I am sure everyone will remember this past December vividly for many years to come. We’ve had snow, ice, rain, high temperatures, low temperatures — a little bit of everything. Our Allensville news correspondent, Lauretta Borgman, will probably remember it very vividly for the rest of her life.
Last Thursday, December 30th, I received a call from my sister, Ruth Lohide, informing me that Lauretta Borgman, our correspondent of almost 60 years (59 years and nine months to be exact) had fallen on the icy concrete of her driveway and was in Dearborn County Hospital in Lawrenceburg with a broken hip.
My immediate reaction was “what happened?”
On Wednesday, December 29th, the temperatures had risen a little and Lauretta thought she could remove some of the snow and ice from her driveway, enough to make a path to get to someone’s car, in case she needed to go somewhere.
I spoke to Lauretta from her hospital bed by phone Tuesday afternoon and she said she really didn’t intend to go out and clear her driveway. She thought if she could remove a little snow and ice that was loosened she would have a path that would then dry in case she needed to get out. She hadn’t been working long until somehow she found herself on the ground.
She then got herself to her car and found a heavy towel to use as a blanket. She sat on the driveway until her niece, Ramona Miller, returned and found her — about two hours later. Lauretta had no idea she had any broken bones at the time but she said she has fallen out of bed twice in the hospital. I told her I was surprised she didn’t get pneumonia from laying on the ground that long. She told me she did not lay on the ground — she sat up.
Needless to say she said she had about all she could take by Tuesday afternoon. She said her hip was really sore and she intends to do everything that is asked of her so she can get home soon — probably in about a week.
Meanwhile on the home front the people of the Allensville community have rallied — and readers will notice that the Allensville news is in this week’s edition of this paper as usual. Several people have dropped off news for Lauretta’s column this week and we are positive they will continue to do so for the duration of Lauretta’s recuperation.
Drop her a card or letter and let her know you are thinking of her. She loves getting mail, sick or well, and will appreciate it. Send to:
Lauretta Borgman, 60 Allensville Road, Bennington, Indiana 47011; or in care of Dearborn County Hospital, 600 Wilson Creek Road, Lawrenceburg, Indiana 47025.
Get well soon, Lauretta. We miss your words of wisdom every Tuesday morning here at the newspaper office. We’re also sure the residents of Swiss Villa miss your piano playing for their weekly sing along.