Was Work.....Work....Work (get better work) I am very appreciative at my length of stay. Doesn’t mean that I didn’t want to pack it in and go home. The reason a lengthier stay was in my favour...a longer stay meant more intense therapy and better recovery. I was in bad shape and things were NOT progressing as fast as I wanted them to. I have never been a very patient person.
I will never forget the day when I hoisted myself up to standing position from the wheel chair and I could feel that my balance was better than the day before. It wasn’t a huge improvement but considering I didn’t have any the day before a little was better than none at all. This meant I was going to get better...how much is yet to be seen.
It was soon after that I decided I should transfer myself from the bed to the wheelchair to go to the washroom. My first attempt was a complete flop. More like crash. It was evening and when I was watching TV, I had to go pee. Instead of calling the nurse I decided to do it myself. When Mike had dropped me off that night he had reluctantly left the wheelchair beside the bed within reach so I could attempt this myself. I used the bedrails to help but they weren’t enough support. I fell face first and hit my eye on the corner of the dresser. I still have a small scar. I was a little shook up and I laid on the floor for a second but my initial reaction was and is if you fall you get right back up. My left leg was shaking but I still managed to pull myself up and onto the wheelchair. I wheeled myself to the washroom. After all that was the objective. That is when I saw all the blood running down my face onto my PJ top. I washed the blood off my face went pee and got myself back into bed. I then called the nurse to tell her what happened. There was talk of stitches but they never materialized. If it weren’t for the blood I probably would have continued to ‘transfer myself’
Parkwood was my home away from home since I spent so much time there but it wasn’t one I REALLY wanted to be at but many milestones in my recovery happened there. I was able to eat again. My balance started to return. I was able to do things that I couldn’t before. I did a lot of thinking and self discovery.
Something that is very memorable happened along the way but I finally realized it since a kind aunt put it in words on paper. She wrote something like you’ll do it because you are determined. I had never thought of myself of determined but when it comes to something we want are we all not. Apparently not, but people give up on themselves all the time. Prior to the stroke I was a quitter. That was certainly the easiest way of dealing with the unpleasant. This time it has never occurred to me to stop. Why stop? Let me tell you the alternative was/is not something I wanted to experience ever! The task was daunting but taking it one day at a time with mini goals that would lead to the final goal was the only way to do it and stay sane. After all it was and is a lofty goal.
The people at Parkwood taught me to celebrate even the smallest goal (I didn’t through myself a party or have cake (I would be 400 pounds at least) --just being proud of an accomplishment.
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