Love in the Time of Insult and Injury
And just like that, I met Insult and Injury.
After a seven-week quarantine, my husband and I were eager to spend an evening among friends, now that Santa Barbara had entered Phase Two of our city’s COVID guidelines. What I didn’t expect was that a foolish attempt to social distance by climbing a tree would result in an incident that brought me unexpectedly closer to our benevolent community. And so it was that three couples, an al fresco dinner, and an avocado tree became unwitting participants in a scene that culminated with a six-foot fall and nine first responders.
Meet Injury.
Yesterday, an Instagram post, loving comments, and needless one-handed editing by a relentless perfectionist (yours truly) led to an accidental post deletion.
Meet Insult.
Santa Barbara’s Phase Two reopening and the unveiling of Designs by Alina’s Belgian linen masks to benefit Direct Relief occurred in perfect syncopation. I was so excited by the positive feedback and flurry of orders that only my children’s upcoming drive-through graduation ceremony stood a chance of staking its claim to the last vacant corner of my preoccupied mind.
I was admitted to the operating room for emergency surgery immediately following that fateful Friday night fall and Covid-19 test—the results of which bought me two nights and two days in our city’s new Cottage Hospital. Kind and experienced nurses, technicians, and doctors peppered the hallways of the noticeably vacant hospital. But when Covid-19 unleashed its wrath, a new protocol prohibiting visitors was left in its wake, giving birth to the type of collateral damage that makes for a lonely hospital stay.
Yesterday, I entered my own Phase Two, returning to another O.R., where a skillful hand surgeon with the demeanor of a saint tackled the reconstruction of my left wrist. Although I will need a third surgery down the road, I continue to count my blessings—not least the care I received from the superb staff at Cottage and the love from family and friends near and far.
Despite the pain, long-term consequences, and severity of the injury, I often found myself yearning to salvage the Direct Relief mask project I had come to view as the embodiment of beauty, safety, and charity in uncertain times. Not only is my beloved community ensuring the project stays alive, but I’ve been humbled by acts of kindness—fabric donations and able hands offering support.
Because of this outpouring, we’ve increased our Direct Relief commitment from 50% to 100% of net proceeds.
As I imagine the long road to recovery, I feel empowered by the nurturing gestures of both my real and virtual communities. I hope you, too, feel galvanized by benevolence as we take on Covid-19 together.
To learn more about our Direct Relief cause and Belgian linen masks, please visit our Belgian Linen Mask page.
Thank you, Santa Barbara and virtual global village, for your kind words, flowers, dinners, acts of kindness, and love.
xoxo, Alina