CONFINED - TUESDAY 22ND JULY - DORDRECHT

 

Things aboard may (or may not) be in their normal ship-shape state of being at the moment.   

One of us reasoned that as long as stuff is tucked away by the time the Captain does her inspection when she regains her feet,  then who is to know?  It came as yet another small surprise to discover that with the shock of yesterday wearing off ever so slightly, along with her confined state, came a heightened awareness of her surroundings.  

Perhaps the kids were right, perhaps she CAN see through walls.

We needed the day to think, and arrange as best we can, the next week of our lives and generally regroup, which when there are only two of us was not a terribly arduous task.

The nautical term for our emotional state, albeit still tempered slightly by disappointment and bewilderment, is “bouyed” by all of the offers of help, the well wishes, and the downright amazing assistance provided by hospital staff, fellow harbour residents and Rob, the Harbour Master who made it his special task to find a wheelchair that we could use, to say nothing of finding us a berth right outside his office to ensure we had easy access to the harbour facilities particularly those designed for the benefit of disabled people which have not previously been used.

This latter kindness meant that we were obliged to move of course.  Given that our original decision regarding staying here was in part made to avoid moving on a day when substantial wind gusts were forecast, and subsequently brought to bear, this put us in something of a quandary.  Thankfully with all the time in the world to wait for the gusts to subside before making the twenty metre crossing of the harbour, in what must be something of a personal best, we made it without incident, with an audience watching no less.

The hospital meanwhile, not worried about any crosswind are completely ahead of us in this game.  In one day they have completed the paperwork, the online pre-op interview, arranged appointments with specialists on Friday and Monday next, and have done their utmost to make it easy for us. Despite our government’s reciprocal Health Care agreements, we are from so far outside of their system that we may as well be from another galaxy.  If numbers are missing, they seem to just make some up and press a button and make the question go away.

With the exception of one errant foot and the other ankle well on its way to recovery, and perhaps a spot of general untidiness, things aboard seem to be close to as best can be, so tomorrow we might just see if that wheelchair works, and attempt to get out and about for a bit.