On Thursday we had a really pleasant early evening BBQ before hitting the sack to try to catch up on sleep.
Friday 18th May
School in the morning.... under a little duress but soon done once they realised they could play once finished. Then watching the big boat arrive, delivering building supplies for the island. The kids took paddle boards to the beach to play while we started to put the boat back together and eventually ended up back, playing on the rocky formations which make the harbour walls.
We were then interrupted by a port guy asking us to move as a couple of tugs were bringing a crane in to finish the marina. At the moment it is unfinished and therefore free to stay but as of about the 10th of June there will be a charge. We motored over to the other side of the marina much to the kids disgust as they loved playing on the concrete sea wall but they were soon enjoying playing near our new mooring, splashing around in the water.
As we had downloaded The Greatest Showman when on marina wifi in Leuca the kids were eager to watch it so we invited Ruby and Leon over for dinner and movie which Kylie and Jasper were pretty pleased about as I don't think they had had a kid free night all winter! Before that though, Patrick and I sneaked a lovely walk whilst the kids stayed and played with Leon and Ruby. It was really interesting to explore this small island, imagining that the community may be similar to that of some of the Scottish islands, only warmer! There was a tiny police station which I suspect was only manned in Summer, with a somewhat decrepit looking police car! We then walked over to the (shut) sunset bar and wandered back through the middle of the island looking at the houses and (shut) shop and bars. It seems strange that it still isn't holiday season here despite the warm temperature.
On our return we were greeted by the lovely sight of Ruby and Esmé skating together, Ruby on blades and Esmé on her heelies.... although I think Ruby was pretty much dragging Esmé along! I cooked dinner and Leon introduced AJ to his favourite music! We then settled down to watch the movie on the small iPad screen. After about 1/2 an hour Leon announced that he had seen it before and he was going back to his boat which posed a problem for me as we had told Kylie and Jasper we would keep them for at least 2 1/2 hours and I was keen to give them some child free time. I told him he couldn't leave the boat, trying to reason with him by asking how much child free time his parents had had since they started living aboard.... none of which cut any ice. I was starting to feel a little uncomfortable keeping a child I had only known for 36 hours captive, however he was suitably distracted by lego and AJ's kindle fire, and I made a judgement call that Kylie and Jasper would rather him glued to whatever game of AJ's he was playing than interrupting their quiet night. The rest of us settled down to watch the rest of the film. It wasn't long after the film finished that Jasper was outside, clearly having enjoyed a kid free evening and perfectly fine with my Leon distraction strategy!
Saturday 19th May
AJ had woken in the night asking for his inhaler which concerned me a little and in the morning he was sounding rather wheezy, reminding me of how he was before being admitted to hospital last year. The difference being that now we weren't a 5 minute drive away from the local hospital, we were on a small island with very little facilities. We were debating what to do.... it was a 5 or 6 hour motor to Gouvia where the nearest hospital was, anything else would require needing external help and potentially putting AJ and I in a different place to Patrick, Esmé and Laurin. We had no concept of how urgently we needed to see somebody as last year had been the first and only time AJ had had any issues. In the end I spotted some builders on the pier and asked them if there was a doctor on the island.... they made a few phonecalls and a lovely guy appeared... I think maybe port police. He was called Angelo. He told us that there was no doctor on the island as the Dr was shared between 3 islands but there was a medical room with oxygen if we needed it and they could get a helicopter or fast boat. We didn't really think things were that urgent but did find out that they had an oximeter in the room which they offered to bring to the boat. Google told me that above 95% oxygen is good, between 92% and 95% is moderate and less than 92% is bad news. AJ had 94%. Angelo very kindly insisted we take the Oximeter with us and assured us that if AJ went downhill they could get a boat to us within 15 minutes, just to call on channel 16, he also gave me his mobile number. We woke Kylie and Jasper up to tell them what we were doing and headed for Gouvia, monitoring AJ as we went. It was a fairly stressful few hours but that didn't really distract from the beautiful views of Greece and Albania.
On arriving at the hospital and explaining the situation we were seen straight away and AJ's oxygen levels were measuring 93%, possibly due to the walk to the hospital, or maybe as by now he was getting anxious about being in the hospital. One nurse had really good English, the other not so great so AJ didn't really know what was going. We quickly explained that he gets anxious and we needed to explain what was happening before they did anything to him. They understood and things calmed down. He was put on Aerolin and oxygen and then the doctor arrived, announcing that he had to give AJ an injection in his bum. AJ was NOT impressed and the doctor said that he would come back in an hour because he was on his own and had other kids to see, but if he still wouldn't have the injection we would have to sign a disclaimer!
We spent the next 1/2 hour working on AJ, talking him round before the Dr reappeared and was a lot calmer and sympathetic, having decided to put a cannula in AJ and use that for blood tests and the injection. He was very patient, explaining every step of the process and after 10 minutes it was in.
It was then that he told me that we would be staying overnight. Next up was a chest x-ray and then Patrick went back to the Marina to pick up a bag of stuff and to catch up with Esmé. Our new friends of 2 1/2 days were amazing and offered Esmé a sleepover which made things much easier for us. They also fed Patrick who then made sandwiches and returned to the hospital. By now we were up on the ward with 4 other families and AJ was brought food which made NHS hospital food look like The Ritz!
Very soon Patrick disappeared for the night with strict instructions to get some sleep and keep his phone on ready to relieve me in the morning... I had already spied a distinct lack of put up beds in the ward, and noticed there were 3 reclining chairs which were already occupied. I prepared myself for a very uncomfortable night. Just before midnight the Dr reappeared and indicated for me to talk to him outside the ward. He told me he needed to get another blood sample from AJ but this time from an artery which would be more painful than the cannula. I had 5 minutes to talk him round. At the Dr's suggestion we went to a different room... he said so that AJ only had calm associations with the room he was to sleep in but I think in reality so that AJ didn't terrify the other kids with any screaming. In the end AJ was a star and managed perfectly well.
Once back on the ward he needed more Aerolin which took until about 1am to finish. We then settled down for some sleep. Me linking 2 hard chairs together and placing my head at the food of AJ's bed.
Sunday 20th May
We were woken once more in the night for more Aerolin before morning came at 6am so not a lot of sleep. I was relieved when Patrick text at 7am to say he was on his way. I headed back, picked up croissants and bread for BOAG and checked in on Esmé before heading back to Laurin.
After a couple of hours sleep I was awoken by the sound of Esmé scrabbling around for swim gear so she could go to the pool with the others. I took the chance to call Patrick and found out that AJ had had yet another of the horrible blood tests in the morning but that he was still off oxygen and been asked to walk around a little. AJ wanted me back so after checking in with Kylie and Jasper I headed back to the hospital.
The food was a little better on day 2 but AJ still wasn't really eating much and we basically hung around all day waiting for his next round of Aerolin which was supposed to be at 2pm. There was nobody to bee seen unti 4pm when they came to measure his oxygen levels again which were still only at 94%, if it didn't improve we were looking at another night in hospital. Very soon he was on Aerolin again and Patrick headed back to check on Esmé and wait for a phonecall from us to let us know if he was packing a camping mat for me, or coming to walk home with us. At about 6:30 the Dr dropped by saying he'd be back at 7pm to assess him. At about 7:30 he arrived, measured oxygen levels at 99% and said AJ could go home! It then took a further couple of hours to sort out the paperwork and get his last injections before we finally escaped! The next part of the challenge would be to find an open pharmacy the next day as it was a bank holiday!
It was interesting to compare the Greek Hospital with the NHS. Clearly there is less money there. There are far less nurses, probably less doctors, and the food is even more dire than the NHS. There are no entertainment systems on the wards and there was no constant monitoring of his oxygen levels. I guess because of the lack of nurses I was asked to do a lot more of the care. The nurse would put his Aerolin in the oxygen mask and then ask me to monitor it and turn it down when it was finished. There was no toilet roll in any of the toilets and the hospital shop which was open 24 hours had stacks for sale, along with somewhat more edible food. However there were LOTS of cleaners and the wards were mopped and cleaned far more frequently than I remember the wards in the UK been cleaned. We were also seen as soon as we got there with no wait. All in all it was fine and we are very grateful to the lovely Greek people that helped AJ and also to our new friends for taking care of Esmé!
Phew so glad AJ is better. What a worry. Greek hospitals and doctors are fantastic but it's a big worry when your loved ones are taken ill in a foreign country. Well done all!!
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