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Beatrice’s world upended this past week, her identity stripped from her and any semblance of loyalty in her relationships collapsed. Alienated from her own world, or what she thought was her world,
she now faced a life with no friends, no family, no trust, no purpose, and possible permanent damage to her voice.
Her discharge from the hospital included instructions for taking care of her injury at home. The nurse put her in a wheelchair to take her out of the hospital.
“Wait, I don’t have a ride home,” she wrote on her little notepad, the full weight of her circumstances hitting her. The only call she could make would be for a taxi.
“Your ride is waiting at the curb,” said the nurse.
Puzzled at who it could be, she allowed the nurse to wheel her outside. She could always re
