2nd September 2020

Today was a day to tackle the washing. The generator was put on, the water maker turned on to replace the water I would use, the piles of washing compiled and many hours later, of handling buckets, water and wash loads it was all flapping out in the hot sun decorating our boat. Nina had a day baking buns and bread which was really yummy.

Another guy came in to have a look at our solar system, but we both didn’t feel right about him, so decided pretty soon, we wouldn’t go with him. The next day we did some schooling. I visited Marie and Mark, Marie repaired our flag for us with her sewing machine. Layla from Mazurka came over to have a play with Nina. I baked an apple cake and Tim went grocery shopping.

In the afternoon we moved to another bay by a beach nearby and rafted up with all our friends. The kids all played together and we adults had a quiet chat and drink. Macsin had his birthday the next day – he turned 12 years old. In the morning I cleaned bathrooms and the bilges and the kitchen and cupboards, while the kids swam and played. I made a card for Macsin and some garlic bread to share for our birthday potluck dinner. Tim cleaned the boat on the outside and our dinghy which looked dreadful. We also made some water and Tim processed an episode for our youtube channel. In the evening we all gathered on Mazurka to celebrate Macsin’s birthday, which was a really happy occasion.

When we arrived at this new beach Tim and I again collected all the rubbish at the beach and collected about 5 sacks. We had a quiet day at the beach, all just pottering about. Nina had been swimming and playing in the water for over an hour practicing underwater flips. Tim and I decided to and try our new dinghy anchor and take Lucy for her evening walk. We had barely put the anchor down when we heard Nina calling “mummy my toe”.

We knew straight away something was really wrong. We looked at her toe and saw a super deep gash / cut on top of her left big toe. We could actually see the tendon. We pulled her in the dingy right away. I held the wound close while Tim lifted the anchor and we called out to our cruising friends that Nina hurt herself badly and if they could come to help. Paul and Lori called us over to their boat, they already had the first aid kid out. We got Nina comfortable in a seat and Lori bandaged the wound, while I tried to comfort Nina.

It was pretty clear the wound needed stitching up and that we would have to go to hospital. Birgul and Freddie checked where the hospital is. Tim went and got a backpack with money, phone, passports and dry clothes for Nina. I got Nina changed and Paul offered to take Nina and me over to Marmaris in their dinghy, as it was the fastest of our fleet. We had to leave Tim back, as there was only so much space in the dinghy, which was hard.

The dinghy ride was so bumpy and I was so worried about Nina and if her toe might be permanently damaged. She said she couldn’t feel the cut happening and we weren’t sure what caused it, but the cut was so clear I suspected it must have been glass or very sharp rock. Of course we all where in complete shock and Nina coped so well.

After about 10-15 mins dinghy ride we arrived at Marmaris beach and Paul carried Nina to a taxi over the road. I realised we hadn’t even got masks – luckily Paul had some in his backpack and loaned us 2. So Nina and I went to hospital and Paul said he would be waiting in the dinghy for us. By then it was already getting dark. The drive to the hospital was only 5 minutes and the taxi driver was super nice. He drove us straight to the emergency department and even carried Nina in to one of the assessment beds. I went to pay him and had difficulty finding the wallet, since Tim packed the bag. He put his wallet in and it had only 10 TL of cash and the Taxi ride was 25 TL! So I couldn’t even pay the taxi driver his full fare. I gave him our business card and he said I can come back to the taxi stand and pay him later. I felt so embarrassed not to have the money to pay him.

Nina got attended to right away, a male nurse came and assessed the wound. He asked her to wiggle her finger. Nina and I looked confused at each other, but she duty fully wiggled one of her fingers. The nurse equally confused, no, no move your finger – your foot finger! Phew I was starting to doubt his abilities already. Luckily Nina could still move her toe, I was so worried that the tendon would be damaged. The nurse carried her to another treatment room and a doctor came to look at the wound. He again asked the same question “please move your finger” Luckily by then we where in the picture that they probably mean the toe.

The male nurse asked me to go out of the room. I hesitated. Nina was in a state of shock and terribly afraid of the stitches. It didn’t feel right to leave her all by herself in this situation. The nurse told me twice more to leave. I looked at Nina and knew I couldn’t – finally he agreed I could stay. They got the stitch kit, cleaned the wound and injected the wound with anesthetics. From my offshore medic course I knew that often the injections are more painful when the stitches itself. All I could do was hold Nina’s hand and tell her it was going to be over soon. I tried my best to console her while they stitched her up. It was the most horrible experience to see my child suffering like that and be in pain. Neither of our kids had serious injuries or illnesses yet, so this is a first for me.

A lady who could speak a bit more English came to deal to the paperwork. She wanted the passport and I looked and there was none – Tim had left them on the desk in the panic. We had only one phone with a sim card, so gave me his when we left, but that was almost out of battery. Luckily I managed to find Nina’s passport copy online after a bit of shaky fiddling. I messaged the cruisers group that Nina was stitched up, since I had no way of contacting Tim. I was unsure how much I would have to pay for this, so transferred some money over to our account while I still had mobile battery. I paid for the bill of 111 NZD – luckily the hospital had an eftpos machine.

Nina got a prescription for pain relief and antibiotics and and hour and a bit we where again released to a taxi. I was so impressed by the speed and efficiency we where attended to. Knowing how long people have to wait at times in Emergency in New Zealand we where very lucky to be in and out so quick. Since I had absolutely no cash I asked the taxi driver to stop at an ATM. I only had Tim’s wallet, so tried his card. It got rejected 4 times by 2 different machines saying it had insufficient funds! By then I was absolutely beside myself. Nina on the busy road all by herself with a stitched up toe in the taxi and me with my husbands walled and not a dime of cash. The taxi driver was really nice and stopped at another ATM. By then the brain kicked in again and I tried the other card in the wallet and low and behold it spat money out, so I could pay the taxi driver. After a bit of confusion I was able to roughly explain to the taxi driver where we needed to go with his little English. The dinghy somewhere by the beach was somewhat cryptic to describe.

First of all I gave some money to the taxi drivers by the taxi stand that we left from to pass on to the taxi driver who took us to hospital and then we went to see Paul at the beach. He packed us up in the dinghy and drove us back in way more pleasant conditions than the way to Marmaris. It was pitch black by then, but we where back “home” quickly.

We could see Tim signaling with a laser so we knew where to go to. Tim was really worried and felt so helpless being left behind. He had organised a Gin/Tonic for me and Luca had set up a movie for Nina on the laptop. I promised Nina that she could sleep with me in the bed. Tim went to update our friends on what happened and eventually we all settled in for the night. I couldn’t sleep for a minute. I couldn’t stop thinking of what worse things could have happened and if the wound would heal alright and how lucky we where that this happened in Marmaris with hospital care so nearby. Just a few weeks ago we had been in Knidos, which would have been hours of motoring from the next medical care centre. Nina managed to get a bit of rest.

The next day was fathers day and we had a quiet day at the beach. We both went out with the snorkel to see what could have caused the cut around the area where Nina cried out to us. Later in the day Jaynee went snorkeling and saw a very sharp half a bottle on the sea floor. I suspect because Nina has been in the water so long that her skin would have been super soft and when she did her underwater flips her toe probably moved over the glass and got cut open. She said she couldn’t feel it happening, she only realised when she saw the blood in the water a while later. So at least the offensive bottle could be removed and further damage prevented. It made us think that we should probably all wear beach shoes.

Tim went over to Marmaris in the dinghy to get Nina’s medicine and some ice cream for a treat. The dinghy was almost a quarter full with water when he came back. Its such a long way. We spend the day, nursing Nina and recovering from the shock, Nina having visitors to check on her. Lori even baked her a big plate of cookies and the kids drew her a beautiful get well card.