Here we are getting back to normal and having had an MOT in Rhodes. The sun (on this appropriately named Sunday, as I write) is out and things are starting to warm up. The sea is calm, the boat has just come in and dropped off some day trippers, people are opening their businesses and getting them ready, and the world that is Symi is ticking over nicely.
We’re back from a couple of days in Rhodes and I have some more Trip Advisor reviews to write: once again impressed with the Lydia Hotel (reduced rate and some free internet), and also with a couple of restaurants and ‘The Throne of Helios’ 9D cinema; well worth €10.00 for 20 minutes of fun. You can’t actually write reviews of medical services on Trip Adviser, or maybe you can, but I have now definitely found out what’s wrong with my ear and balance. I know you are so interested to know all about it that you can hardly contain your indifference, so here we go.
The thing is, here in Greece, if you have a bit of time and a bit of money you can see a private doctor for just about anything, if you want to. And when I say a bit of money I mean €50.00 for a consultation (in my experience). You can of course, see your GP and get your treatment for ‘free’ as long as you are in the national health scheme, or have other insurance. But, although I am in the KIA scheme and covered, I chose, once a year to go and see a couple of doctors, at a time that suits me, and have as long as it takes without waiting around, and slip in an examination as part of my ‘holiday.’ Which is exactly what we did last week. And, in this case, I saw a very cheery ear doctor, whose English was fluent, I should add (my Greek is still not up to discussing labyrinthitis and auditory systems, and I daren’t go near the word ‘cochlea’ without a safety net).
I took a taxi to his clinic as it was a little way of my usual path (tip: get a taxi from one of the many taxi ranks, if you order via the hotel you can add on about €3.00 per trip). I turned up at the appointed time and was seen, at the appointed time. I told him my symptoms: noise in ear, constant, sometimes loud, hardly ever stops, very annoying, and occasional dizziness, the keyboard waving up and down as I work, a bit of almost falling over etc. So, he had a look in, and up the nose, and down the throat and made sure my brain was in order with a ‘follow the finger’ test. Then there was some marching on the spot and walking with eyes closed and trying not to fall to the side. And then I became a contestant on ‘Mr & Mrs’ and sat in a booth with headphones on and pressed buttons.
All very exciting. And then, after some other tests, the diagnosis: high blood pressure. Ears are all fine, no hearing loss, no vertigo (as such) and, exactly as the doctor on Symi had diagnosed two years ago (and given me tablets for), I had it confirmed that the BP is slightly up and there’s not a lot I can do about the noise in the ear. It’s because your do-dah artery goes close to the cochlea and that’s’ what makes the sound…
So, that part of the adventure was over and done with. He did suggest I see a cardiologist though, just to be sure, and a quick taxi ride, a further €50.00 and one hour later and I’d seen one, been wired up like something from a James Whale film, and had an all clear from that specialist too. You have to love the private health arrangements over here and, I better add, that if I’d asked to do all this via IKA I would have seen just as good a set of professionals at the hospital or wherever.
No doubt there will be more about our trip during this week; I still have to tell you about the 9D Cinema, Thai noodles and doing handstands on the bench in Mandraki.
