[Magdalen] A bad fall

[James Oppenheimer-Crawford]

I have often said that whenever I am feeling bad about something happening
to me, I always see someone far worse off.  It's not hard to feel a bit
chastened to have been feeling bad about a sprained ankle when you see what
some other folks have to put up with on a daily basis.

We were arriving for our group's rehearsal today, and another member of our
group was just behind us.  Suddenly we were aware that she had fallen.  The
sidewalk has a gigantic frost heave and the concrete slab is up about two
inches on one side.  They put an orange cone.

I am sure Laura was well aware of it, and tried to avoid it, but she
apparently tripped on the jutting concrete edge and went down face first.

As we approached, we all assumed she probably had some fractures, as she is
a lady of a certain age. Keeping my calm voice, I asked her to help us
before we thought of moving her, was she in pain, did she think she might
have hurt something or sprained something. She replied, still not moving
(another red flag), that she didn't think she had hurt herself in her
limbs.  She had struck face first. She thought she had broken her nose.

At first she was able to respond clearly, but as the minutes went by, she
sounded more like her mouth was being obstructed. We had called 911
immediately and a security guard for the residence came and we got blankets
to cover her until the ambulance came.

A member of our group who is also an MD and a friend of Laura's went with
her to the hospital.

Later on we learned that she had not broken her nose, but had fractured the
bone of the "upper jaw" if you will, under the nose.  She will probably
have to have dental work to repair all of that.  This is such a shame.  It
goes without saying she won't be able to play in the group for a while, and
I have no clue how long her recovery will take.

She's a cancer survivor with extant severe back problems, has diabetes, and
also has a pacemaker. She lost a son (a Master Sgt nearing retirement in
the Green Berets) in Afghanistan.  This is one of those good people to whom
things happen.

Probably her big concern will be who will take her friend to his doctor's
appointments now that she cannot.

Those who wish to may pray for grace and healing, and wisdom for her and
all of us in our little group, of which she is the associate director.





James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
*“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy