Sitting next to Eliza, we could overhear the conversations of the legions of doctors that oversaw her treatment. With injuries as severe as hers, there was no clear path to follow; there were many options discussed before a decision was made. This happened over and over again. This fascinated me and oddly, it gave me confidence and new respect for the jigsaw puzzle that treatment becomes in severe injuries.
It became clear that timing is everything. Before they could do anything about the breaks they had to treat the lung and stabilize her back. It was greatly in her favor that she was young, and that she had been fit before the accident. It was also in her favor that UVA Intensive Care sees a higher than usual percentage of horseback riding injuries.
Her arm also required surgery, which they performed the day after we arrived. Eliza’s elbow had been shattered; X-Rays taken after the surgery showed a nest of metal, plus screws holding all the metal in place. Years later, when some of her elbow metal was removed, we kept it in a glass jar. It looked for all the world like it came out of our local hardware store.
The ICU rules were that visitors MUST leave between noon and 1:00 p.m. It was in these breaks that we discovered the beauty and tranquility of the gardens behind each pavilion on the Lawn of the University. Each has a section that is open to the public, delineated by their lovely serpentine walls and with welcoming benches for sitting. It was such a respite to take our lunches from the cafeteria and make the short walk up to a different garden each day. It helped us maintain at least a toehold on everyday reality, reminding us that time might have stopped for us, but not for others.
