angels?

Recently I was vacationing in California-hence no postings from me the past 2 weeks. Sorry about that!
During that visit a college friend,Lee, was to pick me and my husband up at Los Angeles Union Train Station around 11 a.m. on a Sunday morning. She was a few minutes late, unusual for her, when I heard my name called over the public address system. Security personnel took me to my friend. She had tripped over a speed bump while walking into the station. Her lip was split wide open, bleeding profusely. By the time I got to her, station personnel were attending to her and within a couple of minutes, the LA County Paramedics arrived. In a real demonstration of caring and problem solving, the paramedics assessed my friend, determined she needed to go to the ER, placed her and me in the ambulance, one of them picked up her car and followed the ambulance, picked up my husband who was sitting in the train station waiting room unaware of the situation, picked up our luggage and took us all to LA County Hospital ER.

As the day progressed and we remained in the ER, Lee was evaluated with MRI, Cat Scan, Xray etc. It was determined her jaw was broken in 2 places and she had a cracked elbow requiring a metal plate and screws. She would be admitted when a bed was available. As it turned out that was 36 hours later.

During the long afternoon and evening of this assessment my husband waited patiently in the waiting room. And during the long afteroon and evening the caring (and incredibly handsome) paramedics returned to check on Lee as they made additional "runs" with other patients to the ER. (About the only smiles of that day came from Lee and me making comments about the movie star looks of these two incredible men.)I did mention in their presence our mounting concern about getting Lee's car back to Santa Monica in the dark given we are Vermonters, not used to LA freeways.

ANYWAY-about 8 p.m. these 2 paramedics returned again! Tyler (we're on a first name basis by now) says, "Ok we've checked with our supervisor and one of us is going to drive Lee's car to Santa Monica and the other will follow in the ambulance to drive both of us back. We can take your husband or you (meaning me) or both. But we are going to at least solve the problem of getting the car to Santa Monica." The tension in my body simply flowed out.

At just this moment Lee's son arrives from his home in central California. So my husband and I leave with the paramedics. They bring Lee's car to the ER door, drive us to Santa Monica, ambulance following, luggage and all, get us into Lee's house which is very very dark, turn off the alarm system, and make certain we feel safe.

Now I am not certain I have ever believed in angels but I must acknowledge that after the time with those 2 paramedics I am moving in that direction. I have never been treated with such a combination of gentleness, thoroughness, humor, and genuine concern by a health professional...by someone who just appeared in my life. We were cared for and cared about. We were held safely and touched. Just like the picture that hung above my bed as a child...the one of the guardian angel sheltering two children crossing a bridge in a storm.

Lee is home after a 6 day hospital stay. Her jaw is immobilized with braces, her elbow pinned. We can't talk on the phone and she can't email but I send her a note frequently and pray for her recovery many, many times a day. Please say a prayer for her too.

Do you have angels in your life?
Are they there frequently or mostly in times of crisis?
Do they touch your recovery?
Did someone extend a hand which led you to recovery? Was she an angel?
Remember recovery is a gift. From where?
I'd love to hear your experiences.



Blessings-Penny