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Travel delays
Off we set for Bermuda with many plans of what to do: maintenance on our house and Airbnb, house sitting for our son, being daycare for two grandchildren and other expectations of walks, get-togethers and outing
Our flight from El Salvador took us to Miami airport where we caught a taxi ride to Fort Lauderdale. This was to be our hub for our BermudAir flight to Bermuda the next day….. and then our flight was cancelled due to hurricane Ernesto. The airline just simply canceled our flight and left it to us to find another. This was not possible for several days so there we were in Fort Lauderdale in a hotel. Basically we filled the time by wandering around and shopping. Meanwhile John wasn’t feeling 100%
Our flight new flight on the Monday wasn’t until later afternoon/evening so we spent that day wasting time at Fort Lauderdale airport. Then, the flight was delayed boarding, so more hanging about, then after boarding we sat in the plane, on the runway for 1 and 1/2 hours, while the pilot revved the engines. Why? Because the plane had been over filled/loaded with fuel and needed to burn off the excess fuel before being able to fly. (Or we would have to leave the plane while the fuel was taken out. This all meant that we didn’t get to Bermuda until 12:30, yep, the early hours of the next day. We then needed to find Gavin’s car in the car park, drive to his place, get the baggage in and upstairs etc. John collapsed from exhaustion, literally he collapsed on the couch, which is not like him. I did think it strange because normally he has much more endurance than I do.
1st week
Tuesday we had to be up early ready to have Quest for the day. Chrissie and Quest were staying at Gavin’s too and so it was an easy transition. Meanwhile, we were still quite weary from the previous day.
I had a Dr’s appointment, then there was grocery shopping and Quest came along. He was a real trooper, well, as long as we bribed him with this and that…..
May and Quest
Meanwhile John was still feeling quite rotten. For the rest of the week we were staying at Gavins house as there were guests in our Airbnb. We kept busy:
May brought me flowers she had picked at the Botanical Gardens :} We gave her the El Salvador gift box.
We took Quest and Amy for a walks to Devonshire Bay.
After work each day we had family visit. Everyone enjoys Gavin’s pool and garden being right on the ocean. John, swam with the kids, we chatted and caught up.
Our girls, Chrissie and Kate
We had further Dr’s appointments. I was hopeful of getting all my complaints seen to.
By the end of the week, John was still feeling crummy, so Chrissie decided to test him for covid. His test came back positive!
We had to cancel most of our weekend plans. The family still came over to say hello. The kids had lots of fun, but poor John was kept at a distance. I was neurotic about catching it too.
In the red, Josh Kate’s bf, Kate, Chrissie, me, Shannon and Ethan our eldest grandson.
Our 25 year old Grandson Ethan and his girl friend Shannon, next to me. John and Rhianna our 23 year old Granddaughter, (who had recently had open heart surgery. Josh and our Kate.
Week 2
We moved to our home and had May and Quest for the week, instead of them going to camp. They thought they were going to have fun with us.
On the Tuesday John had to go back to the Dr’s office for a fasting blood test. That evening John received an urgent call from the Dr….. John had to go straight to the hospital. His blood work showed that his liver was not functioning at all well. It was from this point onwards that all our plans were shot.
In the hospital John was back on the drip, off of all foods, and tested, tested, tested. It was decided that for what ever reason there was a problem with his bile duct and his liver was very jaundiced, so it would be back to Lahkey Hospital, Boston. Meanwhile John was rapidly declining, feeling really unwell, his colour was yellow, he was shivering one minute then hot the next. And actually he wasn’t himself at all.
The next bad news was that John still had Covid, so we could not fly on a commercial flight. Plus, we had to mask up, and all the rest that goes with Covid. Everyone was having to be tested too, but surprisingly still only John was positive.
Once again we were Medi-vacted to Boston. This time we flew on a Lear jet with Canadian crew and Medical team. It was a smooth quick flight, but leaving late and arriving at 3:30am! Then off in the ambulance to the hospital about 45 minutes away.
At the hospital room with just one bed for John which he was tucked up into, and hooked up to a load of instruments. I pulled out the big chair from the corner of the room it reclined quite well, I took one of John’s covers and pillows and rested there in the corner of the room. Meanwhile, poor John was jabbed, blood taken all sorts of machines attached to him and had a constant flow of medical staff examining him and discussing him while they stood on the room.
At the approach of 7:00am I headed to the front of the hospital where the lady at reception found me a ride in a security van to my hotel. Luckily it was the same hotel as before. Arriving at so early, I couldn’t check into my room as it wasn’t ready. However, I could go for breakfast, which I was very pleased about as I hadn’t eaten since the previous lunchtime. The hotel does a really great buffet breakfast. Finally by 10:00am there was a room.
After a few hours rest I headed out to get supplies, this time using the hotel shuttle. I picked up enough for a few days and then asked the teller to please call the hotel for the shuttle for me. As the area is all medical facilities the staff in all the shops are more than happy to call for shuttles and taxis.
After returning to the hotel I got the shuttle to the hospital, and found John’s room in the maze of floors, corridors and rooms. John, had already been operated on.
John’s bile duct had indeed been clogged again, this time with gunk. His liver was also terribly jaundiced, it was nearly one third filled with gas from his intestines and stomach, his blood count was also not good he was anemic, overall he was considered quite ill.
The medical team had put in another stent. This one was to stay and act as a drain for his bile. He is one of 5% of people who over produce bile, nobody knows why this starts. Many people are misdiagnosed and go years being very ill due to this over production of bile in their system and some never do find out why and suffer.
Believe it or not but, not the next day, but the day after that, John was released from hospital.
Our first stop was Best Buy, John needed and wanted a new iPad. As luck would have it there was a Labour Day sale on and the price was excellent.
The following day we flew home to Bermuda.
Flying over the reefs on the approach to Bermuda always is awesome!
However, that did not mean John was well. He was sick for weeks after. His stomach and gut health were very poor. He found it challenging to even want to eat. In the end he lost over 25lbs. It has taken until now, the beginning of October for John to feel better and to be able to enjoy food.
Week 3 
Quest’s birthday October 11th
Needless to say our stay became convalescence for John. We did manage to get our Airbnb touched up with paint, completely cleaned, repaired where necessary and restored after 6 months of near constant use. Ivan was a great help! However, John never go to do any of the other jobs he had planned…..“never mind, next time”, I tell him.
Week 4
Taken from our bedroom at Gavin’s
We had another stay at Gavin’s lovely home. This time Gavin and Katie were away for Gavin’s Birthday celebration. We had our Granddaughters Lily and Eve to care for.
Granddaughter’s Lily and Evie
It certainly was a busy several days. There was a schedule to follow, which we hadn’t had for many years. Up early we are used to, but cooking breakfast, driving to school and such. Then after school the various activities to take them to.
We even lost Lily one afternoon, she went to tennis and it wasn’t on the schedule because the school hadn’t confirmed the activity. It was busy, but the girls were amazing! So able, helpful, and easy.
Quest’s Birthday Party
That weekend was our Grandson, Quest’s Birthday Party at Gavin’s place too. The day dawned rainy, overcast, and dull….not Birthday Party weather.
However, the party went ahead, all went well, Quest and guests had a blast even swimming and playing in the rain.
Tzai and Papa catch up. (We hadn’t seen her for quite some time)
We all had a tasty pizza lunch.
The children watched a movie on the big screen in the viewing lounge.
The adults all chatted, and caught up. Above are Quest’s 2 Granddads.
The cake was a great success!!!
and of course the presents were a hit with Quest.
Shortly after Quest’s special day, it was time to pack and leave. John was feeling like he could cope with the traveling and he was keen to get back to Aeeshah and recover.
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” —Robert Louis Stevenson
