Hospital’s Care (a Poem About SCI and the ER)


My leg’s blown up
All red and scary looking.
It’s Sunday.
Solve it at home
I think,
Or I’ll have to go
To the ER
And end up caught
In the hospital vortex
That won’t spit me out
Again for at least a week
After asking me
Inane questions,
After prodding me
Radiating me with X-rays
Oh by the way are so much
Safer now and not to
Worry unless you’ve had
Hundreds.
Oh you have.
Well
Maybe we can pass on that;
How about an MRI?
Oh you have a metal rod
In your leg,
Hmmm. Is it Titanium?
Don’t know?
Can you stand?
No I didn’t read your
Chart yet or the intake form
Or how you answered
“What can we do
To make it easier for you.”
Here let me just read …
I see you did say you need
Help transferring.
Are you sure you can’t stand?
One moment.
Sorry that took so long.
Just a moment.
We’re getting some help.
Here, here is the Hoyer lift.
Now we are just going to
Put this under you.
Wait it must go like this.
No. Hmmm. Let me try,
Just a minute,
I just need to figure out. . .
No there aren’t any aides
That could just lift you.
No the bed just goes
This low. Sorry.
This lift is no problem;
Here I’ve got it now.
Up you go.
Now let me see
How does it move over,
Hmm?
Let’s move you over here.
No you don’t look like a sack
Of potatoes.
Here we are almost there.
Oh dear it seems the battery
Has died;
We don’t use this very often
Hmmm.
What? You say
Just raise up the bed?
Oh that’s a good idea.
So sorry.
Didn’t mean to
Leave you hanging
There mid air.
Like I say we don’t do this
Very much.
Now the Doctor
Will be in shortly;
Oh here he is.
Hello I’m the Doctor.
How are you?
Before we get
Started let
Me ask you
A few things;
Any pain?
Let me check
Your legs.
Does this hurt?
What?
You can’t feel.
How long?
This could be serious.
What?
You’re a paraplegic?
Oh,
Do you know
How much you weigh?
Can you guess?
No I don’t see what
That has to do
With guessing your
Blood pressure.
No we don’t have
A scale.
What?
The Americans with
Disabilities Act?
I had no idea.
Can you get me a copy?
Really since 1990?
Wow
Didn’t realize it’s
Been around so long.
Examining tables too
That lower that far?
Wow!
Then what do you do?
Never heard of a sliding board.
Only $25 dollars,
Really?
Oh yes
Your leg needs
Some pictures.
I’d like to get
An X-ray.
Can you stand?
How about an MRI?
Oh
That’s too bad.
Are you sure
You can’t stand?

Mary-Keating-poemA lawyer based in Connecticut, Mary Pierson Keating’s practice areas include estate planning and real estate. She has always been a strong advocate for people with disabilities, and has helped to make the world more barrier free.

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