Hey everybody, wanted to let you know
that we should have stayed in the Caribbean. I have had Darrell to the ER
twice in the US. The first time, he had some wounds on his elbows that we
had been treating for a while and wouldn't get better so we learned that he has
a MRSA infection (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus). So we
went in on a Sunday evening in early June to Fishermen’s Hospital in Marathon and
got him on the right antibiotics. On the following Wednesday, we rented a
car to drive up to get our pick-up (Darrell is calling a cruiser's cadillac)
and then stop in Stuart to get the boom. The PU needed a new clutch and
this was taken care of so we went to get the PU at the mechanic's. As we
were driving to our friends' place (Dan And Stephanie’s), we needed gas AND the
PU overheated so we moved it away from the gas pumps and went to get their
trailer to move it out to their farm so we could look inot the problems.
Stephanie and I stayed at the farm (they just bought and are cleaning and
renovating) while the boys went to get the PU. We got a phone call from
Dan telling us to get his brother-in-law and get over there. A second
phone call relayed that Darrell had been run over but that other than leg pain
and swelling, he was fine. Whew – at least not with life threatening
injuries!
What had happened was that when they got
back, there was a puddle under our PU but too far away to be radiator fluid.
So when Dan pulled alongside to get into position to load it, he had to
wait on other vehicles that were parked in the gas station lot nearby.
Darrell saw the puddle and got out and laid down on the pavement to see
where it was coming from. Dan didn't know this and pulled forward with
the trailer and Darrell's legs were in the path of the empty trailer. He
was on his side and was surprised - didn't know he had been hit until the
second tire rolled over him but began screaming. Anyway, we went to the
emergency room and it didn't take a radiologist to tell that the fibula is
broken (smaller bone of the outer lower leg). They splinted it and we got
to see an orthopedic doctor the next day. The ER staff thought he would
need a plate to align the bones (surgery) properly. Anyway, we were both
surprised and relieved when the orthopedic doctor said that he only needed a
cast or a boot - two weeks of non weight
bearing – repeat x-ray in four weeks – all done on six weeks. So….off we went on cloud nine that he did not
have to have surgery (with MRSA could have been very serious). We waited until Monday to leave and were able
to pick up the boom on our way back south.
The pick up still gave us problems on the trip but we were able to make
it all the way to Marathon AND get the boom down here where we could begin work
on it when Darrell could get around.
We had a very good belly laugh on the
way thru Key Largo and Tavernier. A
siren was behind us for quite some time but never actually passed us for a long
time – when they finally did, it almost seemed like they had been following us. We decided that since we had passed up an
emergency room without stopping to pay a visit that they must be looking for
us!!
Three
weeks after the broken leg (Darrell’s first in his over 50 years) we were able
to start working on the boom and get the hardware off the old one and replaced
on the new (used) one. Moving big heavy
stuff on and off a sailboat with all the blocks and tackle is a piece of
cake! Hardest part was carrying it on
land – we were able to elicit some help.
I have really fine tuned the damsel in distress look and attitude since
all this has been going on.
About
a week of hard work and long days, the boom is back on and the boat is once
again sea worthy. We still have not had
a chance to try out the new rigging we had done in early June – they say she
will go to windward much better – we both are very excited about that. For those of you who have traveled with us –
you KNOW how frustrated we have been with Alibi’s upwind sailing ability. SO:
new rigging, new whisker pole, and new boom and four coats of varnish to
boot. So far, so good.
Next
month, the kids are coming to southwest FL for about a week. Since we have not been able to enter the job
market like was our original plan to get here before summer began – why
hurry! So we hope to take the sailboat
over to Sanibel or Cape Coral/Ft. Myers area in order to visit with Jessica,
Craig, and Lyric. After that, we will
either head towards Key Largo or not…..who knows – we certainly don’t seem to
be able to choose between staying here in Marathon or going up there, They both have different attributes!
Our friends from Tiger Lilly (now in
French Polynesia) say that the earth people who love us and want to keep us
here can be dangerous – I believe him!!
LOL We continue our work on S/V Alibi
and have been in contact with the people we bought her from – they should be
the proud owners of M/V Alibi by now. Our
life is such an adventure!
Ann, Chester, and Roxy
