On Thursday evening, 22 August, the goats came down to the beach where we were moored.
At about 10 pm, Andrew, Simon and Kai went with Sue and Steve and Paul, Angela and Abbie to the beach party at Russian Bay. There were only about 20 people there and a Greek guitarist with a drum machine who was not too bad, but later in the evening a big Italian flotilla (www.watertribe.it) with about 15 boats and 105 people
set up their own bar and disco and Kai was into his element, chatting up young Italian women and dancing the night away.
Andrew was not feeling well (he had been feeling bad since the afternoon) so about midnight he walked along to the little beach off which we were moored and swam back to the boat. We got Kai back about 2 am and Andrew seemed to be sleeping, but at 4 am he was prowling around the boat in absolute agony. We consulted our medical dictionary and decided that it probably was appendicitis. We phoned the health centre, but got no reply, then phoned the Tourist Police who told us that the Health Centre in Galatas was open all night. At 6 am Lin took Andrew to Poros in a taxi, then to Galatas in a water taxi, then by taxi to the Health Centre. A doctor, who spoke little English, examined him, then an English-speaking doctor came. They decided that he had to see a surgeon and suggested at first that they would fly him to Piraeus, but in the end decided to send him by ambulance to Navplion. By 8 am he was in the ancient ambulance going along the rough road to Navplion. Around 11 Andrew called Becky to tell her that he was being prepared for the operation there and she called us.
We decided that it was too far to sail (motor) round to Navplion, so we motored up to Palea Epidavros with Sue and Steve,
Charlie tucked himself under the sprayhood, where Kai used to go when he was little.
In Epidavros we anchored in the bay in 20 metres of water.
We had planned to hire a car to get to Navplion, but discovered that there is no car hire in Epidavros, so we took a taxi for 50 euros and got to see Andrew at about 4, having failed to get any information from the hospital. When we arrived someone told us the way to the surgical department, where we could not find any staff - doctors or nurses - but Kai found Andrew in a two-bed room and he was just coming round from the operation, on drips with a dressing on his stomach, but he was still very groggy and did not know what they had done to him.
The hospital was very basic and what little equipment they had was very old and outdated. The operating theatre looked like a cupboard.
An officious nurse came and told us that children were not allowed in the department because they carried germs, as if adults don't, and Simon had to wait outside with the boys while Lin tried to find a doctor and get some more information.
Charlie soon got restless and started playing games.
We eventually discovered that Andrew had indeed had his appendix out but he was well. Simon then went off with Kai to find a car to hire. We had to go to four placed before we could find one that had a small car free, eventually getting a Ford Focus for three days at 40 euros a day, which was not bad. We drove back to Epidavros and Steve picked us up in his dinghy to take us back to the boat, where we had a quick scrambled egg and fell into bed, exhausted.
On Saturday Simon and Kai drove over to Navplion to see Andrew and take him some things. He was much better and had got some sleep, but was still very sore and tired. He wanted to come out immediately, but the doctors wanted to keep him in until Tuesday. He also got caught drinking the lemon Fanta we had taken him and got a bollocking for it.
In the afternoon we all went up to the ancient Epidaurus theatre with Sue and Steve. Kai sang a song on the stage, which we could hear quite well from the back row.
Charlie ran up and down the theatre
from bottom to top, not once but twice.
He was getting very tired, so Kai gave him a carry.
After we got back the boys went on the roundabouts.
Then Kai went fishing on the quay.
On Sunday we all went to visit Andrew and took him a couple of cheese sandwiches. After a while we went to a cafe to give Kai a rest,
and Kai was soon fishing with another boy on the quay.
When we went back to see Andrew, he had got caught eating his cheese sandwich and got another bollocking from the doctor - we advised him to take the next one to the toilet.
On the way back we stopped to look at one of the 3000 year old Mycenaen bridges.
In the evening we bought Kai a new fishing rod, on the promise of good behaviour, and all got to bed early.
On Monday morning Simon and Kai set off at 8 am hoping to be able to collect Andrew. Andrew sent us a text warning us that we would have to pay cash, so we went to a cash machine, which refused to give us our money. We went in to the bank, who advised us to check with our bank and call them if the money had been recorded as going out (we called when we got back and it turned out that it had been authorised, but not yet debited, so it may be reversed).
When we got to the hospital we found Andrew sitting outside with his bags and a bill for 740 euros, which had to be paid. They insisted that they had to see his EHIC card, which he had left at home, but fortunately we had got Becky to email us a photo of it, which they eventually accepted so we paid nothing.
Having got Andrew out of the hospital we took the hire car back and got a taxi back to Epidavros. In his excitement Kai left Andrew's bags in the boot. We phoned the Navplion taxi rank and soon the taxi came back with the bags.
After a quick shop we set off for Moni, only for the anchor to get caught on a fisherman's grappling hook, so Simon had to go over the side to untangle it. Everyone was so pleased to get Andrew back and to get to sea again,
with Sue and Steve coming with us.
At about 10 pm, Andrew, Simon and Kai went with Sue and Steve and Paul, Angela and Abbie to the beach party at Russian Bay. There were only about 20 people there and a Greek guitarist with a drum machine who was not too bad, but later in the evening a big Italian flotilla (www.watertribe.it) with about 15 boats and 105 people
Andrew was not feeling well (he had been feeling bad since the afternoon) so about midnight he walked along to the little beach off which we were moored and swam back to the boat. We got Kai back about 2 am and Andrew seemed to be sleeping, but at 4 am he was prowling around the boat in absolute agony. We consulted our medical dictionary and decided that it probably was appendicitis. We phoned the health centre, but got no reply, then phoned the Tourist Police who told us that the Health Centre in Galatas was open all night. At 6 am Lin took Andrew to Poros in a taxi, then to Galatas in a water taxi, then by taxi to the Health Centre. A doctor, who spoke little English, examined him, then an English-speaking doctor came. They decided that he had to see a surgeon and suggested at first that they would fly him to Piraeus, but in the end decided to send him by ambulance to Navplion. By 8 am he was in the ancient ambulance going along the rough road to Navplion. Around 11 Andrew called Becky to tell her that he was being prepared for the operation there and she called us.
We decided that it was too far to sail (motor) round to Navplion, so we motored up to Palea Epidavros with Sue and Steve,
We had planned to hire a car to get to Navplion, but discovered that there is no car hire in Epidavros, so we took a taxi for 50 euros and got to see Andrew at about 4, having failed to get any information from the hospital. When we arrived someone told us the way to the surgical department, where we could not find any staff - doctors or nurses - but Kai found Andrew in a two-bed room and he was just coming round from the operation, on drips with a dressing on his stomach, but he was still very groggy and did not know what they had done to him.
On Saturday Simon and Kai drove over to Navplion to see Andrew and take him some things. He was much better and had got some sleep, but was still very sore and tired. He wanted to come out immediately, but the doctors wanted to keep him in until Tuesday. He also got caught drinking the lemon Fanta we had taken him and got a bollocking for it.
In the afternoon we all went up to the ancient Epidaurus theatre with Sue and Steve. Kai sang a song on the stage, which we could hear quite well from the back row.
On Sunday we all went to visit Andrew and took him a couple of cheese sandwiches. After a while we went to a cafe to give Kai a rest,
On the way back we stopped to look at one of the 3000 year old Mycenaen bridges.
On Monday morning Simon and Kai set off at 8 am hoping to be able to collect Andrew. Andrew sent us a text warning us that we would have to pay cash, so we went to a cash machine, which refused to give us our money. We went in to the bank, who advised us to check with our bank and call them if the money had been recorded as going out (we called when we got back and it turned out that it had been authorised, but not yet debited, so it may be reversed).
When we got to the hospital we found Andrew sitting outside with his bags and a bill for 740 euros, which had to be paid. They insisted that they had to see his EHIC card, which he had left at home, but fortunately we had got Becky to email us a photo of it, which they eventually accepted so we paid nothing.
Having got Andrew out of the hospital we took the hire car back and got a taxi back to Epidavros. In his excitement Kai left Andrew's bags in the boot. We phoned the Navplion taxi rank and soon the taxi came back with the bags.
After a quick shop we set off for Moni, only for the anchor to get caught on a fisherman's grappling hook, so Simon had to go over the side to untangle it. Everyone was so pleased to get Andrew back and to get to sea again,
with Sue and Steve coming with us.
That was a good bit of diagnosis, I know where to come next time I'm feeling poorly. Who needs 5 years at medical school :)
ReplyDeleteGood that everything worked out well. I guess we will be seeing you back in Coventry soon.