The Benefits of Wearing Rose-Tinted Glasses | #MyFridayStory №298
Some people are always so positive, you start to believe they are being disingenuous.
A colleague mentioned to her husband about my positive attitude at work. Her husband responded by saying, “Oh no! He must be so tiring!” I understand that being overly positive or always bouncing around people can be irritating and come across as fake. I do however support the idea of keeping a positive outlook regardless of the situation. It helps to find the sliver of silver lining and focus on that instead of the overwhelming challenge you are facing.
I was hospitalised for three and a half weeks after an 18-wheeler horse-and-trailer hit me going through an intersection. As the careering beast struck my left side, the full force of the blow was absorbed and concentrated in one area — my left thigh bone — the femur. It broke the bone clean off in the neatest of breaks called a transverse fracture. Transverse and oblique fractures are easier to repair and less dangerous than the other types of femur injuries. There are more complications when the bone has multiple fractures, or the bone is splintered, or when part of the broken bone has pierced the skin and is exposed and a spiral fracture.
My body was flung around the left front of the truck and came to a rest 20 meters down the road. The truck came to a standstill 40 meters past the impact, dragging my scooter under the front wheel. After first rearranging the disjointed broken leg so it doesn’t look so alien, I fell backwards and lay on my back. I was aware of how miraculous it was that I had no other injuries. I wasn’t concussed, I couldn’t feel any internal injuries, and my hands and arms were also unscathed. One broken femur. That’s it.
I need to keep a positive outlook on what faced me up ahead was obvious. The reality of the situation was this would be a long haul. Not having a medical aid or hospital plan, I knew I was in the hands of the state. Any person with a choice would steer far away from ever being in this situation. The condition of our public medical facilities has severely deteriorated over the last 3 decades. The reports of the plunder and stealing of resources are too many to ignore. A quick visit to any of these former glorious institutions reveals the level of rot that has set it.
There were a few sets of paramedics that came and had to leave while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. They managed to stabilise the pain, secured my back and neck in case of a spinal injury and put my broken leg into traction. It took an ambulance 4 hours to arrive. They transferred me to a stretcher, loaded me into the ambulance and took me 500 metres down the road to the Edenvale General Hospital. Over those 4 hours lying on the tarmac on my back, I became aware of how important a positive demeanour is going to be.
I was in the hospital on my back with my left leg in traction for the next 26 days. For a procedure that takes 4 or 5 days in a private institution, the wheels of the state grind at a slow pace. I never saw the outside of the building as we arrived by ambulance. I remember the casualty ward was chaotic that morning but I was in severe pain, and not looking around at the facilities.
That evening when I was settling into my open ward in the orthopaedic section, I looked around and everything looked wonderful — I felt safe. I had fresh linen in a modern hospital bed. The floor was polished and shiny. The facilities around me all suggested this was a proficient operation. The nurses and medical staff that attended to me all seemed to care and have empathy for their patients.
After my first night stay in the hospital, my rose-tinted glasses were sealed. Before the early morning light peeked in, the nursing staff all gathered in the nurse’s station around the corner from my bed. Into the silent morning, the nurses began singing a gospel worship song. Their beautiful voices, range of vocals, and tight harmonies blended — the melody wafting through the hallways and wards. I felt safe.
My lenses were certainly rose-tinted. What I saw and experienced influenced my view of the institution. The staff and employees all got the same rose-tinted treatment. The doctors and surgeons exuded confidence and showed professionalism towards the people under their care. From the jolly tea server in the early mornings and evenings to the young football fanatic floor polisher and his ever-smiling and inspiring supervisor, everyone played a part in tinting the lenses.
So far, my rose-tinted lenses have served me well. They’ve helped keep me balanced and positive throughout the ordeal. The greater good always wins the day.
Have an awesome weekend and please remember to be generous! 😄
As always, thanks for reading 🙏
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