Suddenly I found myself sprawled on the footpath in Lygon Street, having caught my foot on the lip as I stepped from the road to the footpath. While I’d managed to put out my hands to save falling on to my face, I was stunned and grateful to be with my friend John, who helped me to get up. We were heading to Tiamo’s for coffee. It was Sunday night and I’d called into to drag him away from his computer for a coffee en route to my home in Ballarat after spending the weekend with my mother.
‘I’ll be fine’ I exclaimed as we walked down the hill towards the coffee precinct near the University. We always enjoyed catching up – both teachers who had studied Economics and Social Work, there was always lots to talk about. Distracted for a while, it gradually dawned on me that my left wrist was feeling rather tight and stiff, indeed rather painful! Thinking it might be a sprain. and ever independent, I insisted ‘I’m fine’, that I could drive back to Ballarat.
Heading towards the Freeway, I rested my left arm on a pillow on my lap. It hurt to use the gear lever when this was needed, but fortunately my car was automatic. As I neared Ballarat I became increasingly aware that something was almost certainly badly wrong with my wrist!
What to do next? I needed medical help. I knew no-one in Ballarat to ask for help at that hour on a Sunday night, however fortunately my house in Eyre Street wasn’t far from Ballarat Base Hospital. Carefully guarding my arm, I parked and unpacked the car, grabbing a few things to take with me to the hospital in case I was admitted. I can’t remember much about walking to the hospital’s Emergency Department, but remember having my wrist X-Rayed and being told I had a complex fracture which would need to be re-set under anaesthetic.
While recovering in hospital I wondered whether I should continue to live so far from my family. My life had become logistically complex. My mother, who lived in East Malvern, increasingly needed my support; my sister and her husband were largely living in Benalla where they had become partners in our Uncle’s farm. If we did have family gatherings they were in Benalla, never in Ballarat.
“Perhaps I should move to Benalla”, I thought.
My uncle had always wanted me to work in Benalla as a teacher when I began teaching, but I had resisted. Perhaps now was the time. I was between jobs anyway and needed to look for work, as I’d resigned from my social work position with the Ballarat Community Heath Centre .
Reading the The Age Careers section the following Saturday, my focus changed from looking for work in the Ballarat area to Benalla, Wangaratta and Shepparton. A Social Work position was advertised with Centrelink in Wangaratta! So began the process of writing application letters, getting referees, driving to Wangaratta for the interview and then not long after, accepting the offer of the position and arranging the move to Benalla.
I’ve lived in Benalla now for just over 20 years . A year at Centrelink was followed by some consultancy work then 13 years teaching at GOTAFE – and I’m now enjoying my 8th year of retirement.
All because - ‘I Broke It’!
Bev Lee
March 25 2019
‘I’ll be fine’ I exclaimed as we walked down the hill towards the coffee precinct near the University. We always enjoyed catching up – both teachers who had studied Economics and Social Work, there was always lots to talk about. Distracted for a while, it gradually dawned on me that my left wrist was feeling rather tight and stiff, indeed rather painful! Thinking it might be a sprain. and ever independent, I insisted ‘I’m fine’, that I could drive back to Ballarat.
Heading towards the Freeway, I rested my left arm on a pillow on my lap. It hurt to use the gear lever when this was needed, but fortunately my car was automatic. As I neared Ballarat I became increasingly aware that something was almost certainly badly wrong with my wrist!
What to do next? I needed medical help. I knew no-one in Ballarat to ask for help at that hour on a Sunday night, however fortunately my house in Eyre Street wasn’t far from Ballarat Base Hospital. Carefully guarding my arm, I parked and unpacked the car, grabbing a few things to take with me to the hospital in case I was admitted. I can’t remember much about walking to the hospital’s Emergency Department, but remember having my wrist X-Rayed and being told I had a complex fracture which would need to be re-set under anaesthetic.
While recovering in hospital I wondered whether I should continue to live so far from my family. My life had become logistically complex. My mother, who lived in East Malvern, increasingly needed my support; my sister and her husband were largely living in Benalla where they had become partners in our Uncle’s farm. If we did have family gatherings they were in Benalla, never in Ballarat.
“Perhaps I should move to Benalla”, I thought.
My uncle had always wanted me to work in Benalla as a teacher when I began teaching, but I had resisted. Perhaps now was the time. I was between jobs anyway and needed to look for work, as I’d resigned from my social work position with the Ballarat Community Heath Centre .
Reading the The Age Careers section the following Saturday, my focus changed from looking for work in the Ballarat area to Benalla, Wangaratta and Shepparton. A Social Work position was advertised with Centrelink in Wangaratta! So began the process of writing application letters, getting referees, driving to Wangaratta for the interview and then not long after, accepting the offer of the position and arranging the move to Benalla.
I’ve lived in Benalla now for just over 20 years . A year at Centrelink was followed by some consultancy work then 13 years teaching at GOTAFE – and I’m now enjoying my 8th year of retirement.
All because - ‘I Broke It’!
Bev Lee
March 25 2019
