One Red Shoe

The cast came off today . . . and, although my foot/leg is still noticeably swollen and a little sore (the break is still visible in the x-ray), life is pretty much back to normal after 7 weeks of pain pills, crutches and looking forward to a day when I could get around without help! Actually, the break was extremely painful in the beginning, but thanks to a priesthood blessing . . . and the passage of time, the injury quickly became nothing more than an inconvenience requiring a few simple considerations.

For instance, in order to take a shower, I wrapped my leg with a large garbage bag and sat on a plastic patio chair. I had to endure the embarrassment of being lifted – 5 times - in a small wheelchair by two strong airport workers onto planes between Trinidad and St. Lucia and back again; and, I suffered through the humiliation of having to “bump” up the stairs to our apartment on my fanny.

In my days of wearing one red shoe I learned some valuable lessons. For one, I learned we really don't want socialized medicine in the United States. I was cared for in the private-pay West Shore Hospital in Port-of-Spain - in and out in a couple of hours and the staff was wonderful and caring. Three weeks later we were talking to the POS Stake President Gould who said he was glad I went to a private pay hospital, since "if you had tried to go to one of our free hospitals, you would probably still be waiting to see a doctor." Seems one of the Trini members waited 9 months for an MRI . . . and another 6 months before he had the results. In the words of our stake president, "You don't know how good you've got it in the states. You no doubt pay more . . . but at least you can see a doctor before you die!"

This experience has also given me a whole new empathy for people with disabilities and a greater appreciation for a country which passed the Americans with Disabilities Act in July 1990 to make certain all citizens of the United States have access to restaurants, movie theaters, hospitals, meeting rooms and bathrooms. I am grateful, in a personal way, for the ADA!!!