It seems I am per-occupied with
change—I do not know how many times I have written about my life
and how much change in my life just upsets the hell out of me.
Luckily, this post is about change but not about change in my life,
well not so much as I perceive the change will have a direct impact
on me. I been going to a program offered by my MD called wellness.
Wellness is a great program on the surface. It is a weight training,
physical conditioning, strengthening program for people with people
with disabilities. It aimed at keeping people with disabilities in
the best condition possible in the hopes of keeping us well and out
of the doc's office. I am trying real hard at keeping my caustic
cynical side from coming out. I will try to reign my emotions in.
Wellness doe not even begin in the day
until 3:00 pm. Wellness I held in the outpatient physical therapy
unit of a major teaching hospital. The P.T. Unit likes to keep it
therapists busy which means money for the organization. I guess after
three the “real” P.T. Clients begin to thin out and what
administrator likes to see money making space sit idle? So someone
conceived the Wellness program. A program which actually sucks SCI's
(Spinal Cord Injuries) but into the medical system after the SCI has
been rehabilitated. Actually the program is great , Wellness has done
me wonders. The program cost a couple hundred bucks to start—money
for the evaluation to see where the client is at and where to start
the wellness training out, or what the client might want to improve.
Me, I wanted to increase my upper body strength to assist me in my
transfers and other facets of my life. Once the evaluation is
complete you can com to Wellness, use the equipment and staff which
consists of a master's level trainer and a couple of P.T. Aids.
Personal supports, ire. family members of friends are encouraged to
be trained in basic PT assists help with the clients when needed. The
monthly fee for the program, following the evaluation is $35.00. I
think 35.00 is a deal...right now.
I kind of think the P.T. Administrators
did not think Wellness was really going to amount to much, sort of
like the public transit folks did when they started opening their
vehicles to chair users and other disabilities. Surprise lots and
lots of folks with disabilities have taken to the Wellness
concept—even the program is not open till after 3:OO PM. In fact
the program has done so well they are moving us from the area we now
occupy- to medical clinic down stair and I don't know where the
clinic is headed. CHANGE!!
Yesterday I was at Wellness—about 30
minutes before Wellness. The wellness director a really nice kid, the
masters trainer I mention earlier was covering phones. Some “outward
bound” type came up and launched I to a weird conversation
regarding an evaluation she has been contracted to do to gather
information to see how”we” can make the Wellness program better.
The trainer was all ears and compliant-- I could tell this was the
first discussion she has had on his topic. I heard a lot of phrases
like “ the good of the program” “I don't want to spend any more
then two days squiring information” oh and best of all “we would
like to interview a couple of customer...just to get their
perspective.” At this point both heads were turned my way as the
trainer said “he uses the program weekly” and the contractor just
smiled and said “we'll be talking.” I smiled and responded
accordingly. CHANGE IS COMING TO WELLNESS. I can just feel it. I
especially feel for the training because they are going to take the
trainers program and “modify” it to make the program better.
CHANGE
My Saratoga Silver was shipped day
before yesterday, a machine which is exactly like the one I use at
Wellness. I can now do , maybe, the most beneficial aspect of the
Wellness program. I really do like having access to real life trainer
types but I could get by and I will get by even if I have to kiss
Wellness good bye.
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