Catch 22

"We will be sending you  home in two weeks".

HUH? !! I can't even feel my right leg yet and we're talking about sending me home? 

That is terrifying. When your world has been tossed around like mine has, there is comfort and security in institutionalized rehab. There's a team. There are nurses. There are support staff who look after everything from cleaning your room to providing your meals. If you fall, there is someone to pick you up, if you regress there is a team to pull you back. You are wapped up in the safety of an environment where all you have to do is focus on your program.   Leaving soon is not an exciting proposition (unless you take my suite-mate into consideration, but I may just have to do an entire post about her).

But our medical system is interesting.

The demographic of the patients in this rehab unit is 70-80 year old stroke and/or cardiac patients who have lost function, but are also frail, have other health issues and are sometimes a little batty.  For their rehabilitation, there is an established process. They tell me that there has been so much research done on stroke rehab that, for the most part, it is a cookie cutter program.  Do A, then B, then C, then off you go.  While many of these stroke and cardiac patients benefit somewhat from the rehab, the biggest reason they are kept for several weeks is because of their frailty - they require nursing care.  Management can't discharge someone who can't function at home.  Yawn for the physio people.

Then there's me.  The youngest by 25 years, I had funky spinal surgery and have an unusual combination of nerves that were damaged.  I am, apparently, fascinating.  (Their words, not mine, but I presume they are talking about my condition, not me personally :)  The physio team is having to create new strategies, brainstorm with their peers for ideas, try new things and be inventive with the rehab program.  I would imagine, a challenge that doesn't come their way very often.  So they are advocating for me to stay as long as possible. Exciting for the physio people.

I can't walk alone (yet) because my balance and spatial awareness are zapped. But I'm otherwise fit, strong and healthy.  I'm independent. I'm determined. I'm a wee tad crazy. I'm the type that would do well at home.

I am the kind of person who would benefit most from extended, intensive rehab. But I'm too fit to keep.  Others are unlikely to regain function, but are too frail to send home.

Catch 22