current events, nonfiction, , , 18 Comments

I knew from the moment she walked in the house that something was wrong. Our Ukraine roommate is usually sunny and eager to greet us when she comes home. But on this occasion, she turned her head away so I could not see what she was hiding.

“It wasn’t my fault”, she responded when I asked her if everything was okay. I could see then the bluish purple bump forming at her right temple. A car had hit the rear wheel of her bicycle as she was crossing an intersection, sending her flying into the road.

I called Ric in to take a look and we both agreed she needed to go to emergency.

“I’m fine,” she protested. “A little ice is all I need.”

We didn’t settle for that and at the hospital the doctor concurred explaining that they needed to rule out a concussion or brain bleed. In the end, she just needed ice, but the experience was a learning one for all of us.

What was revealed was a lack of understanding of our health care system and police services. Lesia didn’t want to go to the hospital because she was afraid the police would haul her away for being involved in an accident. She didn’t want to report the incident because she was afraid for the aged driver that she too would be hauled away.

I reassured her as much as I could and then I had to explain that the hospital services and tests were covered by our health care -another of her worries.

The incident made me think of all the immigrants, persecuted in the news, and overlooked by politicians, and the fears that must plague them everyday in adjusting to a new country. Bad enough they’ve left war, as in the case of Ukrainians and many others, but now they live with unspoken anxiety over the unknowns in their country of refuge.

Kindness, patience, and willingness to educate are the best gifts we can offer newcomers. You never know what misunderstandings they may be harbouring.

(Art my own)

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Permission to write, paint, and imagine are the gifts I gave myself when chronic illness hit - a fair exchange: being for doing. Relevance is an attitude. Humour essential.

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  3. So glad it didn’t turn out worse. It must be so hard for her and others in her circumstances to figure all these things out. So different from what they’re used to or what they expect. How good of you to be there to patiently explain and provide support.

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  5. Provocative read – loving conclusion for all involved. Very little of what I grew up taking for granted is currently stable (including healthcare this side of the US-Canada border) so I totally get reluctance to complain (thinking make matters worse). Hats off to you for your help with Ukraine refugees.

    Beautiful sunflowers!

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  6. I am happy she is okay. I believe many immigrants who come here with understandable anxiety, have it slowly lessen when they realize they are in a safe place and in the case of your roommate, she is fortunate to be staying with you.

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  7. Thanks for sharing this story, VJ. We all need to learn more about the perspective of other people especially immigrants. We take so much Canadian cultural knowledge for granted. And I love your art.

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