On an advantage of picketing

At some point past 9 PM on Tuesday night, an argument broke out between members of the staff more or less just outside my room. I am not sure exactly what it was about but I caught the words “break” and “the strike” in the torrent of creole inflected French. It went on for a bit too long so I summoned an orderly. While waiting, I opened up my iPad to the picture of me on the picket line earlier that day. When the orderly came, I began by saying I respected her and the other members of the staff to the point that I had joined the picket line. However, I would really appreciate it if she were to first close the door, and second ask the people arguing to take their discussion elsewhere. She accepted my requests.

Yesterday during physio, I used a special high walker to cover 3 meters during 3 different up sessions. The Physio has “threatened” me with demanding 1 more meter each session. ;-)

Back in my room, I had the pleasure of first being visited by Philip and Mummy, bearing souvlaki, and then being joined by Michael, bearing toonies for vending machines. We had ourselves a good long chat. We were later joined by Steve. 

Possibly it was too long a chat as after my OT session, I was very tired. Around 8, I was having crying jags. I made the “mistake” of phoning Margo to distract myself. As she talked about her none too great situation, I had to say that I just wanted to hug her. This set both of us off crying. The nurse came by with my evening meds during either that call or another tearful call to my mother. I asked her to give me time.

After the phone calls, an orderly came by and noticed my tears. This provoked a bit of sympathy along with a mild admonition not to be sad as it might bring me down. While I understood it, I was a bit vexed by it. The nurse was a bit more sympathetic and brought a box of Kleenex.