Standing this morning – only with therapy

This Monday morning I was lifted with the Hoyer just like I have been for the last over two weeks. For some reason, I thought it would be different.

Riding up and down the hallways after breakfast Ms. L/therapist approached me. She asked me if I was ready. I was going to say – ready to escape – you betcha. But I didn't.

Instead, I came back to my room where Ms. L/therapist and Mr. A/PT assistant stood me to transfer into the shower chair. My aide held the chair and tipped it a bit. But at least I was in it better and not hurting like I was when I was lowered onto it crookedly with the Hoyer.

Then after my bathroom break and quite a long wait for my aide to return, my a.m. care was finished and Ms. L/therapist and Mr. A/PT assistant stood me to transfer back into my power chair. Ms. L arranged hot packs around my right leg to loosen up my muscles. I was sort of lost in thought while she was stretching me, and didn't really feel the burn.

Ms. L wanted to know why there was so much pushback from the aides about me transferring. She assured me everything was in order and have been shown to Roberta/nurse manager last week before she went on vacation. Ms. L said she had a discussion, with the aides, I guess. I just wonder what they said.

Earlier, when we were all together in my room. She told them they were keeping me from standing with assistance to transfer. They seemed to be finding all kinds of problems. One said I won't want to use a gait belt. Even though, I have not said that, they know from the past I dislike using it and so do they. Ms. L did explain that I could refuse it – if I wanted.

So, I think there is a mini coup d'état going on. The aides do not want to do this without some type of assurances by someone. Maybe they just want to wait until Roberta/nurse manager returns from vacation. Slick St.

Someone on the outside needs to take a look at the situation and figure out what needs to happen next. Maybe seeing the therapy plan for standing transfers might help me understand what the problem is. But, then again, I doubt it.

Ms. L/therapist said she would like to have each of the aides spend an hour sitting on my shower chair. She felt that would be the only way they would understand how I feel. But she did say there is no way that any of them could sit down on it and be as crooked as I was this morning.

It's unfortunate that the aides who care for me cannot understand something about me as basic as toileting and personal hygiene. I like to to be clean, and showers, though they are brief, are relaxing. I wonder if any of them feels any compassion about me and my situation.