Time Keeps on Ticking

Don't die like an octopus. Die like a hammerhead shark.

~ Maori Proverb

DAY #6 . REST DAY #2 . Song = NONE . Weather = MIX OF RAIN AND SUN

Today is our second day in Ahipara and I'm finding it hard. Alex and I are trying to keep in good spirits, but the reality of the situation is that we are both bummed out. And there's not much we can do about it.

Yesterday Alex and I went to the hospital to get her foot checked out. By the end of our walking on Day #4 her left foot had ballooned out around the achilles area, causing some concern. If her achilles was injured in any way, shape or form, there'd be a really good chance that Alex would be ordered to rest for a long time and the possibility of not even being able to continue trekking at all loomed in the air.

But there was no way we could pretend some sort of injury wasn't there. And there was no way we wanted to continue with the possibility of it being injured further. So - to the hospital we went.

This involved us getting up at 6:30 a.m. to catch the one bus into Kaitaia at 7:30 a.m. It never came. And so we hitched - catching a ride with a local who chatted us up, showing us all the sights (mostly his friends' farm property) along the way. And then we arrived at the hospital.

Once there and Alex filled out a few pages of paperwork, the doctors checked her out and then sent her to go see a general practitioner. And so we walked there and then waited in the waiting room until her name was called. Eventually that happened and by 10:30 a.m. we left there with news that most likely some artery in her foot was damaged, causing some internal bleeding. But they suggested Alex see a physiotherapist to get confirmation and a more specific diagnosis. So over a cup of coffee at the nearest cafe, Alex phoned the physio's office back in Ahipara for an appointment. She could be seen at 1:45 p.m. Perfect.

And the day went on. We bought groceries for the next few days and all the food we'd need once we started trekking onwards to Kerikeri. I went back to the campground and Alex went to her appointment. When she got back it was time for the moment of truth.

It turns out that Alex's swollen ankle was caused from an artery being damaged due to extensive friction in the area, therefore causing internal bleeding. If she refused to let it heal, it could worsen to the point of preventing her achilles to work. Plus, because of all of this, it was making Alex walk differently, adding strain to her knee which would be damaged over time if her foot was not let to heal.

And so rest it was. The physio told her a week, but to come back and get it checked out Thursday (tomorrow).

But today's only Wednesday and it's our second day of rest here in Ahipara and it's hard. Not because there's nothing to do here or that it's not beautiful, as that's simply not true. It's because we're stuck - or at least I feel stuck. Waiting. Waiting so we can continue our adventure. Waiting for word of when we can go. Or not.

And that's my major fear. That Alex will be told on Thursday that she has to wait even longer and then we're forced with the decision of if we should wait together or if I should continue on my own. And I simply do not want to be faced with that choice. Particularly since it's only Day #6 of our journey. But hey - isn't it said that time heals all things? I only wish we knew how much time...