PEGGY FIELDING'S NEWSLETTER
Vol. 7 Number 4 April 2007

UH HUH. GO TO THE ARCHIVES SO YOU CAN ENJOY DAN’S HANDIWORK

You know, of course, where to go. www.peggyfielding.com

KAISER REHAB - EYE OPENER AND BODY BUILDING PLACE

When Romney Nesbitt heard I was destined for Kaiser Rehab Center, she breathed a sigh of pleasure. “Peggy, that is the Cadillac of Rehab Centers in Tulsa,” she said. “You are one lucky woman.”

And I was.

MY ARRIVAL

Jim Alfred stayed with the car and Paula steered me in a wheel chair to a room with tables. She knew I hadn’t had much to eat in my five days in the hospital so she went out to return with Mexican food. Only good food I’d had in days.

ANN THE TORTURER

While Paula was gone a pretty, slim, young woman approached me. “I’m Ann,” she said, “A physical therapist. Please get up and let’s see how far you can walk on this walker.”

(I owned a walker given me by a friend but had not been walking with it in the hospital. In fact, I thought my walking days were over.)

“Okay,” I answered, “I’ll try.” I’d made up my mind that I would do anything anyone at the Center asked of me, so I stood and took several hesitant steps toward the other side of what looked to be a huge room.

“Stand up straight,” Ann ordered.

I tried.

“Keep your feet apart,” Ann murmured.

What? I’d tried to walk with feet, ankles, knees and thighs touching from top to bottom all my life. People who walked with feet apart were considered inelegant “’duck waddlers” in the fashion of my day. No woman of any breeding walked with her legs spraddled out.

“Feet apart.” Ann’s voice rose a bit.

I went against sixty years of practice, spraddled out and “duck waddled” a few more steps.

“Don’t lean on the walker. Let it roll as you walk.”

I had just met Ann, who became the main torturer of my two weeks at Kaiser. Slim, pretty, young and strong, with a touch of Aisan blood, she never let me off the hook, and I thank her for all her harsh measures.

BEGINNING WITH BREAKING THE RULES

I went into Rehab on Saturday with the understanding that on the coming Friday night I would be expected to show up for a huge signing, at Barnes and Noble. CHIK~LIT FOR FOXY HENS needed my presence.

The “in-charge” nurse, Rich, a wonderful male nurse, was a bit dubious about the whole thing but he more or less gave permission. I had no idea that with my request for “leave,” I was breaking a cardinal rule at Kaiser. NO LEAVE UNTIL YOU’RE WEARING A CERTAIN COLOR OF BRACELET, which I wan’t wearing. I had no bracelet at all when I boldly told the folks I would be going out on Friday night. Ignorance is bliss.

MY GIFT BEARING FRIENDS

All my pals circled the wagons. “Let’s get old Peggy into something other than hospital gowns. was Jackie King’s rallying cry. “She needs something to eat and something to read,” shouted Paula.

The two of them began to come to my room.(Again, I was in the back bed of a two bed room.) They came with clothing from my house and with tons of things from the stores. Paula brought clothes and food and books. Jackie brought every living THING she could lay her hands on The two of them buried me in fruit, Dr. Pepper, clothes, underwear, housecoats, nightgowns, and books.

That Jackie is a natural born lady bountiful. She emptied her purse and her heart to be sure I was decently presented at Kaiser. Paula wanted me to be content at all costs, so she piled the books and food around me.

ABOUT THE OTHER BED IN MY ROOM

My first night at Kaiser another woman was installed in the bed nearest the door and the curtains were securely drawn all around her. After hours, I dreaded the revelation. Another room mate from Hell? I wondered. But no. Just a sick stroke victim.

“Is my roomie fat?” I whispered to Paula.”No, tall and slim, Peggy. Sorry.” she whispered back.

SICK, SICK, SICK

Throughout her first night there my new roomie was sick, sick, sick, and doctors, nurses and attendants circled her space all night. She moaned, ate ice, cried, and vomited repeatedly. In fact, she made me feel well in comparison.

So. This was to be my fate in Rehab? Buried in gifts during the day, and lying next to a seriously, loudly ill person at night, a person who was tall, slim and pretty according to Paula. No sleep for me my first day and night at Kaiser.

THE LEAN, MEAN, RED HAIRED PROMOTIONAL MACHINE

One of the things Jackie brought to Rehab was a box of oranges which had been left on my porch. I thought I might eat one, so I asked Jackie to get rid of the rest. I also asked her to give one copy of our signed book to the people at the check-in desk, where the nurses, attendants and tech people resided.

On my first full length day at Kaiser, I was somewhat bleary eyed but I was thrilled and terribly amused to watch my formerly shy friend, FORCE oranges, bookmarks and a signed book onto the ladies and gentlemen of the staff at Kaiser. It’s out of the shell for Jackie, for sure, I thought. I loved it that she would not take “no” for an answer but continued to wheedle and coax those folks into taking her wares.

MORE REHAB THAN YOU EVER WANTED TO READ ABOUT IN A FEW DAYS

I plan to introduce the new roommate, the new doctor, and the bad, bad ladies of the “salt mines” of Kaiser.

Love,
Peggy