Forward from mart
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----- Original Message -----
From: Carlos Rovira [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Saturday, October 23, 2004 12:33 AM
Subject: [VSCampaign] Fidel Castro's Letter
About His Accident
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 19:59:49 -0400 (EDT)
[Fidel Castro's letter about his accident, translated
by Joe Bryak, who comments that it's "vintage Fidel.".
-NY Transfer]
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Letter from Fidel Castro -
October 21, 2004
Translated by Joe Bryak
Dear compatriotas,
Yesterday, 20 October, on finishing my
speech in the Santa Clara event, I was
hurt in an accidental fall. Some news
agencies and other media that transmit
news divulged various versions of the
causes of the accident. As the
protagonist and affected witness, I can
explain with total precision the causes
for what happened.
I had finished my speech to the graduating
art instruction students around 10 at night.
Several companeros from the Party and
government climbed to the reviewing stand
to greet us. Among them was Elian, as is
customary in some ceremonies.
We were there several minutes and as soon
as we climbed down to meet again, using
the same little wooden stairway that we
used to climb to the stand, rapidly due
to the red gravel pavement, and intending
to sit down in the same chair that was
assigned to me before my turn on the stand
had arrived, and I walked on the gravel,
at the same time waving from time to time
to the enthusiastic instructors and the
more than 25,000 neighbors from the
province of Villa Clara invited to the
ceremony.
When I got to the concrete area, some
15 or 20 meters from the first row of
chairs, I didn't notice there was a
relatively high sidewalk between the
pavement and the crowd. My left foot
stepped on a gap, due to the difference
in height with relation to the area
where the participants were in their
respective chairs. The motion and the
law of gravity, discovered some time
ago by Newton, were such that when I
made that false step I lunged forward
until falling, in a fraction of a second,
on the pavement. Through pure instinct,
my arms went forward to cushion the blow;
otherwise my face and head would have
strongly crashed against the ground.
It wasn't anybody's fault. The
responsibility was totally mine. It
seems that the emotion of that day full
of creations and symbolismsexplains my
carelessness.
What happened in the following minutes
is well known. My greatest pain in that
moment was the idea of the suffering of
that throng of young graduates and of
the Villa Clarans invited to that so
beautiful and emotional ceremony.
I could scarcely move. After many obstacles,
in the midst of that consternation, I could
be taken to the rear of the automobile in
which I traveled and not to the jeep which I
asked for. None came there. We headed for
the house which had been assigned to me to
make a quick check of the damage caused by
the fall; it turned out that there was little that
could be done there.
An ambulance came; we decided to use it to
take me to the capital. It was obvious that
the pain and symptoms indicated a deep
analysis was necessary and possible
immediate surgical intervention. They took
me in a stretcher in the ambulance to the
capital.
I am not going to omit that, together with
several very competent doctors and several
companeros, like Carlitos and others, squeezed
in that ambulance, in spite of some potholes, it
was comfortable and pleasant. Some painkillers
had been administered, and after a fashion they
eased the strong pains for the patient.
We went to work on the road. We called our
office and different companeros to get them
to gather information on international
reaction, and to communicate exactly what
had happened. Instructions were given,
technical means and medical specialists were
mobilized to deal with the necessary
procedures that could be employed according
to the various possible types of damage.
Even President Hugo Chavez called as soon
as he received the news. He conversed with
Felipe and asked to talk with me, which was
possible thanks to the wireless
communications [cell phone] and in spite of
the difficulties of this type (of
equipment): they are difficult and frequently
break off due to technical reasons.
I could converse the same way with the
instructor companeros meeting in Santa Clara.
I strongly urged them to not suspend the
fiesta that was organized to take place after
the ceremony. Using a cellphone placed against
the microphone where the meeting took place,
I spoke directly to them and transmitted the
message.
We left Santa Clara around eleven at night.
We arrived at the Palace of the Revolution.
Taken in a stretcher and on several
companeros' shoulders, I was immediately
taken to the small hospital installation
there, with a minimum of equipment necessary
to attend to emergency cases. Right away,
clinical exams, X-rays, blood tests and other
tests. It could be seen that the most
important complications were in the left knee
and in the upper right arm, where the humerus
showed a fissure [hairline fracture]. The
kneecap was fragmented into 8 pieces. I could
observe each one of the images and the exams.
By common agreement, between the specialists
and the patient, we decided to proceed
immediately to the knee operation, and to
immobilize the right arm with a simple sling.
The procedure around the operation lasted
three hours, fifteen minutes. The orthopedic
surgeons set to reuniting and setting each
one of the fragments in their proper places
and, like weavers, to proceed to solidly
unite them, sewing them with fine stainless
steel thread. A work for jewelers.
The patient asked the doctors to not apply
any sedative, and they used rachidean
[spinal] anesthesia. Spinal anesthesia
totally deadens the lower part of the the
body and leaves the rest of the body
intact. I explained to them that given the
circumstances it was necessary to avoid
general anesthesia to be in condition to
attend to numerous important affairs.
Therefore, during the time mentioned that
the procedure lasted I maintained contact
with my secretary, also in the vicinity of
the operating room and dressed in surgeon's
smock. Thus, all along, I continued receiving
information and giving instructions on
managing the situation created by the
unforeseen accident.
Once the surgical part was finished, the
left leg was put in a cast, and at that
same time the right arm was immobilized.
Really, compatriotas, this has been an
unforgettable experience. The specialists
and the patient analyzed and perfectly
coordinated what needed to be done in the
concrete circumstances in which the
country is living, and without losing a
single minute.
>From the very instant of the fall I have
not stopped attending to the most important
tasks that are my responsibility, in
coordination with all the other companeros.
I wanted to give you this news tonight.
I am healing well and I will not stop
communicating with you. I give you my
deepest thanks for the expressions of
affection and solidarity which I have
received from you at this time.
Each Cuban revolutionary knows what
is to be done at all times. Let's do
it!
I beg your forgiveness for such a
long message.
Fidel Castro
October 21 2004, 7:35 pm
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Carlos Rovira - "Carlito"
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