Setback

I'm sure the Bistro Isi has great food and maybe we will still eat there, but last night it didn't happen. We got to the restaurant and ordered, but Joe started acting really woozy, closing his eyes, unable to stand up. There was a doctor at each of the two tables on either side of us and they spent some time talking with him and me. Their assessment was that it was probably exhaustion (21 hours of travel must have been too much) and dehydration. My choices-- call an ambulance and go to the ER (where they said we would have at least a 6-7 hour wait) or go back to the hotel and let him sleep. In hindsight, I can say I'm extremely glad I opted for the latter. A woman in the breakfast room today said her father just spent 20 hours waiting to see a doctor in the emergency room of that very hospital.

As we started to walk back to the hotel, very very slowly, a man stopped and insisted on carrying Joe the two blocks to our hotel lobby. I was pretty gobsmacked. Getting to the bathroom and into bed was quite the ordeal, but the night went pretty smoothly after that. Today I brought him up a plate of food from breakfast and have been insisting he drink. He is walking much more steadily and has slept nonstop since 11 am.

I have popped in and out to see bits and pieces of the old town a couple of times. Never for more than an hour out of the room. This morning, I went to a romanesque church and ran into Columbus' (supposed) house on the way to a gorgeous little romanesque cloister (no church left). I've done my elliptical workout, and I have been over to the store for some food and juice and to the bank for some $$$. Then another quick jaunt back to the old town (only about a 10 minute walk from here) to another romanesque church where I again lit candles and sat quietly for a while. This city is just gorgeous and I hope Joe will enjoy it in the next few days.

The hotel recommends a doctor who makes house calls. He came at 5 pm, checked for all the major catastrophes and found nothing. No BP problem, heart ok, no temp, no evidence of stroke. He prescribed two meds - one for digestion, one for strength/clarity and agreed with me that the best thing to do is see what it's like in a few days. We are booked here through the 26. At that point, we'll either go to Bergamo or back to Champaign.

To celebrate the good diagnosis, Joe took a nap and I went back to see the old town all lit up for Christmas. After that, a trip for a take-out hamburger (what he wanted) to a very highly rated hamburgueria (conveniently in the old town) and soon to bed. Joe is still very tired but in good spirits and getting stronger. I am optimistic. We'll take it one day at a time.Leggi altro