PORTUGAL 2005 Part 10

INCREDIBLY, THIS SERIES HAS COME THIS LONG... THANKS FOR ALL THAT KEEP ON WAITING AND READING!!!

(This story continue from Part 9 - THE INDEX of this series are HERE)

**SICKNESS OF NORA**

In the morning, the company met at half past eight and everyone was there but there were no sign of participants from Philippines; "Joyce", Jessica Joyce N. Cirunay, and "Nora", Leonora Eco.

'It's quite amazing,' I said to Mr. Praphon. 'they never be this late. Or that because of our Chinese food late night contained too much MSG for Joyce. She might feeling ill today.'. Mr. Praphon made no answer.

After waiting for her in the bus for a while, both of them stepped in. Joyce looked well but wary. She hold her colleague's , Nora, shoulders tightly, helping her who was trying to help herself.

'Poor Nora!' she cried out loud as soon as Nora got to her seat, her eyes went red but she added nothing. Nunu went directly to her and started to ask. I saw like Joyce explained things to him twice and after Nunu left her, starting to use his phone, for a while, she contained herself better and was starting to explain things to us that already gathered round her and Nora, sitting weak in her seat.

'She felt weak on one-side.' Joyce started and told the others that things happened to Nora after showered in the early morning. She felt very weak and panicked. However, it might not as bad as we firstly thought. Joyce told us that the doctor had checked Nora and told her that it is not likely a stroke. 'She is healthy and don't have any underlying disease which related to the stoke.' We were reliefed after hearing Joyce's explanation and the company was being ready for the returning trip to Lisbon in the afternoon.

Before lunch, we visited 'The Roman Ruins of Conímbriga' - The largest Roman Ruins of Portugal - which brought us back to the third century. I took only a few pictures since I was not in the mood. Nora told us she felt better but still weak.

We took our lunch at Hotel D. Luis when Nora felt worse again. We stayed a few hours there and we received a signal from Nunu that Prof. Gaspar decided that Nora should be back to the Coimbra University Hospitol. Pedro the driver drove, faster but more gentle, us backed to Coimbra.

Hospitol staffs were ready when we arrived. Nunu and Joyce went with Nora. The rest of the company was waited in or around the bus in the parking lot. It's getting cold. More than an hour passed, Nunu came back first and told the company the bad news.

'Nora had a stroke. The doctor didn't let anyone to be with Nora but Joyce asked for his permission in order to be her friend in this foreign country. Prof. Gaspar was there too. I think doctor will allow them to be with Nora for a while.'

'How about us tonight?' someone in the company asked Nunu 'We can't wait here 'till dawn but we don't want to leave the philippines behind. We have to decide - stay here another night or heading for Lisbon.'

'I don't think we will stay here tonight.' replied Nunu, 'At the worse case, Joyce will stay here but we have to wait a bit more...'

It was around 9 p.m. when the company left the hospitol. Joyce was with us but she will come back, by train, as soon as the next light of dawn. We all waried and worried but Joyce was the worst. Nora might have to stay in Portugal for a bit longer, until doctor allow her to fly. Pedro drove steadily South to Lisbon. It was almost midnight when the company reached 'Hotel Palacio' in Estoril, Lisbon. The light of Lisbon didn't enlighten us as much as it should be.

PS. I decided to cut the other things because the fact is that in that day, I worried much about Nora and I would like to dedicate this blue chapter to her.

PS2. Nora was recovered well, I'm not sure whether it is 100% or not.

THIS STORY CONTINUES IN PART 11