My new rehabilitation program began at 7 a.m.
I had to learn how to stand, dress, and wash on my own. I also had to learn how to clean myself when my body failed me.
The first time I tried to transfer from my wheelchair to the bathroom, I fell to the floor. A large patch of skin scraped off my elbow, and water soaked the leg of my pants.
The caregiver bent to help me. "I'll get the doctor."
"Not yet."
I braced myself against the edge of the bed. My arms shook and refused to support me. I tried twice, only to tumble back onto the mat.
Once my breathing steadied, I looked up at her. "Show me how to get back into my wheelchair when no one is here to help."
Noah Brooks was a trainer at Westbridge. He stood near the corner of a table and intervened only when I came close to hitting it.
