The Third Time's the Worst!

by Elizabeth Emerald

Last month, at my urging, Karenina posted, word for word, her brilliantly wry and witty off-the-cuff review of one of my stories.

She relates, with trademark touches of dark humor, the dreadful saga of a botched dilation of her pupils, due to a five-fold administration of eye drops by a first-timer ophthalmologist assistant.

Karenina's eyes were messed up for five days, during the course of which she suffered an agonizing headache.

Notwithstanding her suffering, Karenina intervened in behalf of the rookie, who'd been dismissed forthwith for her blunder. She threatened to sue the practice ... unless the woman was reinstated. (She was!)

Less than a month prior, Karenina's husband, Ed, nearly died of sepsis, consequent to a botched colonoscopy that resulted in perforation of his colon. Though Ed survived his ordeal, his recovery process is far from complete.

Which is especially unfortunate given Karenina's recovery process has just begun.

Two weeks ago, Karenina was nearly killed when an uninsured drunk driver crashed into her car; she sustained severe injuries to her face and jaw, requiring 51 stitches.

Karenina suffered a concussion to boot.

As the coup de grâce, several vertebrae were cracked, for which Karenina just underwent surgical implant of metal screws (?)

The surgery was even more involved than anticipated; she messaged me two days thereafter, by proxy of her daughter's hands. Her own pair are out of commission, from which I infer (tentatively) that the vertebrae intervention impacted the nerves.

Astoundingly, Karenina has, with the logistical assistance of her daughter, maintained the impressive volume and stellar quality of reviews.

Karenina is a self-made miracle; notwithstanding which she'll surely welcome the boost of our collective support, as enhanced with prayers from those of faith.

Whoever among you volunteers to write the next chapter of The Book of K (so to speak), get to work!

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