Head on

It is with gratitude and respect that I write this letter to you.

In July of 1984 I was hit, head on, by a drunk driver. Luckily, I was taken to the Trauma Center at Yale-New Haven where very capable doctors treated me, the lead orthopedist being Dr. Ronald Lindsey. The doctors and nurses tended to my broken legs, broken hip and facial lacerations, and I was sent to surgery.

I spent a month at Yale-New Haven. I always felt that the nurses really cared about my wellbeing. When there was nothing more that could be done, I was sent home with instructions on how to recuperate. Plans were made to have a hospital bed installed in my house and physical therapists to visit me there. I was later sent back to Yale-New Haven to learn to walk again. My physical therapist, Meg Pechar, was incredibly supportive and helped me gain control of my legs in record time.

I still keep in touch with Dr. Lindsey and will always be thankful to the Yale-New Haven staff for all the wonderful care I was given. I have gone into the field of public health communication so that I can help people in a similar way. (I have a Master of Public Health degree from Yale University.) In trying to give back to Yale-New Haven, I encouraged my husband, Bobby King, to become a winter driver. Last year proved to be a stormy year and Bobby was able to drive many doctors and nurses to the hospital.

Thank you for providing our community with a world class hospital.

Linda Bergonzi King, MPH
Guilford, Conn.