It would be one of those things, that would really bother my Dad. Physical Therapy. But honestly, it was so necessary for him. It was something he needed, much more than he thought, he did. The night before, our first at home session, my Dad would devise a plan. He thought, he could outsmart the physical therapist.
That is, until he met Lucy. She was this petite lady. That had the warmest spirit. The sweetest voice. And the most gentle way, of doing things. During that first session, my Dad would try hard. To prove to her, that he didn't need any help. But it quickly became apparent, to all of us, he need the help.
I'll ALWAYS regret, not getting a picture of the two of them. After that first session, there would be a definite bond. A sense of friendship. And for my Dad, lots of trust. You see, Lucy became more than a physical therapist. She was my Dad's cheerleader. And encourager.
When my Dad didn't feel like doing his exercises, I'd remind him of Lucy's next visit. We usually had two a week. But we were supposed to do his exercises, every single day. My Dad would give me this look, every single time, he saw me coming with Lucy's notes. But quickly, he realized, those exercises were helping. He was getting a little stronger. With each visit. And we would begin, doing his exercises, two and three times a day.
You see, Lucy always knew about our battle. She knew about the cancer. I know, she understood the situation. And my Dad's pride. She understood, that life was difficult for us. But she encouraged us. All of us. And helped us, to see the best in life.
It was not always easy. There were many set backs. In my Dad's recovery. In his strength. In the things he was dealing with. But Lucy was a cheerleader. She helped us all, to see the good, that was in our life.
And when we'd need help, getting safety equipment, it was Lucy who would help out. She'd make calls to people. She would write referrals. And she'd also give us options. For places, we might look, for supplies. Lucy became someone, I could trust.
My Dad would stay true to Lucy. You see, every time we would go to the hospital and return home, we'd get a different physical therapist. The first time it happened, he got in a fight with our new PT person. Then he'd tell me, to call and get Lucy. The second time it happened, he told them to leave his property. And again, we'd call Lucy. The third time it happened, he told the HomeCare people, he didn't need PT. Then they sent Lucy.
It wasn't that my Dad, didn't want help. It was the trust, that Lucy and he, had developed. It was a bit of history. And lots of understanding. He knew, she didn't judge him. And that she had his best interest, in mind. All of the time!
It was that encouragement, that kept my Dad going. I'll forever be grateful, to Lucy. The lady that walked us through bed exercises. Then sitting exercises. And eventually, standing exercises. She was the lady, that made sure my Dad was safe at home. And who would take walks with us, through our neighborhood.
And honestly, it was the patience she had. The understanding. And the trust, that we all developed. Lucy shared our religious beliefs. And would often times, pray for us. I can't tell you, how much that meant. But she also understood our values. And our sense of community. Lucy shared many things with us. And it meant, that our bond was incredibly strong.
I will forever be grateful, to Lucy. For her professionalism, her kindness, her care, her compassion, and all of her encouragement. It really did help, my Dad. In so many ways. To extend, the "good days," that he had. It added to his overall health. And allowed us, more time together. In the end, my Dad looked forward to PT. And his visits from Lucy. He really enjoyed the challenges, that she would present him with. ❤❤❤
No comments:
Post a Comment