Randy's Not So Excellent Adventure

We ate lunch with the Jepsens at Fad'oli's, a little hole in the wall place recommended by our guides and it was wonderful.  The best sandwich I have ever eaten--avocado, fresh mozzarella, garlic, fresh basil, tomatoes, prosciutto and olive oil all on a very fresh, crusty baguette. Mmmmmm!

After lunch we just set out to do some more sight seeing, when we ran into Gwen and Randy.  Randy was taking a picture and tripped on a short curb he didn't see.  He went down hard on his bad leg that already has a rod in it due to being whapped by a humpback whale in the Caribbean 6 years ago.  He had a horrible experience having surgery in the Dominican Republic.  He knew that his leg was broken so the guides came and called an ambulance.  It took him to the emergency room and he had in fact broken his femur right above his rod.  He was very brave until they tried to put him on the stretcher.  I could live a long time before I heard those sounds again.  He didn't pass out, but I hoped he would.  

We didn't feel much like touring anymore, so we rode back to our hotel.  It was a beautiful ride except for the swarms of flying ants.  They were so thick, they hit my helmet like bugs hitting a windshield.  

We finished up 38 miles.  Mark and I had dinner at an Italian restaurant that was good.  We had bruschetta, lasagna and gnocchi. We went to a different restaurant and had some Ben and Jerry's for dessert.  We went back to the hotel to see what we could do to help Gwen figure out how to get Randy back to Salt Lake City.  The French doctor wants to do surgery, remove the rod so he can get to the fracture to pin it, then he said Randy will need a hip replacement.  It was a horrible diagnosis.  It could take weeks or even months to be cleared to fly home.  Stacy called med-evac companies and Gwen got her family and friends at home working on it.  When Mark and I went to bed at midnight the quotes ran anywhere from $88,000 to $150,000.  Their travel insurance denied the claim saying that the French doctor could do the surgery.  Based on his last experience having surgery in a foreign country, Randy was not a happy camper.  

This morning we got up and found out that Josh found a company that would fly Randy home for $60,000, so he is scheduled for 7:00 am on Thursday morning.  Meanwhile, he is flat on his back in a bleak hospital room with terrible food and no one to take care of him since he is not officially admitted.  He has taken a few pain pills.  Mark, Steve and Karl went to administer a Priesthood blessing tonight.  

Just now Gwen texted me that the evac has been cancelled.  Poor, poor Randy!  Hopefully something can be worked out as it is still morning in the US.