Monday, June 17, 2019

Pleasure and pain

 March 2016 I opened a recap of our 2015 travels with the selfie below. That image reminds me of the wonderful sights, fabulous food and one-of-a-kind experiences we encountered on a nine-day Baltic Sea cruise. 
The Norwegian Star, left, our home for nine days in 2015 (Photo by Hubby)

That photo gives no hint that a few days later I would spend almost 24 hours in bed in our cabin, the result of a fall from a misstep on the way to dinner on the ship. 

I felt little pain immediately after the fall.  

I don't remember if anyone helped Hubby get me up off the floor and into the transporter. At my repeated assurances that I was fine, he rolled me to the restaurant and helped me transfer to a chair. We enjoyed a delicious steak dinner and decadent desserts.

Things changed when I attempted to stand and transfer back into the transporter. Extreme pain fostered a fear that I may have damaged something after all. The response of the ship’s crew was stellar. I was soon in the clinic, examined by the ship’s doctor and undergoing x-rays. 

The verdict was “no broken bones, just everything twisted and stretched.” The doctor cautioned me that I was going to experience a lot of pain. She sentenced me to bed rest and regular doses of painkillers for that night and the next day. 

And I was eager to take them. I also appreciated Hubby’s careful maneuvering of me on bathroom breaks and his calmness and sympathy throughout all my moans, groans and whimpers. I am a weenie when it comes to pain. 

The ship had arrived at Stockholm during the night, but the next morning I just wanted to keep sleeping. I slept through Hubby’s time exploring Stockholm. He woke me about 4 p.m. as the ship started its voyage back out to the Baltic Sea. 

My pain had diminished, and I enjoyed the changing panorama that I could see through the sliding glass doors that led to the balcony outside our cabin. 

I didn’t get to set foot on Swedish soil, but the view as the ship sailed from the port toward the Baltic is among my favorite travel memories. The sun on that May afternoon washed an ethereal glow over picturesque homes and churches on the steep, wooded hillsides and over the boathouses, piers and water below.

The beauty I savored made me thankful for a God who provides not only our needs but also glorious surprises.

My view as we departed Sweden (Photo by Hubby)

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5 comments:

  1. This one picture hat you did get is absolutely gorgeous! The LIGHT! Such a blessing that the crew had a good doctor and you were attended to quickly!

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  2. Yikes, it is so scary to need medical help so far from home. Seems they did a great job for you though and you managed to pull some cool memories out of the mishap. You are such a positive person.
    Love the picture.

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  3. i am a weenie for pain also. i get the lay in bed and moans and growns. sad you went so far and did not get to go ashore, but that last shot is gorgeous....

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  4. Oh my that really was not the cruise you could have enjoyed. But I love how you focused on the good as that is the better way forward.
    I do not take cruises. But I do enjoy flying to places.

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  5. Oh my , that was a difficult time for you. I'm glad you have such a wonderful husband caring for you...
    Pain and vacation cruises aren't the best combination.
    The last photo is simply gorgeous.
    We visited Sweden on our cruise many years ago too. I wish we could have spent more time there in the land of my ancestors.

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