This is the frightening phrase that most of us think in terms of other – “Old” - people. This has been a worry Carol carries around with her since a month ago when the right side o my brain kicked loose a bit of plaque that played mischief with the mechanisms that controls my left side. This can be visualized if you could see me type this. My left pinky rests on a key and the computer reads this as permission to send forth a whole line of just that letter. But this, I have been assured, can be improved with time and exercise. I also have resorted to the venerable hunt and peck system which works so slowly that it mocks my facility as a touch typist.
But Carol’s fears concerned me. If I fell she could not manage my size and weight. That is why we found an agency that sent us a wonderful man, Mr. Brunel Henry who is from Haiti and is studying to be a Nurse. He has been invaluable to both of us I start off each day with a shower monitored by him. He also maneuvered me in a wheel-chair during the rehearsal for and the actual Bar Mitzvah – anticipating each move required by the, at times, intricate choriography of the people called to the Bimah.
Last Thursday night Carol and I went to Dinner as is our wont for the Big APPLE”S comforting vegetable-beef soup and our usual corned beef wrap which we are able to stretch out for two very tasty meals. Carol made sure I navigated the terrain from the car to the restaurant but she tripped, fell, cut and bruised herself to the consternation of storekeepers and patrons nearby. I came out to find what had happened but they had already called the Emergency Fire/Rescue and seen to her wounds. She was asked if she wanted to be taken to Aventurer’s Emergency Room to be X-rayed but she felt able to drive despite possible broken wrist and ankle and thought visiting a walk-in clinic would be faster and better. The clinic’s X-ray was not open so Carol drove to Jackson North where I had such good care on their 4th floor stroke unit.
At Jackson North The Emergency Triage Room was filled with sick people and they didn’t seem to care about Carol. I had the impression we could go in there with wounds and come out with Swine Flu. After an hour without triage we decided the possible breaks could wait until Friday morning and on that visit to Aventura the X-Rays showed no breaks but sprains and bruises. Despite many bumps and bruises she is still up and working well