Is there any more larger that life character on the current global mat riding scene? Although it is full of characters, as you need to be a bit of free thinker to ride a mat, I am having trouble thinking of anyone. Although, not a full time mat rider Mary has definitely been bitten hard by the bug. I first came across her blog about three years ago and was particularly drawn to her as she described her recovery and eventual return to surfing following a knee reconstruction. I was pretty blown away by her persistence and tenacity to get back in the water to be honest. So you would think that would be enough to deal with but life does continue to throw up challenges and now Mary has bust her ankle! The mat riding community, and many others from outside of it too, has shown it's own special character and
donated thousands of dollars to ensure Mary gets the best treatment possible. A pretty amazing response but understandable considering the pretty amazing woman Mary is!
Oh, Robin!! Thank you for the kind words, dear. I am still stunned by the support the surf, skate and friend communities have shown me during this episode. What I find telling, with regard to the state of medical care in the U.S, is that when the injury occurred, my very first thought was, "Oh, shit!! We don't have insurance!!!" I play hard, so I know I'm going to get hurt. I'm not at all mad about breaking a bone. But to break bones badly, not have insurance and then be told that I needed surgery quickly in order to ensure that the joint healed properly? It was truly frightening. It spoke the how unfair it is that, for most Americans, your access to healthcare is tied to your job. And since we're having a recession in which so many lost jobs or, like me, only work part-time, millions of us have no longer have health insurance.
ReplyDeleteSo, I was truly worried about how we would pay for care or, if I went to the County (which provides treatment to the poor and uninsured), how comprehensive my care would be. I'm lucky that things fell into place. Friends donated money to help me get immediate care and one friend in particular contacted a specialist who was willing to treat me, knowing my funds were not great.
In the end, all of you paid for the surgery itself. And I promise to pay that kindness and generosity forward to someone else. I will pay my mother back for the doctor's fees (only $1000) eventually. (I have no hesitation about selling surfboards; the problem is that no one is buying because of the recession.)
Anyway, I thank you Robin and thank everyone else. I'm on the mend now. The doctor says I will be back in the water in six weeks. We shall see, won't we?