I could hear them talking, out in the hall, joking about my escapes, and even doing it in my presence.
"We call him Houdini," one nurse said to another, both laughing.
During this time, I later learned, my family was trying to get me out. They contacted several rehabilitation
facilities, and on a few occasions I was aware of a representative coming to my room and observing me. I now know
that each one refused me because of 'behavioral problems'. Not that they observed any, they were told by the doctor
that I was uncontrollable unless restrained. In fact those observations, for what they are worth, were made when
I was completely disassociated.
Once I was moderately lucid I never once resisted when I was being restrained, because I knew they would sedate me
and tie me down anyway.
Finally they gave up and told the hospital they were taking me out. With the usual warnings of dire consequences and
signing of legal documents they began to prepare me for departure.
That was when I began to believe that whether or not I was freed I still might not survive. After several days of what
passed for physical therapy I told a visiting family member that I didn't believe I would ever be able to walk again.
According to my visitors the staff attempted a few times to perform the physical therapy
required for patients who are unable to move, and stopped trying after a while because
I was uncooperative.
The fact that I had been completely incognizant seemed not to matter. So they left me tied
to the bed. It was after months of immobility that an alleged physical therapist
attempted to make me functional again, sufficiently at least to leave the hospital.
Thus a young man, I seem to remember he was one of the few that had a name tag, and it
identified him as a physical therapist. He may have been a contract employee, as he seemed
rather out of place - clean, professional appearance, courteous.
He had an assistant, a large fellow, a wide strap around his chest with enough additional
length to wrap around me and keep me in a vertical position while they attempted to restore
my ability to stand.
For the first two days that was all they accomplished, getting me out of the bed standing
me between them, only inches away, the strap around me. A few minutes of that and I was
back in the bed.