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Not many years ago a lady called Jean was disabled and had suffered from a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy since she was eighteen years old. She was now a widow, had a son who lived nearby with his wife and family.
I worked in a Day Centre and I used to pick her up in the Ambulance/mini bus twice a week. She liked to go on holidays and all she could get were people she did not know to take her usually through the Red Cross.
As my temporary position came to an end she kept asking me if I would take her on holiday, at the finish I relented and said I would, half heartedly.
We arranged to go to Icmeler in a beautiful hotel on the sea front. Everything was going alright the first few days of the two weeks.
She booked us up for a lot of excursions including a few boat trips. Jean was wheelchair bound and could walk only a few steps holding on to any aid to help. It was no problem getting on the ferries as the boatmen lifted the chair on and off with passengers willing to assist.
We came back from one excursion and she found she was having difficulty breathing, I thought it might be heat exhaustion. When we got back to the hotel I said if you like I'll send for the doctor via the representive.
The doctor came out and she was taken by ambulance to a hospital at Marmaris. Upon examination after lengthy tests the surgeon (prophet of doom) kept taking me to one side and said she had a heart complaint, and she could go at anytime. Jean was also a depressive and had been on drugs for this condition for over thirty years. After they sorted Jean out at the hospital with her heart complaint she came back with all these prescribed drugs.
I noticed the next evening while we were down for dinner she was non compus mentus. We went upstairs and she remained very confused. We had an early night but during the night she was very restless, sitting up and swaying around. I was having to catch her everytime. I got up at the finish and said, if you don't settle down you will go back to the hospital. Later at 3.00 a.m. in the morning during one of these swaying bouts she fell out of bed and ended up on the floor. I contacted the doctor who came out, a different doctor and he saw she was very agitated and couldn't settle. One of the drugs she was on had a side effect of agititation. He said if she did not settle to get the ambulance and take her back to the hospital.
As she was still restless we ended up back at the hospital. I had to lie beside her on the bed and put something the other side so she would not attempt to get up and fall out. A nice Turkish lady who was helping her daughter gave me some assistance with her. Jean settled down in the morning as the drug was wearing off. The Turkish lady when I was sitting on a seat got me up off it as I thought she wanted the seat, but she turned the chair around and made me sit and have breakfast with her. I did not expect this hospitality and it was so kind.
Jean remained in hospital for a few days and I was worried out of my mind with the surgeon saying, she can go at anytime. I prayed to God, going and walking around, asking him to, please let her go back on the plane with me. She did not want me to ring her son, but I rang him as if anything had happened her, he would not have been happy that I had not informed him. He said, that he couldn't do anything at this end and left it up to me. Also asked if she had she been gadding about! doing too much in a short time.
She was telling me everyday to stay by the pool all morning and not to come until the afternoon. I was first down for breakfast and was in the hospital for 7.30sm. It was a relief when I saw her alive in bed. This happened for a few days, the apprehension of visiting her to see what health she was in. I was still praying and I am not partial to praying. She came out after a few days and I was very happy we went back to the hotel by taxi.
It was difficult at times managing our suitcases and the wheelchair, but I was the happiest person on the plane, especially when she reached home safely. I had to give her doctor a letter from the Turkish surgeon.
She asked if I would take her to Spain 5 months later, had that episode put me off. I said nothing is going to happen to you next time. Spain also has good medical care and it is highly regarded.
We went to Fuengirola and this holiday did not present any problems at all. We visited Gibralter, saw the barbary apes. Nerja, which was a nice Spanish village. We were told of a nearby place up in the mountains called Mijas and it was worth a visit. I said we will get the bus which meant a change at the main depot in Fuengirola. She looked very hesitantly and we went the next day. She boarded the bus with a bit push up the steps from me. I folded her wheelchair and the driver put it in the hold. It was an amazing charming village at the top of the mountain. We were first back on the bus as the inspector saw she was in a wheelchair and gave us priority on board.
She later said "I would go anywhere with you" she said she wouldn't go anywhere with her husband. I said , why is that and she said he wouldn't know which direction to go in. I told her I'm not frightened to ask also I knew her capabilities on boarding the bus with assistance.
We were sitting with two widowed sisters in the evening and they were telling a couple whose husband was also in a wheelchair that I had took her on an ordinary bus and they were flabbergasted. Jean at first wanted to go by proper excursion, but put her trust in me.
I mainly enjoyed this holiday as there were no problems only going to clubs, bars having our 10 am coffee, shopping, going around a Spanish market and having lunch out in a nice restaurant.
The highlight that made us enjoy the holiday was the resident singer Carmen and her husband the organist Mauritzio. I used to go back down after I took Jean back to bed as the music and singing were excellent and it was splendid to watch residents ballroom dancing.
Jean died the following February four months after her second holiday. She said a few times she wouldn't be able to go on holiday again. It seemed as though she had an idea it was her last one.
Angela
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