Do you know this ad: Red Bull will give you wings? This energy drink is supposed to pump you up with lots of energy. You should be flying around Superman-style after drinking it. I dare to say that God makes a lot more efficient Red Bulls for us. They are special because the main ingredient in them are people with hearts of flesh.
Let me tell you a story.
Doctor Gabriel meant a great deal of mental support to me during my stay at the hospital. They didn´t plaster my legs with a gypsum because of an injured hip joint. Every movement of the legs was very painful, especially when they had to move me or give me a leg extension so that I held my knees apart during the day. Iron weighs provided the extension. I had them pinned to my legs hanging off the bed. On the third day after the surgery my doctor arranged a bed exchange for me. They transferred me with caution from the classic hospital bed to a bed with gallows. Their aim was to strengthen my arms and make my mom´s efforts to care of me easier. The gallows however were unexpectedly annoyingly wobbly. I had no desire to fight its instability. I only did it in the presence of the doctor, and only after a number of slightly provocative challenging:
„Show us if you can tame the gallows above you and lift yourself up a bit! I think it is not about your unwillingness but your unability to do it! You’re not as much of a fighter,as I thought, “ he taunted me.
„I am! But that nasty thing above me keeps rocking as a mad man, “ I snapped angrily pointing my finger upwards to mockingly idle gallows.
„You have to make her listen to you,“ said Dr. Gabriel with a smile on his face. Despite my efforts I did not succeed in taming on my own.
When Gabriel gained more of my trust, he came up with another workout for me. He used to come to my room during his breaks, holding some sheets of paper in his hands. He sat down in the chair beside my bed.
„I will make something for you if you want.“, he said with a friendly wink. I nodded in agreement. A few minutes later two nice paper planes were created by his hands, made with a special task. When he told me what that task was, I frowned.
„That is difficult for my hand! As a doctor you should know it and not give me such a task!“ An increase in my voice was notable.
„Maybe you’re wrong. Try it! “ he called me and gave me one paper plane. I took it with great reluctance. I arranged it in my left hand. At the command of three, two, one, start … we both sent our planes forward. While Gabriel’s plane swirled nicely in the air, mine fell straight to the ground. Looking at the spectacular fall of my plane we both burst out into laughing. This training pastime did not last long, though.
My medical friend has nevertheless persisted. Soon he came up with something was a little bit easier and more fun for me. He made a cotton ball that I threw at him when he told me to do so. It often happened that I missed the target. But when I hit him we both enjoyed it spontaneously.
In addition to Gabriel, Ivana, a psychologist, provided me with the support I needed in these difficult times. To diversify my days spent at the orthopedic department, she lent me her own portable TV. They both were as an energy drink to me. Thanks to God, these two of his servants remained in contact with me through uplifting postcards and letters of encouragement when I went to another medical stay in Luže. The greetings, besides other things, included the following encouraging words:
„God gave you a very nice and sincere smile. Try to give it away as a gift of good mood. It will also serve as a weapon against the haters. Yours, Ivana. „
From a letter from Gabriel:
„Danka, God left you a part of the brain fully functional. Learn to use it to the fullest. Learn to write on a typewriter, even with just one finger. I’ll take you for my secretary … „
I did not become his secretary. I did learn to write with one finger, on the other hand. Not only on a typewrite but also on computer. I started to write and thus I came to you.
