Today is May 1st and I’m in Athens. Day 45 was a normal day till about 6pm when I got a call from two very upset aunts telling me my mom had had a stroke and was in hospital.

Of course that sent me into a spin and matters weren’t made any better when I couldn’t get ahold of anyone at the hospital who could tell me how she was.

Thankfully one of my aunts was able to speak to a doctor that evening so I knew mom was alert and speaking and that it was only a light stroke.

So I got onto the first (and only) ferry to Athens armed with a note from the doctor explaining why I had to travel and a Blue Star Ferries form declaring I had not been in contact with the virus.

It was a very long day, got home, saw my aunt who is 92, lives downstairs, has recently had a fall and needs constant attention, made sure she wouldn’t be alone for hours and went to see mom at the hospital. Spent time with her then back to my aunt to get her dinner, meds and put her back to bed.

Thankfully this hospital isn’t a COVID 19 treatment center and mom was sitting up when I got there.

She is fine

It was a light stroke, and while she’d been unable to talk for a few hours she has no issues remaining from it. The best possible outcome.

I’m in Athens now, for how long I don’t know. Cause once mom is home and even if she’s 100% she can no longer do anything at all for her sister. She is not to even go downstairs to visit. It will be my job.

So till I know what’s happening, what I can organise for both mom and my aunt, I have no idea what I will do or when I can go back home. I ideally want to take mom back to Paros with me… but what of my aunt?

Mom is fine. That’s all that matters right now

z