Rehab Farewell

After my friend Cynthia's hip replacement last year, she had to choose a person to take her through the rehab process. She had two choices - a very nice person and a not so very nice person. She was going to choose the very nice person.

Wrong. In rehab, the best choice is the one who will push you past where you ever thought you could go. The one who pleads and shouts encouragements.

I have seen some rehab staff members tell their clients, "That's okay if you don't want to do this one today." Wrong. They are not helping their client.

After our quick discussion, Cynthia chose the not so nice person who she grew to love because she get her back on her feet and walking correctly quicker than expected.

The rehab head RN in my life since September 2005 has been Alyson. She had spent most of her nursing career in ICU before coming to Cardiac and Pulmonary rehab. She set up the systems and the processes which I believe are the best of any other local rehabs. Make no mistake, she is tough. She will give hugs but there is also an expectation that you are working as hard as you can. If not, you soon will be!

I arrived on her door step very ill and very scared. She took me by the hand and, with lots of education and encouragement, taught me how to safely work and push my body to a point where I have stunned all the doctors.

Last year, she only worked on Tuesdays and there were other RN's who covered her Thursday rehab classes. None of them could compare to Alyson. Yes, they followed all the processes and yes, they did the job but....they were nice. Too nice.

Today is Alyson's last day in rehab. She is retiring. I will deeply miss her.