Hanging in Fernandina Beach

         We had a lovely cruise on calm waters from Titusville to Daytona Beach.  We watched crabbers checking their pots, saw roseate spoonbills flying and gathering on small beaches, and were entertained by lots of dolphins and manatees.  

By this time I was concerned that my hand injury from the fall on Bimini needed more professional attention, and I told Dan I would like to find a walk-in clinic in Daytona Beach.  He decided the prudent thing to do was to get a marina slip so we’d have an easier access to transportation, and he set that up while I researched the best place to go.  I needed a place that dealt with injuries and had xrays onsite.  I figured I probably would not be able to see an orthopedic specialist, even if I went to an ER, given the way the health care system plods along in this country, but I would at least know if the hand was broken and could have someone apply a good splint/soft cast.  My first career was in orthopedics, I knew what the process in store for me could be.

So we ubered to the chosen clinic.  Found out their xray tech wasn’t scheduled to work that day.  They referred us to another clinic “seven minutes away” which turned out to be over thirty-five minutes away, and when we called ahead as our second uber sped away, found they were closed.  Uber drivers cannot change the pre-registered destination plans, so we had him drop us off at the corner and called a third uber to backtrack to another nearby clinic, after calling that one to make sure they could take xrays.  This clinic was staffed by friendly and helpful people, but was a little off-putting with their a la carte method of asking us to pre-pay for every single thing they needed to do.  We pre-paid for the doctor visit, then for the xray, then for the soft cast, then for the prescriptions.  Yes, I did break my hand.  We got back to the boat after 8:00pm, just happy to have a diagnosis and the beginning of a plan.  The uber rides - four in total - cost more than the treatment to date.

The next day we multi-tasked, doing laundry and making phone calls for possible appointments, and at the same time received word that my sister Chris and her husband were in nearby Orlando and willing to come to Daytona Beach to help with transportation if necessary, and separately we were notified by our younger son that his wife was in labor, they were at the hospital, and we’d most likely have a grandson by the end of the day.  

We got the laundry done.  I couldn’t get an appointment in Daytona Beach and decided to set one up for Fernandina Beach where my brother lives and we could use his car.  Chris and Ken took us out to lunch.  Leo was born at 5 pm, weighing in at 7 lbs, 3.8 oz.  

So now we are in Fernandina Beach, enjoying the hospitality of the Fernandina Beach Marina and of my brother Ralph and his wife Kim, who collected us for a fabulous homemade dinner of lasagna last night.  My doctor’s appointment is for Tuesday.  In the meantime we can relax, run errands, do a few minor repairs on the boat, and make plans to go home to Maine for a bit in a few weeks, to visit and meet our new grandson.