There are experiences in life where we go through pain and suffering, yet at the same time we are enveloped by G-d’s loving guidance. I would like to share my personal story depicting this phenomenon.
Two years ago on October 15, my husband and I were slated to move. That day I headed to work as my husband was going with the movers to the new apartment. I headed out and descended the steps at the D station at Broadway Lafayette. My mind must’ve been elsewhere as I stepped down and missed three steps. I landed, thankfully, and all else was well, but I couldn’t move my right ankle.
I took this route daily and never did I pass any religious Jews. This morning, b’hashgacha, there was a frum young woman who contacted my husband for me to let me know what had transpired. Also affiliates from Beth Israel were in the area and they came pretty quickly to bring me to be examined at Beth Israel Medical Center.
The x-tray technician there said, “Wow this looks really bad!” The Doctor there explained to me that I had a bimalleolar fracture and that I should follow up with Beth Israel’s doctor in Brooklyn.
A few days later we met the doctor. He told us that I definitely needed surgery. I had suffered fracture blisters due to the impact and he said that he could do the surgery but only after the blisters healed. On my way out I nonchalantly said to the doctor that it’s difficult walking with crutches. His reply: I could amputate the other one if you’d like. I did not think that was funny and did not have a good feeling about this doctor. A well connected co- worker encouraged me to speak with a close friend of hers who was a lawyer. She felt that he would be a good contact to assess if there was negligence on the part of MTA. Although that aspect never played out, as there was no negligence found, this lawyer played a key role in the direction we took for treatment for my ankle and surgery.
Since he is a lawyer he often deals with the doctors who treat his clients. In our first conversation he asked me which doctor I was seeing and I told him the name. His response: “I wouldn’t use him for surgery.” We were so blessed with that information as it supported our original feeling of that doctor.
Now I needed another doctor. A friend suggested another well-known doctor with a solid reputation. My husband and I went to him on Friday. He took x-rays and also agreed that I needed surgery. He noted that it would be crucial to have the ankle bones adjusted in a minimum way by a skilled doctor. The problem was the blisters on my foot. He was concerned that if he manipulated the ankle it would affect the blisters and make it worse. He didn’t feel qualified to do this delicate work. He sent us to New York Hospital for Joint Disease, to an associate of his who specialized in trauma to the ankle and other joints. We were grateful for this doctor ‘s honesty in what would be best for his patient and not his pocket.
We got to the hospital Fridayternoon where they began to manipulate the ankle to adjust the bone into the right place. Doses of morphine kept me at bay while they did the adjustment. Baruch Hashem we were released Friday night at 11:00 p.m. After a follow up with this doctor/surgeon we set a date for the surgery. The doctor hoped that by the time of the surgery the blisters would have healed.