Health on board ship

The latest word from the ship tonight is that Dad's cough is resolved but he is still in the medical centre, in bed and wired up, because his heart rate is up and down like a yo-yo and the doctors are trying a different drug this afternoon (on board it is still afternoon as they are 4 hours behind us) to try to get that under control. MB sounds worried still, as the powers that be onboard have asked for Dad's passport and are considering what to do with him; when they leave Antigua tomorrow, they are at sea until they reach Madeira and that will be five or six days' sailing to get there. To cap it all, MB has now been confined to the cabin with diarrhoea! I really feel for her - she must be so worried. I think that the diarrhoea will be more likely down to stress than the norovirus but nevertheless, I should think that that is what they suspect she has got. I am just hoping that they take good care of her as well. We have arranged to speak again tomorrow, although she has said she will phone me earlier if there are any developments.

Personally, I think that he is in better hands on the ship, heading for home and "in hospital" than he would be moved to a land-based hospital in Antigua, as he would then have to be certified fit to fly - and I know my Dad - and 8 hours on a plane would send his heart into palpitations for sure - he has always avoided flying if at all possible. The furthest he has flown in recent memory (but that's more than 15 years ago!) was the hour from Cambridge airport to Jersey!