I really did have very polarizing opinions of that hospital, and rehab, and never shied away from sharing it. The food was just as bad as the coffee, everyone treated me like how they ASSUMED that I would be, and I was very lonely.
To clarify what I meant as “how they thought I should have been” is that the nurses, and therapists, all did not know what to do with me. Some assumed that I was in some sort of horrible accident that resulted in me NEVER recovering, others thought I suffered major mental impairments that I will never recover from, and some decided to try to know me. It was rather disconcerting at times. Some nurses would assume that I did not have feeling and violently move me or do something like placing a box on my legs. This was, of course, the only example that I feel comfortable talking about in a public forum.
I have had repeated issues with the people in the occupational therapy field. They are the ones who assumed that I have major psychological issues based on the fact that I thought differently? Or something. I ask what they were basing their opinions and they would indicate how strange it was that I was polite, and they found it bizarre for someone of my demographic or something? I am sorry I sound vague. I really am and was perplexed by this way of thinking. I do understand: my diagnosis was bleak where my brain was concerned. I knew that I was coming along beautifully in that regard.
There were five nurses in particular who I will always remember. One reminded me of a friend I had in high school. She was so similar, in fact, this lead to me calling her the wrong name. One was a kindred when it came to things nerdy. We bonded over strange internet quotes and our warped outlook on social normalities. One was actually married to a fellow musician from the KW region. She was completely understanding and beautifully harsh. She was really the one who pushed me towards doing things again, like dressing myself and asserting myself. If you could not tell, we had a great relationship. The other two, I will bundle because I feel like I dwelled enough on this topic. They were the two that made every day worth living because they were so kind and loving. The one mothered me, in a good way. The other was just the softest and kindest person I have ever met.
The physio therapists were all fantastic. I had one student that I got along with particularly well.
My mind always goes back to the support from the fantastic people from SCIO. They took me into their organization and treated me like a kindred. I can remember having long conversations with various members of the staff at the Hamilton location. Melanie is acting as an ongoing liaison (or unofficial social worker) for me, which is fantastic. She is the only staff of any location who has actually kept up with me for any length of time. She has been my voice and my opinion on things I do not have much say in or for things that I did not know existed before recently.
I just want to say at this point that I was not asked or payed by SCIO or anyone who works for that fine organization. I do not work for them, either.
plain text. 