WARD ROUNDS

View from the balcony

A quick update in a short break before my “shift” begins at 10 am. Our lovely English speaking nurse, Katerina works from 7 pm until 7 am and has been a life saver over the last week or two in helping us to look after K and noting signs of improvement and signs that we should point out to his Doctor. The nurses have not deflected from their strict timetable of trolley rounds, followed by doctors rounds, doctor and students rounds, anyone who turns up and feels important rounds – all which signify that the family carers who have been doing all the donkey work are to be summarily dismissed to the corridor for periods which can be an hour at a time. As I have been here five weeks now, I have seen masses of patients come and go in that time and made lots of short term friendships with some extraordinary people. Having been around for so long, I am almost part of the furniture and have armed myself with a folding beach chair, a large bag which holds everything and settle myself out in the corridor for however long it is that they need the room clear of extra bodies. Kimon's doctor demands the room to himself every time he does an “aspiration” - suction – which sounds like an unlikely song title. He is very kind, very earnest and we are immensely grateful to him, even though he is very, very serious in his manner.

I pointed out the George Clooney look-alike to Leo as we were ensconced in the corridor. Close up, there is less of a resemblance but we wonder if he has any other function than to strut up and down the corridor, with his white coat, greying at the temples in and out of doors, looking important. We had a few minutes speculating what his job actually was. Anyway, Leo has made a difference to our ability to cope and our treatment here. All of a sudden daughters are appearing with their families to give TLC to Pappous and help Yaya and engaging in conversation with us. Mama loses no time in telling us that their daughter is highly educated - a doctor perhaps or an economist.  A request for more hand gel or supplies from me to the hospital nurses at the desk resulted in a grudging response, possibly or not at all. Leo's requests met with different treatment altogether and a smile. What it is to have an eligible, courteous, kind and caring son with us. People have offered to go to the shop for us, all these Mamas have lost no time in making introductions … It reminds me so much of the antics in my big, fat Greek Wedding! Katerina the Nurse made us a cake on her last night and artlessly asks who will be on early shift tomorrow.  Leo, wisely is keeping his own counsel and is friendly to everyone young and old alike.  

Church in the Hospital grounds

Anyway, K is improving day by day to the point where he is getting fed up with it all and wants to get out of bed, not really aware that he is hitched up to catheter bags, feeding tubes, IV drips and so on. The doctor is trying to dispense with all these things in a slow process of winding down and removal, so it is slowly, slowly for now. We are all fed up with the tracheostomy which prevents K from feeding properly and shoots mucus as far as 5 feet when K coughs, if you don't get there fast enough. This has meant that someone has to stand over him with tissues nearly all the time unless he is given an “aspiration”. There has to be a moral in this story somewhere. The result is very nearly back-breaking work before we even reach bed bathing and changing. Fortunately Leo brought a slip sheet with him as well as strong muscles which has made the whole task much easier as well as K getting stronger each day and now able to move much better.

Festival for St Luke the Physician was held this week

Thank you all for your kindest thoughts, prayers and newsy photos. It helps us feel that we haven't been forgotten. It will be 5 weeks, nearly 6 this weekend and I really want to go home and do some washing! We hope that the next stop will be a Clinic for Physiotherapy in Chania and also that it will be covered by our IKA insurance and not completely break the bank. Anyway, there are signs that K will be OK, although there is a neuropathy in his legs and feet which might get better with help, or may be more permanent – the doctors can't tell at the moment.

Love, joy and peace to all our brilliant friends.  They have brought great big hugs, home made goodies, English chocolates, helped with nappy changing, and one wonderful couple turned up to our house in the middle of their holiday to clean the terraces and waterproof the roof for the winter.  Others sent money enough to pay for our lovely nurse for a night or so.  Such friendship cannot be measured or adequately repaid.  A huge thank you to you all.

Perry Family only ... At my lowest point, Laddie turned up in the hospital grounds ...
As ever, he was in need of a bath ... !