“Full night of November 26/27, vagal discomfort, violent fall, searing pain in the leg. Call 112, direction the emergency room in Lourdes. I wait for an X-ray. Someone regularly reassures me, takes exams. The stubborn pain is relieved by a doctor.
8:30 a.m. radio. The staff manage to make me laugh while unfolding my leg. Verdict: complex fracture of the femur, operation at 4 p.m. Finally a good bed, room 107, view of the castle and the mountains of the Toy Country.
We are in a real Tower of Babel, Moroccan surgeon, Romanian anesthetist, Spanish and Portuguese ASH, sunny, benevolent accents. Physiotherapists, nurses and caregivers complete this team of angels who lift their spirits with kindness and professionalism. No internet, prohibited visits (Covid), but loneliness does not weigh. A cook regularly offers a choice of menus.
The TV spews out sweet Christmas movies, the news focuses on global security. Fortunately a red kite comes to visit me, free from the weight of his body, Le Cam and Escoffier make a diversion and “The Anomaly” is a beautiful escape killing “the past to make it still possible.”
Busy angels gravitate to my present, available 24/7. Dark circles appear over the hours but the smile is behind the mask. 12 hours to relieve the pain and anxiety of disoriented patients, to provide care, to receive new arrivals. “I chose the night to see my children.” So finish at 8 am at the earliest, sleep barely 5 hours to enjoy your family. Return to work at 8 p.m.
Reduction of staff and beds with the Covid. “Fortunately some nursing students help us from time to time.” Just applying barrier gestures would be a form of respect for their work, would overburden them less. “We had quite a few people from Toy Country in Wave 2.”
My rehabilitation will be difficult, but these good people will have been a springboard.
I will not recognize you if I see you in our masked world but thank you to you, also to my family, friends, my doctor, the Ardiden pharmacy, the nurses of the valley and the paramedics. “
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