I Fell For Bodrum

Good-bye Fethiye, Hello Bodrum

Friday was almost a perfect day, almost. It started well, we had everything packed up and ready to leave Fethiye. Our rental car was loaded up, we checked to make sure we didn’t leave anything behind and the key was returned to the host. After 3-weeks in Fethiye and sporting my new dental crowns, we were moving on. We were on the road to Bodrum by 9:30 a.m. However, about 30 minutes later we realized we had forgotten to check the fridge, so we messaged the host and turned around to go get the items. After picking up all items we were ready to hit the road again.

Lunch in Akyaka

We had heard about Akyaka as a great town along the coast, so we stopped for a break and to have lunch. It was a great little town with dining on the beach. Akyaka is about halfway to Bodrum, so it made sense.

We Made it to Bodrum

Next stop Bodrum.. We made it to the apartment (a couple of tiny alleys to drive down though) and unpacked everything. Since we would be in Bodrum for a week, we went to the store for some basic items, etc. We got our office areas set up including testing the internet (testing the internet is one of our first steps at any location). The internet was very good at this location.

By this point, we were getting thirsty and hungry so we found a pub close to us. It was a nice walk through small alleys and backstreets. Unfortunately, the pub was quite expensive and I am cheap. So we had one drink and some snacks (free) then moved on to find something else near the marina.

Unfortunately, the marina area pubs and restaurants were packed. The backup plan was to find something a few blocks away from the water. Luckily, we found a small pub in an alley, they had good music playing and cheap drinks. By now we were no longer hungry, just thirsty.  If you are in Bodrum and want a casual pub, check out “Hot Pub”. It is just some tables in an alley and a few tables inside. We sat outside both times we visited.

Not What I Had Planned for Bodrum

After a couple of beers, we decided to head back to the apartment. It was a 1.6km (1 mile) walk, and it had just started to rain. However, it was a drizzle, and we could easily handle the walk. A little water never hurt anyone. There was a small hill going down to the apartment, it was cobblestone so it was starting to get slippery. Therefore, we were taking it easy until my left foot slipped as I was lifting my right foot (as you do when walking). The next thing I knew, I was face-first in the middle of the street. To be more precise, it was my right knee first onto the cobblestone street.

There I was in the middle of the street and couldn’t move my right leg without a lot of pain. Oh, and a car was coming. Luckily, I was able to drag my old ass enough to get out of the street. However, the car did stop to see if I was ok. By then, I was trying to stand up, but not with much initial success. I was able to slither snake-like to the nearest car to use it to pull myself up. After a couple of tries, I was upright again. My first thought was did I damage the new crowns I got in Fethiye? Luckily, only my knee and pride were damaged.

Can I Make It Back?

Luckily, the apartment was about 50 meters away, I could make it, I think. Moving very slowly I made it back to the apartment. My right knee was starting to bruise and was becoming swollen. I thought, great this trip is screwed and Bodrum is the end of the line for us. Since I was the only one listed as a driver on the rental car, and my wife is stressed enough being a passenger, this isn’t looking good. Also, the car is a manual, so more leg and knee movement is required to drive.

I went to bed after some pain meds and a shower to wash off the street crud. I didn’t sleep well due to the pain, regardless of which way I flipped or flopped in the bed. When I got up on Saturday, my right knee looked and felt like a cantaloupe. Probably a small one (or a grape), just go with it already.

What’s Up Doc?

I needed to get my knee checked out since I couldn’t walk without a lot of pain. We found a private clinic with an emergency room and they were open. Therefore, after showering we headed out around 1:55 PM to see if they could fix a Geezer. It was a 10-minute drive (my wife was driving and a tad bit stressed). We arrived at the clinic, filled out the paperwork, were told the basic costs to see the ER doctor, etc.

A few minutes later the doctor started to check out my fruit of the leg. I needed x-rays to rule out any fractures, etc. After the doctor reviewed the X-rays, he said I would most likely survive. It would probably take a couple of weeks at least to heal. The nurse wrapped my knee with a bandage and sent me to the receptionist. They gave me prescriptions for pain meds, an ointment to help with swelling and pain, and one for a knee brace. The pharmacy didn’t have a knee brace, so we would have to stop at 2 places on the way back.

I paid a very reasonable bill, it was equivalent to $360 (340 euros) for the ER, doctor, and x-rays. He told us where we should pick up the knee brace, etc. We hopped back into the car and went to the pharmacy and picked up my meds, it was a whopping $7 for both. Then, I went to the medical supply store. The knee brace was picked up and installed and was only $9. I was happy with the care I received in Bodrum, it was efficient, they spoke English, and very affordable.

Backup Food Plan For Bodrum

However, I needed a backup plan for food since we would probably not be going out for a few days. Therefore, we would need some food in the apartment. Luckily, the grocery store was across the street from the medical supply store, so we grabbed some food and drinks.

Finally, we made it back to the apartment at 4 PM, only 2 hours after we left. My knee was wrapped and in a brace, with minimal pain, I had meds, and we had enough food for several days. Yes, you read that correctly, we went to the ER, pharmacy, a medical supply store, and got groceries in 2-hours. I knew it was fairly quick, but 2-hours was shockingly fast.

Therefore, instead of exploring Bodrum on Saturday, we just stayed in the apartment and did Netflix and Chill. The chill part was an ice pack on my knee. By Sunday, I was walking around with some pain, but I was mobile. Over the next few days, I was walking more and more and eventually getting up to about 3-4km a day with some short breaks along the way.

My concern was we only had a week in Bodrum, then we were heading off to Ayvalik. That was going to be a 5-6 hour drive on a good day and leg. Thankfully, we were not in a hurry as it was a self-check-in apartment. Unfortunately, we had forgotten that the Ayvalik apartment had steep stairs. My knee and the stairs were an accident waiting to happen. I didn’t want to risk falling down those stairs. After 2 days of trying to make it work, we requested to modify the reservation and leave earlier (the next day). The host agreed and we immediately found a place in Çanakkale instead.

I’m Getting Good At This

This was not my last brush with vertical stability. Fast forward about 2 weeks after my fall. We were leaving the apartment in Çanakkale and I was loaded up like a pack mule carrying my 65L backpack on my back, a laptop bag on my front, and a large plastic bag in my hand. My wife said “Don’t fall” three times as I was walking down a flight of stairs.  I think saying it three times was maybe a curse or casting a spell.

Somehow I missed the last 2 stairs and stuck another perfect 10 landing on my belly. Luckily, I only over-extended my knee a little bit and was able to get up without looking like a turtle stuck on its back. There was some initial concern as both of my legs were shaking and I had a hard time standing. Most likely, it was adrenaline, but was concerning since I was about to drive 4+ hours to Istanbul. Fortunately, I was wearing my knee brace as my knee hit the marble floor hard.

To be honest, I was very lucky, another 6 inches and I would have hit my head on the door. That door was the only way out of the apartment. Therefore, I would have blocked any rescue efforts. Thankfully, my new laptop bag (was wearing on my front) protected all of my camera gear, laptop, travel monitor, and probably my new crowns. It also provided a softer landing on the hard marble.

Still Not Back to Normal

It has been 3+ months since the original injury in Bodrum and I am still not back to being my old Geezer self. I have trouble getting up from sitting, my knee is sore if walking up/down stairs, and my body seems to ache and pop way more than it did before the injury. I guess reality has hit the old Geezer, getting old sucks and it takes longer to recover.