A colleague at work swears bllind that Dr Kerry sustained her limp/injury in a skiing accident.

Now the FAQ states that the injury has never been implicitly stated.

Does anyone know the episode that may have mentioned this skiing accident (an early episode my colleague just tells me), whether it was mentioned in relation to something else or actually is the cause of her injury.

Any help greatly appreciated.

trev.

-- Trevor Gensch (trevorgensch@one.net.au), May 18, 2000

Answers

I think your colleague is "pulling your leg". It's been in the media here recently that the writers are trying to think up a way to explain Dr. Weaver's crutch and work it in next season. She was originally signed on for 6 episodes and TPTB thought that it would make her character more interesting. However, poor Laura Innes is now stuck with the limp and crutch as long as she remains on the show.

-- Chava (ChavaW68@aol.com), May 18, 2000.

in answer to your question about kerry, i thought that i had heard in a early episode,something about her having polio as a child?

-- patty biegner (pbny@aol.com), May 18, 2000.

When Rosie O'Donnell had the cast of ER on her show a couple months ago, she asked Laura Innes about that, and she said the producers have never really given a reason for her limp and cane. She said she had made up her own story for Kerry, that Kerry's parents were missionaries in a foreign country and Kerry never got her polio vaccine and she got polio. (this was the episode where Rosie went to the studios in Los Angeles.)

-- Melanie (msintn@hotmail.com), May 18, 2000.

Okay, this is for die hard watchers, but do you remember the episode where someone, perhaps Jerry, found a manuscript for a romance novel in the lounge, and it mildly echoed some of the co-workers lives in the ER? Wasn't there some speculation in there about how the Kerry type character had sustained her injury? If I remember correctly when it came down to it nobody knew who wrote it, but both Carol and Kerry were suspected.

-- kristi (kristijohnsonSD@aol.com), May 19, 2000.

I remember the epi, Kristi, but not the specifics. It was hilarious though. I don't think they've EVER said the real reason for her disability. In fact, Dr. Dave was trying to find out recently, just before the stabbings. I think I've read that Laura Innes and TPTB have a reason chosen but won't reveal it until the time is right (whatever that means).

-- Diana (dilynne@juno.com), May 19, 2000.

As others have mentioned, the show's writers/producers have kept the injury a mystery but Laura Innes says they came up with a reason. Whatever the reason, the writers have -strongly- hinted that the problem has been around since her childhood (remember her distress at the possibility that the parents may have abandoned that kid with the neural shunt because of his medical problem in last season's finale?)

In the "staff romance novel" episode, the main reference to Kerry is to the "alpha-bitch attending who goes to a witch doctor to cure her limp". They didn't say the cause.

-- Lynn (lynn@wordsmyth.org), May 19, 2000.

I thought the implication was that the crazy Dr. Lee wrote the romance script.

-- Chava (ChavaW68@aol.com), May 19, 2000.

The crazy romance novel was in Season 3. Amanda Lee wasn't around till Season 6. The show never came out and said who wrote it (though they strongly hinted during that episode) but check out this section of the ER FAQ for the answer. Who wrote the famous "book" about the ER staff?

-- lynn (lynn@wordsmyth.org), May 20, 2000.

OK, Kerry is my absolute favorite character, and I ry to know everything possible about her. The reason for her limp has NEVER been mentioned. TRUST ME!!! In the book, the Kerry-Like character was said to "Have lived on her father's game reserve in Africa where Zulu tribesman tried sorcery to heal her shrivvled leg" (Carol read this to Jerry and several nurses at the desk at the beginning of Random Acts) and later when asked by Carol what she thought of the book she said she'd gotten past the part where"The alpha-bitch attending goes to a faith healer to cure her limp." Since Kerry most definitely wrote the book (Chek the FAQ if you dont believe me)this cuold be something close. We know for sure she worked in Africa because in Season 2 (A Miracle Happens Here) an African man named Mlunguisi visited her when asked how she knew him, she replied (with a fake African accent) "I had a farm in Africa" Later, in Season 4, (Obstruction Of Justice) she told Doug after he had given what she assumed was a drug addict a high dose of pain medication "People live in pain- They suck it up and get past it." She was later seen limping painfully down the street at night. he also told Anna Del Amico (Shades Of Gray) "I did some over-seas work in Africa..." In season 6 Dave got curious and started asking everyone (except Kerry) what was wrong with her leg, and nobody knew. Eventually she foun uot what he was up to and he denied asking. She told him if he ever wanted to know, he should "just ask." He dicided it was none of his bisiness, ahe agreed and that was the end of it. That is absolutely everything we know. (Although she has been known, on occasion, to hit unruly patients with her cane) ~Teddy~

-- Teddy (richarr@earthlink.net), June 16, 2001.

Sorry for the spelling mistakes; I typed really fast and didn't proof- read. (I really can spell)

-- Teddy (richarr@earthlink.net), June 16, 2001.