Nighteen Eighty

Back in 1980 I had a fairly severe hand injury and had to go to Philadelphia to a hospital that had a special department to repair and rebuild badly injured hands. The first immediate temporary fix was here, done by a local surgeon who used needles and tape to hold my hand together overnight.  Then dear friends Dean and Sally, who had never even traveled to a big city, took me under their wing and drove me to Philadelphia the very next day and waited during my first examination. It was then determined that I needed surgery and also rehabilitation. Back home we went.

Soon after, the next time I went, lake friends Willie and Dick, who had a place here and who also lived in an area of NJ not far from the hospital, took me home with them and helped me get to the appointment for surgery. They also drove me back when they came to their place at the lake a few days later. What wonderful friends!

For several months after that, I was driven to the Greyhound bus station near Binghamton, NY and then I traveled for many hours to Philadelphia near the hand center. I had my rehabilitation every couple of weeks for several months. After each appointment, I took the bus back to Binghamton and was picked up by someone after arrival to return home.

The Philadelphia Hand Center at Jefferson University Hospital is now called the Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder Center. I will say that when I went there, with my injury, I felt ashamed and embarrassed because I saw so many hand injuries that were horrible and much worse than mine. It was a shocking experience. 

One thing I remember especially was that my hosts were always going to the Wawa. I still chuckle to even say it, as we don't have any Wawas near here!  Of course I now know that "Wawa means "land of the big goose" in a language that is not English. They say the Canada Goose makes a honking sound that is similar to wawa. I also read that there were geese on land in a rural section of Pennsylvania called Wawa. Well there is so much history and so many stories about the word that I have not a clue as to which is correct. Oh well, it doesn't matter - really. I just think "going to the Wawa" is a VERY funny phrase.

Nineteen eighty was a difficult year and it was also a good year. My first daughter was married in November and my hand was pretty well healed.