A Fair Choice

htly older meets us there and helps me get into the wheelchair he’s pushing. Once I settle in and perch my purse on my lap, Michael reaches for the

returns to the Emergency department after parking his car. There’s only one other person in line waiting to speak to the triage nurse

health car

the health card from my w

for your v

hile I was skati

t or

ig

u rate the pain? Ten being the mos

,” I

und my arm and places an oximeter onto my fin

is up; do you fee

, I

for that once the doctor sees

t I’m aw

side of Nigeria in the

ever?”

seat, we’ll call you when

ank

losely together, his bolted down seat next to my wheelchair. Everyone who isn’t looking at a phone is staring

Where

school, I see your ca

: Ca

Anna, I’m n

A:

“Are we allowed to use our phones here?” “I think so, I guess we ca

lassroom so I wouldn

spital. Hurt my leg on

come your

hael took me

sketball

ELLA

How did you

on me in devotion. He carried me

How co

LA: yo

: I

nt me to come t

’s ok, I’m i

s! Do your p

A: Text

you after school. J

LLA:

h Michael, I want you to

t into me! He’s just ha

ught you to

him out of clas

curtained cubicle, “A nurse practitioner will be in here to see you shortly.” The nurse goes back to her post leaving me alone with Michael who assists me to get from the wheelchair to the stretcher. I play level 137 of Candy Crush while Michael co

knee-high boots with a stethoscope hanging around her neck comes into the cu

ella

u in today Isab

rning on a jump while

ig

or landing when you

were twisted as you land

t of the bed, “I’m going to do some range of motion exercises with you. Tell me if any of them cause pain.

of her plan, “I’m going to send you for x-rays to look for a fracture. If t

do it while we’re here?” Rose s

ing, “M.R.I’s have long wait lists. It can take several weeks. The hospital will send

g to my mother? If I tell

” She

ility to make my own decisions regarding my skating career, which is a bitter pill to swallow. It strikes me that I may miss the final competition before Worlds which I’ve worked so hard to qualify for. Tears start building in the cor

pushing a wheelchair. Surprised to find me crying he says

I say avoidin

urning to Michael. The curtain pulls back for a final time, it’s the nurse practitioner. A blast of nerves hits me when I see her smile at me hesitantly, “Isabella, I hav

and refer you to a well-known sports doctor who deals with these kinds of injuries all the time. You need to use crutches until we have your M.R.I results so you do

ext

e. Not allowed to sk

u getting home? Do you

o, Michael

ho’s M

LA: A

while you are Skating!

: I’m no

For

my phone off while Michael es