A Fair Choice
htly older meets us there and helps me get into the wheelchair he's pushing. Once I settle in and perch my purse on my lap, Michael reaches for the
returns to the Emergency department after parking his car. There's only one other person in line waiting to speak to the triage nurse
health car
the health card from my w
for your v
hile I was skati
t or
ig
u rate the pain? Ten being the mos
," I
und my arm and places an oximeter onto my fin
is up; do you fee
, I
for that once the doctor sees
t I'm aw
side of Nigeria in the
ever?"
seat, we'll call you when
ank
losely together, his bolted down seat next to my wheelchair. Everyone who isn't looking at a phone is staring
Where
school, I see your ca
: Ca
Anna, I'm n
A:
"Are we allowed to use our phones here?" "I think so, I guess we ca
lassroom so I wouldn
spital. Hurt my leg on
come your
hael took me
sketball
ELLA
How did you
on me in devotion. He carried me
How co
LA: yo
: I
nt me to come t
's ok, I'm i
s! Do your p
A: Text
you after school. J
LLA:
h Michael, I want you to
t into me! He's just ha
ught you to
him out of clas
curtained cubicle, "A nurse practitioner will be in here to see you shortly." The nurse goes back to her post leaving me alone with Michael who assists me to get from the wheelchair to the stretcher. I play level 137 of Candy Crush while Michael co
knee-high boots with a stethoscope hanging around her neck comes into the cu
ella
u in today Isab
rning on a jump while
ig
or landing when you
were twisted as you land
t of the bed, "I'm going to do some range of motion exercises with you. Tell me if any of them cause pain.
of her plan, "I'm going to send you for x-rays to look for a fracture. If t
do it while we're here?" Rose s
ing, "M.R.I's have long wait lists. It can take several weeks. The hospital will send
g to my mother? If I tell
" She
ility to make my own decisions regarding my skating career, which is a bitter pill to swallow. It strikes me that I may miss the final competition before Worlds which I've worked so hard to qualify for. Tears start building in the cor
pushing a wheelchair. Surprised to find me crying he says
I say avoidin
urning to Michael. The curtain pulls back for a final time, it's the nurse practitioner. A blast of nerves hits me when I see her smile at me hesitantly, "Isabella, I hav
and refer you to a well-known sports doctor who deals with these kinds of injuries all the time. You need to use crutches until we have your M.R.I results so you do
ext
e. Not allowed to sk
u getting home? Do you
o, Michael
ho's M
LA: A
while you are Skating!
: I'm no
For
my phone off while Michael es