Hospitals and Invasions

Chapter One

Hospital visit

 Today the hospital at Nafplio is taking emergency cases. Chaos.

The last time we came they gave us a temperature check and then K and I simply walked in. He got a ticket for the doctor we were going to see, having already closed a rendezvous, and found the appropriate office. The doors are always closed so you hover around until it opens and then pounce, giving the paper to however comes out, hopefully a nurse. It's a bloody stupid system but works. Then you sit down and wait for your name to be called.

This hospital is rather small and is used by locals and yokels like us. While you're waiting you're likely to see a prisoner or two come in escorted by guards from the Agricultural Prison nearby. The corridors often have families of Roma (gypsies) with grandmother, an aunt or two and always a few small children. The women still dress in long skirts usually of flashy colours and the men often have gold bracelets and chains .

Those I feel sorry for are the foreign workers, Indians and Pakistanis who have no idea of the system and wander from door to door till someone takes them by the elbow to the door they need.

The wait to get an appointment was only a week.  Rural hospitals like this one have good doctors and the wait for treatment is not too long.

Today at the hospital entrance a bulldog of a woman wouldn't let me through because I didn't have an appointment. They didn't have a machine to scan our covid apps so luckily I dug out a paper one I had  printed for K, and daughter Elli, who is a computer whizz (and beautiful too spit spit spit), found her certificate online. Then they had to give name and age, and show their ID card. No temperature check . 

They went in to get their paper for the rendezvous and I went out to find a decent cafeteria, with a loo. 

The loo in the cafe is a damn sight cleaner and more inviting than those at the hospital!!  The light is magical and turns on by itself, there's a real loo seat and paper. And liquid soap, hand disinfectant. 

That bulldog of a woman on the hospital gate is a necessity here where everyone tries to slip by and ignore the rules. She tells us that all these checks have to be done and no support family are allowed in today because the hospital is on emergency duty.

Elli texts me to say that there's a long queue for the orthopedic surgeon today. Last time it was just us .

Chapter Two

This morning the news was that Putin has invaded the Ukraine.  My blood froze when I heard those sirens wailing in Kiev. I couldn't believe it.  Damn him and all politicians.

How can that happen in this world in 2022. How can one country just walk in and take over another .

Greece has been hearing increasingly aggressive rhetoric from Turkey. I hope Erdogan doesn't get buoyed up by Putin's aggressive 'victory' and think he can walk into the 100 Greek islands he insists are actually Turkish.  I see this morning he has condemned the Russian invasion. That's hopeful.

There are incidents almost daily between Greek and Turkish vessels. Yesterday the Greek coastguard guard attempted to expel a Turkish fishing boat from Greek waters and ended up firing on it. 

Chapter Three

Today is Tsiknopempti, Smokey Thursday, the last of the big meat eating days before Orthodox Lent.  In days of yore it was a huge family celebration.  We all gathered to BBQ lamb chops, sausages and hamburger with lashings of homemade and very garlic-ky tzatziki.  This year for the first time it looks as though we will be eating on our own.  Just the two of us.

Clink, clink 

'To your good health my dear' 

Stin ygiea sou agapi mou'.

We got home from the hospital just after midday.  Elli with her wounded hand went off to chill the sauv blanc we had bought in LIDLS and we went off to digest the bad news.  K must have an operation to repair his right tendon.  The left may be improved by physio.  He is not a happy camper, at all.  Next week we will be going to see the Orthopedic surgeon at the other local hospital.  He wants a second opinion.

Elli is  being cautious and keeping the grandchildren away from us.  Both have covid cases in their school classes and have to have daily self testing and a RaT (rapid test) at the weekend.

All the schools had BBQs today to celebrate this momentous meat eating day.  Luli told us that her souvlaki was tough and burnt.  Papous will be recruited next year to give them a 101 on BBQing.

'Jane' 2022

Poppi, as is wont, got dressed up for the school's festivities.  It is carnival time.  Time to dress up and have a knees-up, normally.  She's dressed as Jane Fonda in case you didn't realise.

Jane Fonda Aerobics Guru circa 1980

I'm now enjoying a dry red from northern Greece. Lidls had it 2.99 euros for a 2 litre bottle. K has lit the fire and the lamb chops will soon go in the oven. I made some tzatziki and garlic bread. We'll 'fiddle while Rome burns' tonight. 

Cheers Big Ears. Here's hoping for a better tomorrow.  Not likely