Early Thanksgiving Sunday morning, October 13, 2019, I went down to the dock to enjoy my coffee.  The view across the lake was breathtaking, and I wanted to take pictures to send my daughter, who was away at university.

We had just put in a new dock and the water on Kawagama Lake
gets lowered at this time of year, so our dock ramp was super steep.

Our new ramp is much longer than our old one and I didn’t notice the icy morning dew.

Within seconds of walking down the ramp, I slid down! My foot lodged in the space between the ramp and dock, and my body kept going,
dislocating my foot, breaking my leg and shattering my ankle!

I was alone on the dock and could hear James Taylor, our typical Sunday morning cottage music, playing in the distance. I cried and yelled for help!

It was bad and being a water access cottage didn’t help the
matter.

My husband, Paul, tried to get me on the boat but I couldn’t be touched as the pain was unbearable.  I was freaking out seeing my foot just dangling there!

We called 911 and waited.

Soon, some amazing volunteers arrived by boat and strapped me to the stretcher. They carefully lowered me into the boat and off we slowly went to the marina, where an ambulance was waiting.

I was greeted at Mountain Trout House Marina by some wonderful paramedics! Between them and the volunteers that came over to get me, I had never been carried by so many people before!

The paramedics were a dream. We actually had a great conversation in the back of the ambulance as they tried to distract me.  That was
after they put my leg into a splint. Again, internally I was freaking out.  I knew it was bad.

This wouldn’t be my first time at Huntsville Hospital as an emergency patient.  Five years earlier, I had a waterskiing accident and snapped my hamstring! 

I was in the same room as the last time.

The nurse and the ER Doctor were amazing! They had a way to make me feel like I was the only person there.  We connected.

I was medicated for the pain, but my anxiety got the best of me that day and I requested to not be put under as they reset my leg.

Following the reset, they put a cast on my leg and took more x-rays.  Even going through the x-rays was tough as they were positioning my ankle to get all the right angles.  I was exhausted, but could tell that something wasn’t quite right.  I could feel all the bones touching.

The ER Doctor came in and let me know that he wasn’t happy with
the reset and wanted to do it again.  He knew that I wasn’t up for it but said he would feel much better if we did it again. So, I said yes but requested to be put out this time. I am sure he was happy about that as well! Cast off, a second reset and another cast was placed. 

Flash forward 5 weeks after the surgery that I had in Burlington, where a plate, many screws and 28 staples were used to hold together my ankle and leg.  Surprising all of us, my Burlington surgeon told me that due to how well my bones were healing and aligning, I didn’t need to see him again.  I needed to continue with regular physiotherapy
and stay in the boot, use a walker, etc.

My physiotherapists were really surprised too!  Surprised that I was done seeing the surgeon after only 5 weeks. They asked me at each visit if I was sure, that it would typically be a few more weeks of follow-up with the surgeon. 

I credit this to the Hunstville Hospital ER Doctor, who I have just recently found out his name,  Dr. John Simpson.  He set me up for success! The lovely nurse has since moved out west.  Dr. Simpson could have taken the easy path and left me as is, knowing that I was going to be having surgery anyway in Burlington. But he went above and beyond and treated me like the individual that I am rather than just another patient. He truly cared, and because of that, I feel my recovery was a success. 

I was homebound for quite a few months recovering, and then
Covid hit! We have since moved up from Burlington to Kawagama Lake, just across from our cottage, and have been loving living up here full-time!

I knew back then that I wanted to do something for Hunstville Hospital, and help give back to a hospital that we all need or will
need at some point, which is where The KawagaMonster Lakefest comes in!

Last summer, my brother-in-law’s band played on a barge on one
of their bandmate's lake, to raise money.  They are a pretty cool band and play good ole classic rock! I want to bring them to our lake and help raise money!

Please join us on Saturday, July 23 in front of our cottage.  We are next to Moorelands Camp (facing west) in Golden Bay! The band will be on the barge in the beautiful bay and will play two sets: 12 -2pm and 6:30 – 8:30pm.

We have a special guest who will sing with the band! You know our resident rock star Vanessa Slack, from Mountain Trout House Marina!

I would love to raise money for the Hunstville Hospital Foundation.  We have needed the hospital MANY times over the last 21 years, since we have been up, as I am sure many of you as well!

Their billboard in Hunstville says it all, “We’ve been there
for you, now it is time for you to be here for us. Please Donate.”

The Huntsville Hospital Foundation raises funds to acquire technology and equipment not covered by the government and taxes. Our goal is also to inspire both full time and seasonal residents in the effort.  The $5M Focus on Imaging Campaign, will upgrade Huntsville’s diagnostics technology today and that improves treatment and speeds recovery for all patients. Every gift you generously give ensures the hospital care you need when you need it is within minutes of where you are. The full and part-time residents of Huntsville and surrounding area have joined together to make our community hospital one of the best in Ontario. Please keep giving to ensure that always remains the case.

Thank you!

Kathleen Bokrossy