Page 47 of Seashells at The Summer Hotel Lovely Bay
‘I was talking to Robby about it last night. I’m not sure yet. He’s changed everything, so we’re booked on a flight to go home in a week’s time. Robby has spoken to the airline, and we can change it at any time for a fee. It’s all covered by the insurance. It doesn’t really make any difference. I’m just not sure what to do. I don’t want to run before I can walk.’
‘Have you spoken to the doctor about whether or not you’re safe to fly?’
‘I have, and she thinks it will be fine, but because it’s a respiratory thing, that’s the only concern with the flight being a twelve-hour duration.’
‘Yes, I see.’
‘I’ll give it another couple of days and see how I feel. The airline is fine as long as there is space on the actual plane itself, and the hotel has been brilliant. We’ve really been lucky, to be quite honest, Mum.’
‘Yes, you have. You do hear some horror stories, don’t you? You’ve been lucky in that everyone has rallied around you. Maybe it’s a good idea to just stay there for a bit and make sure you’re strong enough for that long flight.’
‘Yeah, but it would be good to get home to my own bed and just finish off recuperating there.’
‘You never have anything that’s quite like your own bed,’ Nina’s mum pointed out.
‘Yes, you’re right. I just feel exhausted; even that shower has taken it out of me.’
‘You need to be careful. What else did the doctor say?’
‘She said that I would probably be poorly for a while and that it would be a couple of months to completely get over this.’
‘Oh dear, that’s ages.’
‘I know. I was like, it’s just the flu. But she said with the severity of the influenza I had, it is not going to be easy to just flick off as if it was an everyday thing.’
‘No, that much is obvious. You don’t get put into the hospital for nothing, even if you are in Bangkok and the travel insurance is paying for it.’
‘True. So, yeah, I’m going to have to take it easy for a month or so.’
‘Yes, good idea. Okay, well, darling, then I’ll see you later. What time is Robby arriving at the hospital today?’
Nina looked at her watch. ‘I think he should be here any minute now.’
‘Excellent, great. I’m glad you’re sounding so much better. Speak to you later, darling.’
‘Yes, bye, Mum. Love you.’
‘Love you, darling. Yes, bye. Keep me updated.’
29
Nina sat on the hotel room balcony in Bangkok, looking out over the beautiful blue-green swimming pool. She was still extremely tired, in a cycle of four hourly pain medications, and feeling a bit sorry for herself, truth be told, but overall, she felt much better. The way her body and head felt, however, it was clear that there was going to be a convalescence stage and a fair whack of time until she was back to her old self. The road to recovery and sitting around doing nothing wasn’t one she was too keen on, but purely by the way she felt, it was obvious that she was going to have to put up and get on with getting well.
She watched a tiny bird fly from a palm tree and land on the balcony next door. She tried to figure out what had happened to her since she’d first started coughing down by the pool. The flu’s grip had been swift and unrelenting, and she didn’t want to see it again anytime soon. She thought about the ambulance, hospital room, and nursing staff, and how good everyone had been, and thanked her lucky stars that she’d been in good hands.
As she sipped a glass of water, Nina reflected on the whirlwind of events. The hospital stay, with its blur of medical checks, IV drips, and constant care from the staff had been amazing. It had been frightening and scary, and she was glad tobe out. Her thoughts drifted to Robby and how he’d been by her side even though she hadn’t known it.
Robby pushed open the balcony door and put a cup of tea in front of her. ‘Feeling better?’ he asked with an expectant look on his face. ‘You look it. Thank goodness you’re back in the land of the living. You’ve got your colour back.’
‘Yeah, much better.’
‘The coughing seems to have really eased off now, don’t you think? I noticed it last night.’
Nina nodded. ‘Yes, I do. I haven’t coughed anywhere near as much.’
Robby shook his head. ‘On top of everything else, fancy getting a muscle strain in your ribs from coughing.’
Nina put her hand on her right ribs and winced. ‘I know. Just when I was beginning to feel so much better, too.’
