I Don't Need Rehab! ~ Once Upon a Time

This is the 7th instalment in the Once Upon a Time series. 

To view previous instalments in this series click here. 

It's been awhile (Nov. 2011) since we read the last installment of Once Upon Time; we were left wondering if the Princess's dream of going home from the hospital was going to happen... Well, the doctors had one more stop before the Princess could return to her castle...

REHAB

No, not this kind of Rehab ... 

This kind, Physical Rehab. 

Which included learning to transfer from bed to wheel chair; wheel chair to the "royal throne" and back to bed, all on her own.  Learn to use a walker; go up and down stairs; learn to use a cane;  rehab therapy on her shattered elbow and re-develop hand/eye coordination, motor skills, thinking, focusing.

But due to a similar little gadget (tub seat) the need for the above rehab almost ended...

Well, the tub seat and the nurse who left her sitting there (ALONE - unattended), [after the Princess repeatedly had been saying she was getting dizzy,] to go and get the bath towels she had forgotten. In the time the nurse took to get the towels, the Princess must have gone unconscious ... as the nurse re-entered the bathroom, the Princess was no longer sitting on the bath bench, her limp body lay over the side of the bathtub,face on the floor ... a small trace of blood ...

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Thankfully the Princess's Angels were again working hard to keep her safe. She woke to the nurse's screams; unaware of what had just happened or the grave danger she had been in moments earlier.

After this second close call on her life the Princess was determined that she was much safer at home. With the help of some wonderful friends, she was able to learn to get in and out of the wheel chair; take steps with the help of cane and slowly (and painfully) go up and down a few stairs. Yes, she was almost Home... now all she had to do was learn to transfer from wheel chair to car.

After the therapist explained the technique and cautioned that this is the part most people have problems adjusting to, getting in a car backwards. This was going to be EASY! 

Any woman who has ever had to get into a car this low will tell you; the only way to do it in a Ladylike  way (not exposing anything) is "sit in backwards, then bring your legs in together". When the therapist uttered these same words, ~ For the first time in all this therapy stuff... she knew/was confident she was going home.

 Will things be better now that she is going home? Tune in next time for a continuation ... of

There's No Place Like Home ~ Once Upon A Time

This is the 6th instalment in the Once Upon a Time series. 

To view previous instalments in this series click here. 

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Though large like a castle the place the princess would call home for the next few months.. was far from the comfy interiors one would find in a castle.

No luxurious guest suite in the guest wing ...

The  hospital ICCU, would be the princess's home for the foreseen future.

Once when a friend called the nurse's station and asked the difference between ICCU and CCU - he was told patients in ICCU are closer to the other side , while in CCU are closer to living.

When her eyes were open the only things the princess saw, were passing hospital staff

and doctors, nurses, respiratory technicians ...

there were no windows...just a few beds, separated by curtains (which were often pulled back- open-), much like what you see in emergency wards. Due to the seriousness of each patient's injuries, the ratio was one nurse to one patient.   

Though the pain and inability to move her body - other than her left hand - should have been an indication that her injuries were most serious, the princess only wanted to return to her little castle. The injury to her brain did not process the seriousness of her condition. She would need  be able to breath on her own,before she would be moved to ICC. 

Once in ICC, she would need to learn to eat again (starting with liquids for swallowing and gradually moving to purée foods). Still unable to feed herself, her sister who had been constantly by her side since that first day ... would feed her, and at times let her try and feed herself. When it was determined that she would be able to take in food the feeding tube was removed and the princess was graduated to a regular hospital room.

The hospital room brought a whole new series of learning~ sitting up and learning to transfer from bed to wheelchair. 

The princess, would also need to learn basics like speaking

Using the royal throne...

Everyone, kept saying she would get to go home soon! If she could get through each of these steps. So, even though the progress was slow, confusing and painful the princess gave it all she could. With dreams that she would soon be home...

There's No Place Like Home!!

 Will the princess get to go home? Tune in next time for a continuation ... of

Time Passes ~ Once Upon A Time

This is the 5th instalment in the Once Upon a Time series. 

To view previous instalments in this series click here. 

As the princess slept time had continued to pass! 

She would soon realize she had been asleep for almost 

six weeks.... and had slept through her favourite season, Autumn.

Laying in the hospital bed , she felt as if heavy chains were holding her down, [The reality of course was that six weeks in a coma, not to mentioned the trauma her body had sustained; the life saving surgeries, the multiple fractures that had yet to heal , including a C2 fracture (part of the spine at the neck)~ were the cause.] ~

Something just felt odd, laying in this bed.~

 preventing her from getting up and returning to her beautiful bedroom with its comfortable bed.

The comfort of her bed would be the least of her challenges, the princess was about to find out.


" I want to go home"  the princess tried to say , but nothing came out ~ not a sound. She tried to raise her right arm to get someone's attention ~ but the pain that occurred just at the thought was unbearable. She tried her left arm... that raised for a moment only drop back down from its own weight. Helpless she laid there waiting for someone to notice her.

"How is our miracle patient doing today?" "Awake I see..." The voice was followed by a crowd  team of hospital people.

The Princess did all that she could, which was lay there, as they kept talking, and occasionally poking at her.. checking this and checking that. Though she couldn't turn her neck, she realized that she could follow them with her eyes. As her eyes followed the nurse that was coming towards her, it all became reality ... this was not a dream and she was hooked up to all sorts of machines. Including one that went into her throat... that she would later learn had kept her alive, after her lungs collapsed - and that this machine was breathing for her - that's why she was unable to speak.

Suddenly her thoughts were all jammed... like traffic, bottle necking getting onto  a highway with multiple on ramps...all trying to get through but being held back. This the princess would be told was due the the acquired brain injury she now had.  "acquired?? well I don't want it ... can we return it?" she thought, as her words were not coming out.

Until next time...

The Princess Wakes UP ... Once Upon a Time

This is the 4th instalment in the Once Upon a Time, a weekly series. 

To view previous instalments in this series click here.  

As the the Angels guided the princess's soul to be reunited with her human body, the knowledge she had gained of events that would or would not occur should she remain Home, was slowly being removed from her active memory. They would however, let her keep memories of her visit Home.

As she continued to sleep the princess, 

felt as if she was floating in a grande bed. Possibly this was at the time her soul connected with it's earthly body.

The feeling of floating was soon replaced with a feeling of pain, a throbbing head and voices. Why was she hearing people in her bedroom. That must have been some dinner party!

As the voices and the words became clearer to her, there was one that stood out from the rest, a very familiar voice. It was that of her sister's ....

Suddenly, the princess's eyes opened (had she not had them open already ~she thought~ as the light hurt her open eyes). The princess tried to lift her head , but it felt like it was being held down; her legs were not moving either; her arms felt like lead weights and something was preventing her from turning her neck. As she went to speak, she realized no sound was coming out. Not that it would have mattered the words floating in her head were making no sense any ways.

 As she felt her eye lids getting heavier ... she heard her sister say

" You have been in terrible accident, but you are going to be ok "....

What do you think will happen next? Will she remember what happen (Her trip Home or the accident)? What is holding her down, so she can't move?Tune in next week for a continuation ... of

Boarding the Boat ... Once Upon A Time

This is the 3rd instalment in the Once Upon a Time, a weekly series. 

To view previous instalments in this series click here.  

The thought of returning Home, filled the princess with a warmth that she could not describe. With each movement towards the waiting crowd, the thought of Home became stronger and all sorts of visions started to appear in her mind's eye. Don't be afraid, she could hear voice (in thought of course) but it was not that of the figure shrouded in white. Suddenly before her and the crowd she had now joined, was a beautiful vision. The memories of lives lived are becoming accessible. By the time you finish crossing over you will recall all you have learned in those lives.

As the awaiting crowd continued to grow in 1000s ... what resembled a boat appeared through the mist. Guided by 3 white doves. As they boarded and took their spots, it was as if they were being stacked like sardines. Packed in tightly, the sense of balance was as if they were packed in side ways. Once again the beautiful vision before them communicated in thought. 

You will be given insight as to the affect your choice to return Home will have on the souls that are continuing their earthly journeys and lessons. 

As the vessel moved along ... shades of white, blue and a faint golden began to fill the space around them. 

Some of these souls you will recognize and others you may not (as you have not yet crossed paths on earth)  ... but you will see how your choice will affect them. When you chose Home , you did not know all of this ... so again you are free to choose.

The space around the princess was suddenly golden and she was surrounded by souls who having taken Angelic form would accompany their charge back to earth and care for her soul until it once again was reunited with the human body it had come from. The princess remained in a deep sleep and was not aware she was no longer on her way Home, but back to an earthly journey.

What do you think will happen next? Why was she going back to earth? Tune in next week for a continuation ... of

Sleeping Beauty ... Once Upon A Time

This is the 2nd installment of Once Upon A Time weekly series. To view previous Click Here ..

Much like Sleeping Beauty, the princess was in a sleep that no one could wake her from. Not even a Prince Charming could help. Everyone thought she would slip away and not awaken, but hours turned to days and days to weeks, and the princess continue to lay in a deep sleep. Tubes and machines aiding in her breathing, to keep her from completely slipping away.

While Angels hovered around her human body, making sure all was going as planned. Other Angels awoke her soul and guided it gently Home.

The princess was uncertain what was happening, the Angels assured her all would be revealed to her in time, to have patience. Some how the princess knew they spoke the truth ... and remained calm and silent as they glided upwards in the crisp night air.

In the distance a golden gate was emerging into view, then suddenly out of thin air the silence that embraced her throughout the journey was broken. The silence was replaced with a sound the princess could not place, and try as she might to describe it no words seem to fit. "Angelic" the word appeared in her mind's eye "Peaceful", "Magical", "Beautiful" all seemed to float inside her head. 

As the princess entered through the gates, she realized ~ Angels were creating this beautiful sound, that was filling her with warmth and a familiar peacefulness - but she could not recall where she had felt  it before.

Suddenly everything was a golden glow and the princess and everyone around her was dressed in the most lavish gowns and suits; the air was filled with the energy of strength and good health. Not one person appeared frail, old, tired, in pain or ill. Perfect! They were all perfect! Healthy and joyous.

As they entered, the enormousness of the room seem to continue infinitely. Suddenly with the next step she took, the princess realized she was not actually walking but floating across the room.

 Reaching out to get a passer-by's attention the princess was taken back ... suddenly everyone was transparent;  floating as golden, glowing energy, including herself. How could this be? she wanted to ask, but her mouth did not open. Instead she was communicating in thought and was receiving a response in thought. Is this a dream?

No, you are not having a dream. You are Home, it will take a few moments for all the memories of lives lived and lessons learned become accessible to you. Then you will remember everything. The words were received in thought by the figure who stood before her, shrouded in white. Just beyond where they were communicating, was a flowing river, a group of thousands seemed to be waiting. Where are they going? thought the princess ... forgetting her thoughts were no longer just hers. Again the figure shrouded in white before her responded " They have ended their earthly journey and have chosen to reunite with those who have returned Home before them."

What do you think will happen next? Will the princess join the waiting group? Tune in next week for a continuation ... of

 Once Upon a Time is a new weekly feature ... till next time..