she said.

The diving platform was five metres high.

Ms Dehnert-Rowe explained she was reluctant to hand over her credit card, fearing the requests for money would not stop.

“After lying in a storage room without a call bell and not having a nurse allocated to me, I agreed to hand over my Amex card,” she said.

She added: “I was forced to lie in my own urine for several hours, despite my partner making several requests for clean sheets.”

The 52-year-old feared she would be unable to walk again. Picture: Supplied

She was told she would need neurosurgery. Picture: Supplied

Ms Dehnert-Rowe said she was told she would need mandatory neurosurgery that could be performed in eight days time and she was at risk of paraplegia due to a fragment of bone positioned close to her spinal cord.

The neurosurgery alone would cost $50,000, not including anaesthesia or the hospital stay.

When her travel insurance kicked in, she decided she wanted to be medically evacuated home to Australia.

“As a critical care nurse I am aware that neurosurgery carries significant risks even under the most skilled surgeons,” she said.

While it was a “battle” and it almost looked like she wouldn’t be allowed, Ms Dehnert-Rowe was flown back to Melbourne. The news she got there was one of the “highlights” of her life.

She ‘battled’ to be medically evacuated home to Melbourne. Picture: Supplied

There, she was given the great news she wouldn’t need surgery after all. Picture: Supplied

Back home at The Alfred, she was told she didn’t need surgery after all and instead her injury could be “treated conservatively with a back brace”.

“This means I’m going to recover much faster,” she said.

Ms Dehnert-Rowe initially shared her story on TikTok with a series of pictures showing her incredible recovery.

“It’s been just over two weeks since fractured my spine in Bali and was told I needed neurosurgical intervention before coming home,” she captioned the video.

“After a much fought battle I was medically evacuated home. I’m now planning my return to work. It’s been a journey to say the least. With a positive mindset and the support of my most loved humans I’m making the speediest recovery. I am blessed.”

@lip_religion

It’s been just over two weeks since fractured my spine in Bali and was told I needed neurosurgical intervention before coming home. After a much fought battle I was medically evacuated home. Im now planning my return to work. It’s been a journey to say the least. With a positive mindset and the support of my most loved humans I’m making the speediest recovery. I am blessed. #bali#spinalinjury#bangedupabroad#mrssippy#travelinsurance#cantholdmedown#unstoppable

♬ nhạc nền - Mimami - Cao Minh Đại

Ms Dehnert-Rowe hopes sharing her story will encourage Aussie travellers to ensure they have travel insurance before heading overseas – and make sure they read the fine print.

She said she feels like she owes her life to a man named Nara from the insurance company, who co-ordinated her medical evacuation within five days.

While she loves Bali, she said she will personally never go back.

“I could never go through this again,” she said.

Ms Dehnert-Rowe runs her own cosmetic injectables business in Melbourne, Lip Religion.

While she can’t drive, she can now walk to her clinic to work – which she says is her passion.

Throughout her career she has worked in emergency and intensive care, with the Royal Australian Air Force, Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria and Indigenous communities in remote Western Australia.