Epic

Unscheduled overnight stay at LIV hospital, Istanbul,  following a very nasty fall as I left my apartment building at 7:45 this morning to face the short walk to school in the heavy, freezing rain. Pushing through the main door, it swung closed and trapped my shoulder bag, I lost my balance and tripped on the door lintel whereupon I went down like a plank, landing smack on my face with my whole body lying in a pool of icy rain on the concrete. 

I lay there for several moments trying to determine if I'd broken anything - nose, knees, - did I have any teeth left? and then somehow got myself into the school building. Quick visit to the school's health centre where the paramedic dressed my wounds, but advised me that I needed to go to hospital whereupon I said I had class to teach.

After my lesson, Koray drove me to hospital where in the space of little more than an hour I'd seen four different doctors!  An ER doctor, general surgery doctor, trauma doctor, and a neurologist - and had an x-ray and a cat scan as I'd hit my head and my regular heart medication includes blood thinners.  X ray showed no breaks, though the wound on my shin is very nasty and by now my leg was really quite swollen - but the scan did show a little something so a second scan was scheduled for 17.00 and they said I should stay the night for observation and an MRI in the morning, just to be safe.

Not long after 13.00, colleague,Academic Director and friend for 20 years Maria, had joined me in my palatial ensuite private room. For the next four hours we talked, laughed and watched the snow fall outside which fell heavily, constantly, but never settled.  Other friends came, Caitlin, Charlie and Sandy, Deniz and Mercan.  The Robert College net work truly kicked in as the day wore on - for example, a student's dad who's is a doctor here in another department, heard I was here and came to visit me in my room to make sure I was ok with all that I need. The neurologist's brother is an RC graduate. And so it goes. if it had to happen , at least it was here in Istanbul where I have amazing health care and a city full of colleagues and friends and folk who care and reach out. I am reminded that although accidents happen, life is unpleasant and uncomfortable sometimes, scary too - but when you are are lucky enough to have people who are kind and generous with gifts of time, compassion and help, it is easy to remember how wonderful life is.