The days are all joining up together and we are struggling to keep track of time, what we did and when. Everything is very disjointed.

When the Meltemi had done its worst, we moved onto the quay, going alongside as opposed to stern to. This enabled the easy removal/install of the outboard along with all three domestic batteries which to add to our woes, have retired. Their life expectancy is 3 to 4 years. We got 3 ½ years from ours so this morning replacements were installed. Cost €900 and €250 for installation.

We took the outboard to Vasso's workshop in the evening and they invited us to join them for supper in Michailis’ taverna in Erminoni.

Vasso, her husband Theo and their daughter Apostolia (14) are the nicest people. They have been so incredibly kind to us and we are becoming good friends.

The evening with them was just what we needed. Moral was low after the howling Meltemi and Andreas being poorly but good company, lots of laughter, lifted our spirits.

Next day (Sunday) we spent the afternoon on two sunbeds, under a huge umbrella on the beach which is literally a 5 minute drive away. Flat calm water, no charge for the sunbeds and absolute peace and quiet. The whole weekend was the therapy we so badly needed.

Monday evening Vasso and the team returned our outboard. Thank goodness. She had saved it.

Saturday morning the new batteries were installed.
Tuesday was our appointment for an ultrasound at a private practice in Kranidi. Appointment time was 11.15. We were greeted by a charming doctor (no stroppy receptionist) who then spent 45 minutes examining Andreas and confirmed “yes, you have stones, you need to see a Urologist “. But he was struggling to be explicit.
He was very thorough. And the cost ? €40 (£34).

Enter Vasso, yet again. She recommended a top Urologist (Christos) in Argos which was 1 hour away. We called Christos who told us to arrive the next morning between 11am and 11.30am.
Yet again, he greeted us. No receptionist. Just him in his state of the art practice. He was a real character with a great sense of humour and spoke very good English .

I was invited into the consulting room and saw for myself on the screen the three stones that were causing Andreas so much grief. One in each kidney but the biggy was stuck in his Urethra. His prostate is three times the size it should be and the lining of his bladder is very thick. A mess.

So, what to do?

A new set of medications. Some to break down the stones and some serious painkillers. For the next five days he should eat just meat, chicken, fish, cheese and bread. No salt. No vegetables. We should not even think about leaving for 20 days. He needs time to heal. The hope is that the meds will break up the stones and they will vacate naturally. In the event they don't then a trip to hospital in Athens for laser treatment will be necessary.

So, to get a better, fuller picture he wanted a CT Scan. He called Mediscan in Napflion. Told them what he wanted. They said for us to go straight there. We paid him €40 (£34) and off we went.
On arrival at Mediscan, we checked in with the receptionist who called the lovely lady who would do the scan. She showed Andreas into her room, pulled down his shorts and underpants, did the scan and 5 minutes later he was out and being told by the receptionist to come back in half an hour for the results. We went for a coffee, returned to Mediscan and paid €50 (£42.50) and we were handed a folder with written results and a disk. The results would also be forwarded to Christos via email.

So now we must wait and see if the stones leave of their own accord.

He told us that he regularly gets headhunted by the NHS offering him a job but he would never go to the UK.
He said while the UK has fantastic hospitals, doctors there “don't do medicine".

We're off to Porta Khelli now, in the car, for lunch with Aunt Koula and Cousin Joyce at Koulas beautiful villa that looks across to Nisos Spetsis.

On Monday, now that Stiletto is complete and we have a functioning outboard, we are moving from the quay back out to the anchorage. It's where we prefer to be. We are resigned to the fact that Andreas must be 100% fit before we think of leaving Kiladhia. We just don't know when that will be.

My thought for the day:
Our experience of the medical system here has been faultless. Three scans and two consultations over 2 days for just over £100. In Kranidi, as in most towns, there a wide selection of specialist clinics for just about everything. Easily accessible and affordable. The UK really can learn an awful lot.