The End of Rugby Season

10-17-2006

Last Saturday morning I traveled to Sofia for the Murphy’s Misfits annual Charity Rugby tournament. All donations of the tournament went to the Cedar Foundation an NGO that works out of a town called Kazanluk in central Bulgaria. An Irishman named Mark works with this organization and has done a lot of work with orphanages and other disadvantaged youth including an orphanage for the developmentally disabled kids.
The tournament was a lot of fun and was attended by an assortment of people including local press and even Peace Corps Bulgaria country director Carl, his wife and his son. The day was a complete success; and everyone who participated seemed to have a great time. The weather was perfect and the atmosphere of the tournament was very heartwarming.
Mark set up a small game to include his group of 7 developmentally disabled kids that he had brought to the tournament. It was a lot of fun playing with these kids and watching these kids try and run with the rugby ball. The joy and compassion that Mark has brought to these kids is truly beautiful. These orphans do not have much of a chance in society do to mental and physical disabilities. Simple things such as including these kids in activities, promoting new interests and just showing care and compassion really give these kids a chance for a better life. I admire Mark a lot for all the good he has done in Bulgaria and all the work he has put into local charities such as the Cedar Foundation.
After the tournament my friend Peter and I drove to the nearby town of Pernik to meet with our other rugby team ‘Varna RFC’ for a training session. After we met with the team and checked into our hotel we walked down to the field and began our practice. I was a bit tired from playing rugby all day and did not have my usual amount of energy. I made an effort to save a bit of steam for the following morning when we would play the current league champions ‘Pernik RFC’. Despite my lack of energy the practice went quite well; that is until the last lineout of the practice. This is when disaster struck………..I was lifted up in the air to catch a ball and when I was dropped 4ft back to the ground…..one of the spikes on the inside of my boots go caught on the top of another players boots. This caused my ankle to go sideways and for all of my weight to come crashing down on the side of my ankle pushing it completely sideways and snapping at least 3 ligaments in my ankle. I new right away that my ankle was in bad shape; I felt my ankle turn completely sideways and heard a series of quick pops.
After some bad traffic and some jumping around on one foot; I made it to a Hospital in Sofia. I went directly to a doctor who was referenced to me by the PC medical staff. As I hopped into the room and set my large backpack on the floor the doctor looked me in the eyes and in English said “ be careful with that bag there are a lot of black people around”. At this time I was with my English friend Peter; who then helped me hop down the hall about 100yds to the X-Ray room. When we arrived at the waiting area and sat down I looked at Peter a bit confused and said “ did that doctor say what I thought he did” he looked at me and laughed and said “I think so”.
I am assuming the doctor was referring to all the Roma people that were in the hallways and waiting areas of the hospital. This is the first time I have ever heard them referred to as ‘black people’. Well it just goes to show how prevalent prejudices are in each level of Bulgarian society; even many of the educated Bulgarians have prejudices toward the Roma.
I had my foot x-rayed by a very old machine that must have been made 20-30 years ago, and of course I was not given any type of protective covering……..so if I turn out to be infertile or have mutant children……. I know why. I sent Peter home before my x-ray so the trip back to the examination room after the x-ray was a bit tiring. It turns out hopping on one foot for long distances can be quite a work out. (in the states I would have been given a wheelchair). The doctor told me that the bones were not broken and that I had torn at least 3 ligaments in my ankle. He then proceeded to put a plaster cast on my leg. He placed the plaster directly on the skin which immediately concerned me because I have quite a bit of leg hair. So as you can imagine during the last few days all of my leg hair has slowly been pulled out. The cast has resulted in more pain for me than the initial injury. I personally feel that putting a plaster cast on a sprained ankle is a bit primitive. But I am in Bulgaria so I just have to go with the flow, and take things as they come. On Thursday morning they will take the cast off and give me an MRI; I will then know how serious it is and exactly what ligaments have been torn. After this experience in a Bulgarian hospital I feel quite good and even more justified about my current efforts to improve the hospital in Chirpan. Better supplies and equipment can really make a persons hospital experience much more comfortable. After they put on the wonderful plaster cast they sent me on my way. I then hopped out of the hospital on one foot and managed to take get a cab to my friends Andrea and Boudreaux’s place in Sofia to crash for the night. I did not receive crutches until the following day when I had my appointment with the PC medical staff.
So now I am stuck in my room tapping away at the computer keys dreaming of the day I will be able to play sports again. I am thinking the next few months will be quite challenging without having sports as an outlet for stress and anxiety. My isolation will become amplified and my social options will be limited. But this too will pass, and I am sure I will be up and walking around in no time.
My best PC friend Mitch has decided to resign as a PCV; he will be going home next week. It is always hard when friends leave, this is my 3rd close friend that has left the PC and gone back to the states. Luckily I still have a couple close friends that live nearby, so all is not lost.