Our Doings

The big news is, day before yesterday, my splint came off -YAY!  I am still not allowed to put much weight on the broken foot, as it is not yet entirely healed.  But I can use it for balance, can wear a shoe on it, can walk, on two feet, plus either crutches or my rolling potty chair.

I've taken the pillow off the top, upon which I used to rest the bad-side (left) knee, pushing myself around with the right leg.  Now I use it the same way one uses a walker (Zimmer frame, if you're in the UK).  I walk behind it and transport things on the flat lid  Crutches work well, too, now that I can use both feet, but do not leave your hands free for carrying anything.

The broken foot is now washed and scrubbed, shaved, dried, and moisturizied with creme.  Ahhh! 

Everything is easier.

Tuesday we celebrated Phideas' 23rd birthday (our nephew) by hosting him and Christos, his father, at the taverna across the street.  Phideas is taking night classes to finish up high school; this is a huge relief to Christos, who had been after his son night and day to do this.

Christos is also much relieved to be living here instead of Katerini.  He said he couldn't believe how bad it was for him there and that he would have just died if he had stayed there.   So Demetrios' insistence upon the move has paid off.  

He still looks terrible, all skin and bones, so small he has to wear boys' clothing.  Once he laid his head on the table and began making those horrid grunting sounds of his, but Demetrios and Phideas got him to stop that.  He says he doesn't know why he does it; it feels as though it were not himself, but someone else doing it.

All his physical tests have come back normal.  There is noting physical to account for his terrible fatigue.  Nor is it psychiatric, or his brother could help him.  Demetrios says it is a matter of solving his psychological and/or spiritual issues.  Well, with the move here, and Phideas back in school, and with much encouragement from Demetrios, some of those issues have been put to rest.  He now has hope that he may get better, and with great struggle, he does mostly maintain a positive attitude.  He gets out of the house almost every day and indulges in what he says is life's greatest joy:  sitting alone by the sea drinking coffee and smoking his pipe.

And here comes the corker:  now that Demetrios' two patients are both significantly better, we are free to make plans for England! we only have about two more weeks of perfect weather before the oppressive, sweltering summer closes down on us.