Pam McCleary is an awesome worker. She works harder than most anyone I've ever met. Lifting furniture, loading equipment into the truckbed, knocking out drywall, or whatever. She does it all and does it well. Yesterday morning she was walking around camp and of all things, she put her foot into a hole and twisted her ankle. She (of course!) went out on the job site anyway. Didn't last long as her ankle started to swell and it became more difficult for her to stand and walk, let alone carry out moldy cabinets. I made her stop working and put an ace bandage on it. "But," she said, "I came to work." My answer? "It's not your call, I'm getting you to the emergency room." I could see the tears welling up in her eyes, but she understood.
It was nice to sit in the waiting room of the Slidell Memorial Hospital ER (air conditioning never felt so nice!). After we got in to the exam room, I bet Pam one dollar that she broke her ankle. She just thought she sprained it. Talking about our bet seemed to take Pam's mind off of her pain. Her pain was intense... even still, she put on a brave face.
The physician seeing her, Dr. Dedinsky, is an Emergency physician that works at Tulane University hospital. He was one of the physicians that stayed at the hospital when Katrina hit. His description of the events that unfolded had me gripped. The commitment he had to his patients and to the community is astounding. He said "I hear that Tulane is going to open in November...I sure hope so, because I have to get back there, to the people, to the community. It's what I need to do."
After losing the bet to Pam, I paid up. While drinking coffee in the doctor's area with Dr. Dedinsky and the other 2 physicians, listening to their stories, I asked him if he would sign the dollar bill. He wrote the following on that dollar bill..."Pamela, Thanks from New Orleans. Wayne Dedinsky, M.D. Goodbye Katrina."
It was the best visit I've ever had to an ER.
Glen
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