I just go to my therapy and work as hard as I can. I mean, I really don’t mind it. I know that I have to work hard and do all my exercises and that type of stuff you get used to it after a while.
Madison, 10
I don’t mind coming in
I come to help me stretch my legs so I can walk better. I don’t mind coming in. Well, I don’t like coming in early, early in the morning. I play games with my therapist.
Charlie, 8
Making it through surgery
It was hard but I went through it. I just knew that everything would be ok.
Charlie, 8
Getting back on your feet
Whenever I have operations and go in wheelchairs, I have to go back on my feet and keep trying to walk.
Charlie, 8
Ways to pass the time waiting
During the long drives to the doctor’s I make sure to bring books and my Ipod. If I find things to do while I wait, the time seems to go faster. Sometimes I talk to some of the kids in the waiting room. If I am going to be at the hospital overnight, I bring music or a stuffed animal to help me relax. In therapies, I try to find fun activities to do to distract me.
Stephanie, 14
During my rehab process, which ended up being three months, there were people who I met in the hospital who were just really supportive. We all had a great amount of enthusiasm, and we were able to pull through by looking at each other’s experiences with a sense of humor and we were able to talk to each other about different experiences. That was very helpful. I think it was more helpful than the counseling that I went through my freshman year because the counselor really didn’t know exactly what I was going through and, even though the people in rehab didn’t know exactly what I was going through, they knew sort of what I was going through because we were all in rehab together.
Emily, 18
I was terrified of the food
I’m recovering from surgery and all kinds of cool junk. I’ve been down here enough. Basically I don’t even have to look at the signs anymore. I know this is that way and that is that way. And when I came down here I was terrified of the food because I’ve been in other hospitals before, and hospital food doesn’t have the best batting average in the world.
Robert, 21