We just returned from taking Clyde and Jean to the airport to fly home. No one had posted what happened as we were not sure if they would want their situation on LCT but Jean told me to post what she called “their adventuresâ€.
On embarkation Jean did not feel well and the ships doctor was concerned she may be having a stroke so during the life boat drill she was taken off the ship by stretcher to a hospital in Southampton. She had nothing but praise for the British medical system, loved her doctors and they gave her the most complete check up. Also she said the Regent port agent was wonderful. Jean was okay and it was probably just the stress of the flight and travel that had her vital signs so off kilter but always better to be safe than sorry.
They stayed in a small hotel in Southampton for a few days while she was cleared to travel again. Then they transferred to Gatwick to fly to Bordeaux and rejoin the ship. They arrived back to the ship on Clyde’s 96th birthday and had a lovely birthday celebration dinner. The ship did their block party that night and the officers stopped and sang happy birthday to Clyde. All was going just fine.
Two nights later while we were docked Clyde fell stepping out of the shower. He was pretty banged up and could not move for a while but did progress each day. Jean caught a cold as well and they decided they wanted to head home. The good news was that we were able to get them perfect flights home.
Barcelona to Atlanta at 10.00 am in business class – 2 hour layover – Atlanta to Jacksonville in First Class arriving home at 5.30 pm. The last night on board they left their cabin and went to Signatures for dinner that was a wonderful thing to have that last nice meal onboard somewhere other than their cabin. Many of the LCT’ers went by their table and said goodbye to them and they really appreciated that.
The airport went SO smoothly. Regent handled their immigration on board without them having to go through the normal procedures. A taxi van was waiting with a great driver to take us to the airport and we had a Regent wheelchair with us for Clyde that we would bring back to the ship. The taxi driver talked to the police and they allowed him to leave the taxi parked curbside and accompanied Clyde, Jean, Ken and me inside the airport. While he went and checked them in and got the boarding passes we waited for two wheelchairs, one for Jean and one for Clyde.
Of course we had the third Regent wheelchair. Jean grabbed her phone from her purse and had Ken take a picture of me in the spare wheelchair between Clyde and Jean. I am sure it was a cute shot. She is going to see if she can figure out how to post this on LCT. We never thought about taking a camera to the airport.
Of course we could not go past security but they had two great young guys as wheelchair drivers who were taking them through to the VIP lounge and they will not have to wait long for their flight. It could not have gone any smoother.
They are such a great couple, wonderful attitude and Clyde is absolutely amazing for 96 years old the taxi driver did not believe that was his age. They kept talking about how great the doctor had been to them, their room steward she said was amazingly helpful doing everything for them for the first days after Clyde’s fall. The GM Franck Galzy they said kept checking on them and they felt very well taken of by the Regent staff. That is nice to hear as you never know when things could happen to any of us on a trip. I think they were ready to get home.
They will be cancelling Canada now and we will all miss them and I can understand after this experience this is the best decision for them.
