23rd day in rehab and my last full day! (wheelchair drama, walking for miles and surprise visits from friends)

Up bright and early this morning (with both shoulders and a hip out of joint! It’s really hard to pop a hip back in when you can’t feel anything besides pins and needles in either arm!)
After yesterday’s emotional meltdown I was up ready for a fight this morning but my morning was a little different to what I imagined.
(copied from my Facebook profile)

Matron came in…

Matron: hello I’m ? Matron I’ve been off for a few weeks so we haven’t met before

Me: hello, pleased to meet you.

Matron: how are you?

Me: err I’m ok

Matron: you don’t sound too sure.

Me: well I’m a little stressed out and in pain and annoyed at the Wheelchair situation.

Matron: ah yes I heard that was broken, will that be holding up your discharge?

(all business here)

Me: well it’s currently holding me up from reaching the loo (I have an ensuite room)

Matron: and don’t you have a spare one?

Me: well no I could only just afford one let alone 2!

(do any of you have 2 wheelchairs exactly the same?!)

Matron: well I guess we’ll have to sort something then… What are you going to do?

Basically this went on for a while with her not really wanting this to interfere with my discharge but not seeming concerned that I can’t get to the bathroom and it’s 1st thing in the morning…need to pee, dislocated hip, broken wheels, not had meds yet
*please go and get me a wheelchair*
Matron bustled off and I was left in bed… With no wheels…
At this point a German HCA agency worker comes in ( please read his part in a Hitler style accent)

HCA: you haz finished your brekfast?

Me: yes and I’ve already sent me tray back thanks

HCA: would you like Tee or Koffee.

Me: no thanks but I would like a Wheelchair so I can get to the loo.

HCA: you haz a toilet?

Me: yes but I don’t have a wheelchair

HCA: (points to chair) Zees is broKen?

Me: yep

…HCA leaves to get a chair and never comes back.

I give up and ring the bell, the next member of staff is one of the regulars and is back in under a minute!
Now was that really so hard?!

This ladies and gents was my temporary chair.

Now as you can see if features a good 6 inches of extra room, a total lack of postural support and is not in the least bit attractive, now I’m used to having a chair that fits through doorways so changing to this one resulted in my mashing my hands against the doors every time I had to enter or leave a room!

At exactly 9am I was on the phone to Felgains (in the Matrons office, she very kindly let me borrow so I could actually finish a conversation without getting cut off) Felgains were very sorry about my chair and I spoke to someone who said they’d call me back… I explained that I’m in the staff office stealing their phone so it’s pretty hard to call me back?! Aldeburgh being a land without phone signal!
So I was put on hold, The decision was made, at some point today they would get back to me and sort it out… Knowing that someone was on the case I felt a bit better about it. Mum offered to phone and when she spoke to the she offered to get my chair and take it to them, this was agreed and Mum drive over to take my chair back.
At this point I was already struggling to keep my eyes open so I gave up and went to sleep. Mum arrived and took my chair and I went back to sleep again for a little while. After dozing the morning away I decided to push myself and walked up to the conservatory, I’m now at the stage where I can walk AND talk as supposed to one or the other!
Lunch was hilarious there were 3 of us at the table, me and one other elderly lady who had embraced the modern world and even asked for my email address and one other lady who is like the posh version of crazy cat lady, she’s very nice but clearly has no idea what’s going on…
A few of her best phrases today were as follows.

Her: I shan’t be able to eat all those lovely peas as I’m not allowed to eat lentils.
Me: but those aren’t lentils
Her:what are they then?
Me: well they’re peas?! Peas aren’t lentils
Her: aren’t they? We’ll that’s fabulous you’ve just made my day!

Me and the techno granny are puzzled by this so she asks why the lady can’t eat lentils…
“last time my doctor came he ended the appointment with ‘no more lentils for you young lady'”

She’s also convinced that the queen did a shift delivering post to her.

Oooh and today when she knocked a pea on the floor she pointed at it and said “what’s that creature” I said it was a pea.. She said “oh well I’m glad it’s not a wasp”

Techno granny and I had a good laugh the whole way through lunch and cat lady seemed in good spirits!

After an enjoyable lunch I walked all the way back to me room! (first time doing both ways to and from lunch) and carried on work with the bridal set I’m doing, it’s coming along nicely and I’m really pleased with it!

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I finished the 2nd necklace just as my afternoon visitors arrived! I was expecting my lovely friend Emma but got a pleasant surprise when Lauren turned up too! Not just that I had mango and grapes to eat! Total surprise and a fantastic chance to catch up! I’m now up to date with gossip from back home and have laughed enough to make up for all of  yesterday’s crying! The staff very kindly let my friends stay through the tea time so we had even longer to catch up, Mum arrived after tea with my newly repaired wheelchair!
Turns out that the bit where the caster assembly screws into the frame wasn’t screwed in properly/at all. So what started as really loose was almost falling off after 6 days of use! So it was a quick fix (although it’s a shame it had to be fixed at all)
Felgains have said they will now add this to their checklist for all New chairs to stop it happening to anyone else. 🙂

Mum had been busy back home and had picked up my equipment for home, searching stool, toilet frame, bath board too!

Once Mum arrived here and I’d said goodbye to Lauren and Emma we headed out for a walk, and took advantage of the outdoor gym for the last time. The sunset was pretty but I’d forgotten my camera/phone so you’ll have to wait until I can steal the photo I took on mums camera.

After getting back and Mum heading home all that was left to do was pack up the last of my stuff and hop into bed. I also filled out my patient satisfaction survey, I can honestly say I’ve never had so few constructive criticisms/complaints/suggestions with any hospital in my life! Haha this place is amazing.

Tomorrow I’m heading home after lunch so I have a chance to finish packing and say good bye to my lunchtime ladies, my amazing physios, OT, nurses, HCAs, sisters and house keepers! I also need to give out business cards 😉

Ciao for now loyal readers. My rehab journey is almost over… My blogging however will be continuing!
X

9 thoughts on “23rd day in rehab and my last full day! (wheelchair drama, walking for miles and surprise visits from friends)

  1. Glad to hear you are doing better and will be breaking loose from there tomorrow. I wish you the best on your journey and may you continue to improve. Take care.
    Peace,
    Tammy:)

    1. Thank you for all your Support and lovely comments along the way! I’m going to continue.us to blog my way through live but it will be at home as supposed to hoapital!
      Hope your well
      All the best
      Jo xx

      1. You’re quite welcome. I would encourage you to continue blogging. Blogging and therapy is what has kept me alive and is helping me get to a better place. It’s very therapeutic. There is so much support and encouragement here, it’s crazy. I had no idea when I started to blog. I didn’t even think or care if anyone ever read my blog or not. It was just a way for me to get it out of my head and to put it all somewhere else, so this is where I put it. I hope your recovery continues to go well. Take care.
        Peace,
        Tammy:)

          1. You just keep right on writing and feeling better, and people will be reading, trust me. You’ll be amazed at how many people you will also be helping. Have a great day.:)

  2. There was a word that showed up several times that I really enjoyed seeing in your post: “Walked” And with all the horror stories I hear from people about their stays at hospitals and it’s just wonderful to hear that you stay there has been so amazing.
    So glad your chair was an easy fix!
    Tim

    1. Thank you! I’ve heard some horrors stories too but this place has been brilliant, the staff are wonderful and it makes me wonder why everywhere can’t do what this lot are doing do well! X

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