Healing, Hope, and Strawberry Lime Sugar Cookies
On April 3rd, my world cracked open –literally– I broke my pelvis in an accident that left me unable to sit up by myself, let alone stand in the kitchen. I was travelling by myself in Cuba, intending to celebrate the completion of my Bachelor’s degree on a beach. On my third day, the weather was beautiful. By evening, a breeze had come through the resort, the stars were bright, and the air was filled with laughter. I found myself skipping across a small hill in quite the picturesque fashion, ABBA playing on the speakers. In a fraction of a second, I was on the ground staring up at the clear night sky. My hip was radiating pain, and I couldn’t figure out why. I had misstepped and slipped, but my dress remained stain-free, and my body bore no bruises.
Never having broken a bone, I assumed perhaps I had a bad Charley Horse, and on one foot, maneuvered my way back to my room up three flights of stairs with the help of a golf cart and tricep pushdowns on some well-placed handrails. Perhaps an hour or so later, I concluded that my pain was far from normal and called for help. The only ambulance on the island of Cayo Coco arrived three hours later to transport me to the hospital on the mainland. As we made that hour-long journey over the potholed streets, my freshly broken body jumped inches off the stretcher with each crater.
I spent nearly a week in a hospital in Cuba, where the conditions were nothing like home. The power would flicker without warning. Pain medication was unavailable. Only one nurse worked the ward at a time – on 24-hour shifts – and when she couldn’t be everywhere at once, the cooks and cleaners stepped in to help. It was a place where kindness made up for the lack of comfort, and where I discovered the strength of my mind.
After almost a week and several mechanical delays, I was flown home in an air ambulance, barely able to move, uncertain about what recovery would look like. It was dehumanizing and humiliating. I had spent my entire life as an athlete, and a patch of damp grass took me out without so much as a bruise? I prided myself on my independence, and suddenly, I was the ward of a nurse who barely spoke English, unable to do anything for myself.
Eventually, I was flown home in an air ambulance, barely able to move, uncertain about what recovery would look like. Every medical professional I saw said they’d never seen an injury like this in someone my age. A complex fracture at the joint in a healthy 21-year-old was just downright bad luck.
I was told I likely wouldn’t be able to walk by my graduation ceremony, it could be months before I’d stand long enough to bake again. And for a while, I believed that. I was hurting in every sense –physically, mentally, emotionally– and I felt so disconnected from the parts of myself that felt most like “me.” Isolated from my friends, pulled out of the work I was passionate about, and confined to a bed 24 hours a day.
Three weeks after my injury, on April 25, something shifted.
I needed to bake. Not for a party or a post –just for myself. For joy. For healing.
I wasn’t ready to do much, but I had a pouch of Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix in the pantry. Generally, I'm against boxed mixes, but I knew I had to make some concessions. I couldn’t make something ground-breaking, but I could make the mix my own. I had some strawberries in the fridge, and a lime on the counter. An idea was born, and my spark returned.
I leaned into the counter and distributed my weight through my crutches. I breathed through the pain. Every movement felt like a workout; my muscles were exhausted, and my mind was depleted, but my willpower was intact.
That day marked more than just a return to the kitchen –it was the beginning of coming back to myself.
Gelo’s Simple Strawberry Lime Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
1 pouch Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix (17.5 oz)
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
Zest of 1 whole lime (divided)
Juice of ½ lime
⅓ cup fresh strawberries, finely diced and patted dry
¼ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
Step 1: Infuse the dry mix with lime zest
Empty the sugar cookie mix into a bowl. Zest half the lime directly into it, and massage the zest into the dry mix with your fingers for about 30 seconds to release its natural oils and awaken the flavour.
Step 2: Make the lime sugar for rolling
In a small bowl, combine the remaining lime zest with ¼ cup granulated sugar. Rub the zest in until the sugar smells bright and citrusy. Set aside.
Step 3: Mix the dough
Add the softened butter, egg, and lime juice to the cookie mix. Stir until a soft dough forms. Gently fold in the finely diced strawberries.
Step 4: Chill
Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. This helps keep the cookies from spreading and preserves the shape and texture of the strawberries.
Step 5: Roll and Bake
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out 1.5 tbsp-sized balls, roll them in the lime sugar, and space them 2 inches apart on the tray. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are just golden and the centers look set. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
These cookies are soft, citrusy, and dotted with tiny bursts of berry –but more than that, they represent resilience. They reminded me that healing isn’t just something that happens in your bones– it happens in quiet moments, in small victories, and sometimes in the simple act of stirring something sweet.
Thanks for being here. I’m so grateful to be baking again –with joy, with purpose, and with so much gratitude.
With love,
Gelo♡
