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It’s now been a week since Lydia’s accident and they have told here that she will be leaving the hospital on Monday 9 August.

As our visitor visa was running out we sought help from the local British Consular Office in Izmir. I was advised to go to see the Passport Police and explain our problem and that they would be able to help. To cut a long story short they can’t issue a new tourist visa and after 5 hours of getting photocopies of passports, photographs etc and filling forms we now have a 3 month residency visa at a cost of 748 TL for two persons.

As Lydia was unable to visit the office to sign her application so they arranged for a member of staff visit the hospital and took her thumb print instead of a signature. The staff were all very helpful and explained that they would need to keep our passports until Monday to complete the application for the residency visa.

The EMOT hospital in Izmir is excellent and the Surgeon Dr Kaplin has done an excellent micro surgery job of putting her finger back together. The nurses and staff have taken great care and the facilities are among the best in Europe with 24 hour care in private en suite rooms fully equipped with TV, Fridge and even a bed so that I could stay with her. They have made regular checks day and night to ensure that the injury is healing correctly and nothing has been too much trouble. 

On Monday we will return to Silver Lady in Goeck and have arranged to move on Tuesday 10 August back to Yacht Classic in Fethiye for some rest and good food whilst we decide what to do next. 

The doctor has explained that Lydia will have to have her dressing changed weekly for the next four weeks as well as stitches taken out in a week or two.

Our plans for the rest of the summer are therefore somewhat on hold as we wait to see how we manage on Silver Lady in the coming days.