"Home Sweet Home" Not quite!

Getting to the airport is still a blur, I know that Suzie had come down to Moorong and collected all the things that I had accumulated in the 5 months I was there. Plus the equipment that I had to take as well, e.g. my commode, gifts, all my clothes, the TV that Ricks parents had bought me and my doona. I couldn't have luggage to deal with, I was on my own. The taxi seemed to take ages but soon I was there. I was told I would be loaded first and then I would be last off. My wheelchair had to go in the hold so I was lifted by baggage men into a small seat and loaded onto the plane in a lift that looked like a horse float. I managed to remember to take my cushion from the wheelchair to put under me on the plane as I was scared of getting pressure sores from the seat. The cushion made me high in the seat and it was hard to keep my balance as my feet didn't touch the ground. I knew it was only an hour or so and that it should go quickly. I will see the kids soon, nothing else matters....I was excited to see everyone.
The plane lands... I am away from Moorong.....away from Sydney....I'm moving forward now on my way to my new life. The maxi taxi had been ordered and I was to go straight to the hospital to stay there in the rehab section.....All the passengers went and I was the last to get off. My wheelchair was unloaded and I was lifted into it. I hated all that handling. I felt so helpless and heavy and my legs spasmed so much. I was hoping that I wouldn't have an accident because you never knew when your body wanted to get rid of wastes. It just happened if you didn't get rid of enough in the morning . (sorry if it's too much info but no-one tells you all this, it happens to you) Then there was your bladder bag strapped to your leg filling up if you drank too much. I was disabled physically and emotionally I was a mess on the inside, choking back the tears, and smiling on the outside. I'm OK, really I am.
Wow! there's the kids! Jenni and Jamie, James, Bill, Pippy, Suzie, Caitin and Rhianna and the boys Alex and Nic. I had bought the cool wheels with lights in for my wheelchair so the kids would see that I had a groovy wheelchair. The kids came in the taxi with me. It was great to see them. It was good that they wanted to ride with me and be with me. It was so hard and different to cuddle them with no balance and the wheelchair in the way. I could see the questions in their eyes..... I'm so far down now too. They are all taller than me!
We got to the hospital and I was put into a room with 3 older ladies with a toilet on one side of the room and the shower on the other. This was not good already. I could see confrontation looming...
I got settled in and I thought that the hospital, being new, would have all the facilities that one would need. Not so.... Suzie bought in some of the things that I had in Moorong and I made do.... this is where the learning to take control of your care came in. I needed to direct staff as to what was required and what I was used to....some listened , some didn't. Most were really great though, I must say. It was a shock to find though that most of the staff weren't that knowledgeable with spinal chord injuries.
Everything was different to what I had been used to in Moorong. Even my medications. They didn't have the same laxatives so I had to use what they offered. I will manage, because I am home. I'm with my family again, everything will be fine now...They will help me to get used to all this and I will help them to get used to me. That will be my new focus... Goodnight, sleep tight.....Oh my, I'm in a hospital situation and there are nurses coming and going all night and patients waking up and noises like never before. I had gotten used to quiet and sleeping through the night with nurses tiptoeing in and out..... quietly. That's OK I'm home with my family and kids, I have been through the mill, this is nothing....all a new adventure...a new life lesson. It's still early days yet and 'they' might help me to be able to do more...have better equipment so I might be able to stand..who knows? ...we will see hey!
Well....GOOD MORNING TO YOU TOO!..... I couldn't believe it. Every move I made was watched by the other 3 patients. God love em! they were intrigued by this lady in a wheelchair who had fallen off a ladder. The news was out. What is she doing now!
She is going into the toilet, let's all watch her shall we. Oh she is taking far too long what are we going to do.... "Are you finished yet Jeanie?"... Now she is is going into the shower....I had to wheel over to the other side of the room on my commode after having to try and cover myself. The room had nurses, patients, cleaners and whoever and I wanted to cry...no privacy for me now. "How long are you going to be in the shower Jeanie?". My life was being watched by all and anyone, way before I got used to it all myself. There wasn't anyone to just focus on helping me, this was rehab. But not like I was used to.
Now it was time for me to take a stand for me. I might not be able to do some things but being intimidated and embarrassed I could do something about. I had to stand up for myself and take some control of my life. I asked for a room with a combined toilet and shower by myself or with someone that would be OK with me being in there for over an hour. They put me in a room for 2 with the combined toilet/shower. Thank-you soooo much. Things are looking up. They are going to help me because it's all falling into place......Thank God