'That's a lot of love!' (Visible on my hot-pink cast)
IT'S JUST KEVIN
By Very Rev. Kevin George
IF YOU ARE a regular reader of this column, you will know that I sustained a nasty leg fracture near the end of August that necessitated me being laid up for an extended period.
At the time of writing, I have been non-weight-bearing on my right side for five weeks. I have another two weeks of that ahead, before graduating to partial weight-bearing on a walking cast, or an air-boot for another six to eight weeks after that. It’s been a journey. My fractures required extensive surgery, including the addition of plates, screws, and pins to hold together the shredded mess of bone fragments.
The first cast was a temporary plaster cast that was removed and replaced after two weeks with a more stable, firm, circumferential cast. Made with fiberglass, the second cast provided rigid, complete immobilization of my leg, promoting proper healing of fractures. So after those first two weeks of healing, off to Victoria Hospital I went to have the plaster cast off, and nearly one-hundred staples removed from the two incisions on either side of my ankle.
“All looks good,” Dr. Sanders exclaimed! “Thank God,” I said, “I’ve seen what you have done to chicken legs, and I was worried!”
He reassured me he is not related to the Colonel, and said, “Kristie is going to cast your leg. I’ll see you in four weeks.”
You can imagine my surprise when Kristie fanned out a colour palette with every colour you can imagine, and asked, “What colour would your prefer for your cast?”
Anyone who has been in my presence for more than an hour knows how much I avoid attention and prefer to fade into the background. Not waiting to draw attention, I quickly said, “Hot Pink!” Both Catherinanne and the orthopedic technologist did a double take and asked, “You sure?” While I’m not usually impulsive, I stepped out of my comfort zone. “Definitely pink,” I said.
When I returned to Kensington Village, everyone took notice (Mission accomplished!). Next, I pulled out the sharpie. Catherinanne did some original artwork and wrote her words of encouragement. Then, one after another, over the two weeks I’ve been wearing this thing, people wrote messages, added art, quoted scripture, wrote prayers, and cheered on their favourite sports teams. It’s hardly got a square inch that is not marked. There are hundreds of messages on there. Everyone notices it — I love it!
One night, two weeks into the four weeks that I will wear this cast, I was experiencing some serious pain in my foot. Since I have arrived at Kensington Village, I have had exceptional care from the Doctor, PSWs, Physiotherapists, and Nurses. I have come to trust these nurses with so much. Remi, Maureen, Samantha, Jasper, Jeslie, Julie, & Charles are exceptional at what they do. So, when I rang the buzzer, asking for help I knew I would get good counsel.
Charles always does the night shift. He came in at 12:15 am. After hearing me out, he felt I should be off to the hospital, to rule out any infection or circulation problems. (Turns out I had a gout flareup. Gout…in a foot wrapped in a hard cast!) That meant a night waiting in ER on Homecoming weekend - very exciting.
I was over two hours into that excitement when a doctor headed outside for a comfort break walked by. She looked down at my hot pink leg, produced a wide smile and said, “That’s a lot of love!” One eyebrow raised, I looked up at her quizzically through my pain and self-pity. “Written on your leg there! That is an incredible show of love! You are a fortunate man!”
That somehow took some of my pain away. More importantly, it refocused my spirit and lifted me out of my pity fit. I was reminded of words written by Trappist monk Thomas Merton. “Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another”.
The number of folks who have shown such incredible love for me over these weeks is terribly humbling. The names on that hot-pink cast are a visual reminder of an intangible truth. God pours out immeasurable love in giving us one another. None of us make this journey on our own. From the day of my injury to this very minute, I have been showered in love, prayer, care, concern and kindness. So many have been so kind and caring — too many to name. But know this, I am thankful for each and every one of you — for your concern for me. I know our true destiny is love, and I have learned from all of you during these long weeks that we might come to know the love of God if we are mindful of the love we have for and show one another.
As I woke from a long nap after returning from hospital, and looked to the foot of my bed, I saw the most faithful of caregivers, Catherinanne. Her head back, her eyes closed. I have no doubt she is praying. In that moment, I heard that doctor’s voice again, reminding me that I am indeed…. “a very fortunate man.”
Very Rev. Dr. Kevin George is Rector of St. Paul's Cathedral, London, and Dean of Huron.