Here is the story.
Lyle injured his back and we decided to go to the doctor. The doctor referred us to the local hospital for an x-ray. All good so far and I had my white cane not exactly with me but in the car. It was folded and on the floor in the passenger side. I didn’t take it into the hospital with me because really we were just going in for an x-ray and it was the local and familiar hospital and I had Lyle’s arm to guide me.
Well, the x-ray was taken but there was an anomaly. Lyle was referred further afield for a CT scan. No problem except that the doctor insisted that the safest way to travel there was by ambulance. By this stage Lyle was dressed in one of those pretty hospital gowns and I didn’t think that I could find my way back to the car by myself to get my cane.
Fortunately, we lucked out with an amazing pair of ambulance attendants. Bonnie took the car keys and made a quick dash out to our car to retrieve my cane before we set out again. How foolish I was not to have the cane with me in the first place.
That night we were shipped around for a further CT scan and more tests in a larger city hospital. Although I travelled with Lyle in the ambulance, we were often separated when he needed to go for these tests. How glad I was to have my cane with me. It was definitely a lesson learned. I use a fold up cane so it is very simple to have it with me even when I feel that I only need Lyle’s arm to guide me.
The end of the story is that Lyle is feeling better although still needs to be careful with his back. As for me, well I learned yet another white cane lesson.
We are also very grateful to Bonnie and Craig, the two ambulance attendants based out of Rimbey. We also owe a huge thank you to the doctors and nurses at the University Hospital in Edmonton. Lyle received excellent care there and I was treated with care and courtesy as his accompanying spouse.
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