Medical Day Off

After a pleasant anchor out at Palm Beach, we continued north on the ICW rather than heading outside. This due to high wind forecasts. The trip from Palm Beach to Fort Pierce was slow due to about 14 bridges with scheduled openings, and missing one by only a few minutes resulted in getting out of phase, and losing over an hour waiting for next openings. Frustrating. Nevertheless, the lavish homes that line the ICW made for good scenery.

We pulled into Fort Pierce late and tied up at the fuel dock of a marina for the night. The tidal range here was larger than advertised and resulted in having to get up and readjust lines during the night. We pulled out of Fort Pierce at 7:30am aiming for a big run north in overcast conditions and light rain. The ICW from here goes down a wide lagoon called Indian River, and the bridges are either 65 ft clearance or are low bridges that open on demand, so it was a breeze compared to the day before. Strong winds and rain were forecast, but by 10am, the skies cleared, the wind was 10-15 on the beam, so we hoisted sails and motor sailed along at 6-7 kts. Pretty soon a convoy of sailboats heading north became apparent, as we listened as they called in for bridge openings ahead and behind us. Seems quite a few people are joining us in heading home.

By about 2pm, we were in Melbourne and progressing nicely, when Phyllis prepared a snack of hummus and flat bread. She went back down the companionway, slipped and fell, banging her head and elbow on the stainless steel grab bar. This was a freak accident, since it was completely calm conditions. I kind of panicked since she looked very pale, had a nasty knock on the head and couldn't move her arm so I feared a break and concussion. We immediately radioed the nearest marina requesting a slip and docked, and got a taxi to the nearest hospital to check her out at the emergency room.

You know how hospitals are. You wait and wait and wait. Amazingly we were processed by a guy who fast tracked us when he heard we were boaters (note to self, always refer to one's self as boaters, not boat people). Bottom line, after CT scan and x-rays, no serious damage or breaks, but she will be sore, so they said for her to lay low for a day before continuing the journey. So, we had a day off today doing a walking tour of historic Melbourne, an excellent lunch at Matt's Casbah (we give it 4 stars), and a rather too long trek to Walmart for more provisions.

The zinger was the 3 hour visit to the emergency room resulted in a bill for $8,000. If you want to know what is out of control with our medical system, that is it, no cost controls. When I asked for an itemized accounting, and for the results of the CT and x-rays, they could not provide either but still wanted to be paid, and gave a number to call to request these items. Of course the insurance will pay and will reduce the bill, but it is ridiculous that through the whole process of 90% waiting, 5% testing, 4% billing and admission and paperwork, that the time of actual diagnosis was 1%, and that was seeing the doctor's assistant (we never actually saw the doctor). Needless to say, I will be going on the rampage over this. What fun.

Tomorrow we head north to Titusville, then New Smyrna Beach, where we may have to wait for the weather. The Bridge of Lions at St Augustine is closed for repair, which means we need to go outside from Ponce de Leon Inlet up to St Augustine, about 56 miles outside, and current forecasts when we get there are for strong northerlies, which is not good news. Still the forecasts have been predictably inaccurate lately, so we journey north in hope. Once to St Augustine, we are just about out of Florida!!!

Rob