Topic: Physical Therapy

Mira Cigargirl

Date: 2009-06-16 16:51 EST
Mira had been wheeled to yet another therapy room by one of the nurses and been told to wait; someone would be with her shortly. Mira used the opportunity for a look around. This room held an assortment of exercise equipment and was larger than any of the therapy rooms she had been to so far. There was even enough room for a table and a few chairs here and there. And, of course, there were people. Several looked to be staff in white coats, directing patients through their exercises; others obviously were patients in hospital robes or some other comfortable looking clothing. An older woman was concentrating on sorting blocks by colors, a man with a bandage around his head had problems attaching clothe pins to a rope. Several patients, one of them a boy that could not possibly have been any older than eight, forced themselves through various exercises with balls and small weights.

One of these coat-wearing folk, as strange as it seemed, was Skid. He had come with his own to visit, apparently, and the all white clothing, coat, and mask, just made him look so very official. As he walked in through the doors to the physical therapy room, he pulled a clipboard with nothing but blank papers on it into his arm, and strolled up to Mira.

"Well, Miss Mira, it seems we're going to have to do a whole lot of work. Those pretty little legs aren't going to get themselves back into candy-selling order, are they?"

Mira turned to look upon the 'therapist' with wondrous surprise. The man sounded just like Skid.

"How did you manage to sneak in here?" She chuckled when she realized that not only did the therapist sound like Skid, but actually was Skid. Which probably also meant he wasn't a therapist at all, at least not officially. "I mean, hello Skid, it's nice of you to visit again. Are you really going to take over for the therapist?"

"Doc loves me, and Chryrie's a bigwig here, so getting in is as simple as....Pie." He nodded, and then smiled and settled a hand on her shoulder at her query. "I wish." A snerk. "I just came to keep you company while they stretch out those legs. And to make sure you got enough sleep last night. I hope we didn't keep you up too terribly long, hm?"

"That is very kind of you. I'm sure it won't be anything as spectacular and entertaining as coming to watch and cheer for someone at the duels, but I will appreciate your moral support at least as much." Mira gave Skid a warm and thankful smile.

"I slept wonderfully." She had, just not for very long. "I'm glad I got to meet with you, Lerida and Stitch. That was definitely worth a few hours sleep. I'm sure Anya and Chryrie appreciate their pies." Mira grinned.

"I don't like the duels much, to be perfectly honest." Skid moved to get one of the stretching balls, massive things that they were, and settled onto it as a seat. "And, I didn't give them pies. But, Chryrie's my girlfriend and the Doc totally loves me. That makes visiting really simple when you've got them to vouch for you." He smiled, and began to bounce here or there, enjoying the room more than any other location in the hospital with an obvious overtone to it. "So what?re they doing to you today' Just stretching" Or are you going to try to walk" Oh, are they going to use one of those zappy electrical things that make the muscles work without you getting up?" He inched the ball closer and closer, with more and more questions of the like.

"I'm to stand up and walk around, or as close to it as possible." Mira tried not to even think of those zappy things Skid had mentioned. They sounded too much like torture devices. Instead she nodded toward the contraption in the center of the room. "My best guess is that I'm to try that over there."

The contraption consisted of a carpeted area that reminded Mira of a red carpet - it even was dark red - with a wooden bar at either side. The stretch of carpet between the hand rails couldn't possibly be any longer than 12 feet. Beside it, in a similar set up was a much shorter, elevated stretch of straight walking surface with a ramp on one side and stairs on the other side. Four steps, Mira counted.

"Ah, looks a little....Armsy." Skid couldn't help but inspect the thing with his eye, before turning back towards Mira. Even the patch on his mask had a little red plus upon it over the covered eye. "What are you thinking on doing once you can get around and such' I'm sure you'd love to be able to spend more nights sitting around with Stitch and I, discussing relationships and fairy princesses." Skid asked with a snicker, his mien lightening.

"That does sound like fun." Mira chuckled softly. She had very much enjoyed their conversation outside the inn the previous evening. "I think I should make the most of whatever convalescent leave from work the doc will prescribe. Though getting back to being able to earn a living can't be put off for too long."

"I'm sure that you lock-permitting landlord will give you at least a little bit of a break, if you need it." There was a certain simplicity in his comment.

"I'm sure he will, but I'd rather not have to do that. He's been ever so very generous already."

"I'm sure everything will work out in time." He gave her knee a pat, and then turned and stretched out over the ball to continue his observations of the room in general. "You'll have so many things to choose from to do once you're better. It's maddening."

"You think so?" It appeared to her that she had more or less the same amount of options as she had before.

The therapist, a balding man wearing glasses, chose that moment to interrupt their conversation.

"Miss Mira" My apologies for the wait. If you would please follow me, we'll get you started." He nodded to Skid while he waited for Mira to make to follow him.

"It looks like the show you came for is about to start." Mira winked to Skid.

"I suppose it is." Skid grinned to her and the therapist alike, and then took up a nurse position, pushing Mira's chair after the therapist until they reached whatever destination he chose to set for them. The therapist stopped at the red carpet, and once the wheelchair was secured, helped Mira up and guided her hands to the railings.

"Walk at whatever pace you're comfortable with and let me know should you feel dizzy or experience any kind of difficulty. Try to only use the railings for balance. Your legs are to do the walking, not your arms." The therapist instructed.

"Does standing up count as a difficulty?" Mira grinned though. She had no illusion that this was to be as easy as pie. Skid snickered at her little joke, and let his arms fold tight against one another as he began to watch. He kept his distance close enough to lunge. Couldn't have her falling now, could he"

The therapist must have had thoughts similar to Skid's. He certainly remained close to Mira and even had set down his clip board in Mira's chair to have both hands free. Now he quietly fed Mira instructions of just how to set one foot in front of the other and encouragement when she managed a step.

At first Mira's bones and muscles protested rather violently. But with each little battle Mira's will won over them, adding another step became a little easier. None the less, by the time she reached the end of the walkway, she felt as if she had been mountain climbing for hours.

"Now turn around and once you're back to your chair we will let you rest for a while." The therapist announced cheerful.

For a moment Mira wanted to refuse. She glanced down to the end of the red carpet after she had turned around with the therapist's help. Never had a few yards appeared quite that far.

"Come on, Mira. You make everyone else's walking look like sitting." He grinned, and rolled her chair into place at the end of the rails. "The chair's right here and relaxation with it. Maybe you'll even get a foot rub, eh?" Snickering ensued, simplifying the situation, making it all kinds of juicy.

Mira couldn't help but chuckle at Skid's cheering. For a moment she wondered if that was it felt like to Maranya or Sivanna when she was cheering them on while they were boxing Outback or casting spells on the Isle. Then she needed to focus on getting her legs to move.

"So, what?re you waiting for?" Skid stood, waited, and a grin slowly began to take over the mask. "Walk, walk, walk!"

Mira Cigargirl

Date: 2009-06-16 16:52 EST
Chryrie stepped into the therapy gym, looking far more professional than anyone would ever see her looking in the inn, complete with white lab coat and ID badge and a clipboard in one hand that she scribbled on busily.

"I'm trying." Who would have thought something she'd been doing for as long as she could remember without thinking about could be this difficult, and that after only a week of sitting or laying about. The therapist continued to alter between dispensing praise and further instructions in a soft, low voice.

"Chry!" Skid issued the smoothest, brightest greeting he'd given yet today, which called for her attention while he remained focused on pulling Mira towards the chair with nothing but the power of his mind. Of which, there was none.

Chryrie added a few more scribbles to the papers on her clip board and then she looked up and smiled brightly to Mira as she walked in that direction. She paused to place her hand on Skid's shoulder.

"Mira dear! How is it coming along?" Skid got a wink. He glowed with her greeting. He hoped it passed on to Mira and her journey to chair and comfort at last.

"I don't know." Mira replied honestly. One moment walking appeared to be frustratingly slow, painful and a major miracle to be happening at all, and the next moment it seemed to her that she should be celebrating having managed another tiny step. "Good morning, Chryrie."

"She's doing fine, quite a fighter we have here." The therapist answered Dr. Nightstar's question.

"The important thing is to not get discouraged. These things do take time. But if you get too tired, you must let your therapist know. You won't do yourself any good if you work yourself into exhaustion." Chryrie smiled and then took a moment to eye Skid. "Nice outfit."

"Come on, Mira." Skid and exhaustion were estranged acquaintances at best. As such, he just kept tugging. "Just a few more steps.....Then it's chair city."

Mira smiled at the pair's conflicting instructions and risked a look ahead. It couldn't possibly be all that much further to the end of the walk way and that chair, could it'

"I'll make it back to that chair." She said with more determination than confidence.

"I thought you might like it. I was going to surprise you with it in the hallway later, but, surprise!" Skid smiled over to Chryrie, and then turned his eye back upon Mira while still laughing. "Come on, Mira! Can't you just smell that rubbery cushioned seating material they use for these things" How far could you possibly be?"

Chryrie promptly swatted him, not hard enough to actually hurt, but enough so that it would be comical, "Let her go at her own pace. Trust me." Skid winced in an equally comical manner, and then smiled for Mira.

"No fair." Mira had to pause while she giggled at Skid's comment and Chryrie's reaction. Then she had to catch her breath. "Believe me; I do want to sit down again."

"And you will, just as soon as you get your behind into this seat. Then you get your foot rub, and some ice cream, and this guy will do the Charleston..." Skid jutted a thumb towards the physical therapist.

"Well maybe not that last one." Chryrie coughed lightly. "We can also go over some things you can do in your chair to help your progress for this exercise.

The therapist gave Skid a look that left no doubt that he indeed would not do the Charleston but encourage his next assignment through a therapy session.

"Crud....I love the Charleston." Skid sighed, and took the slightest stance of a lean towards Chryrie.

"The ice cream may have to wait, too. I don't feel up to all that complicated maneuvering with a spoon just now, I think." Mira grinned but concentrated on that last step that would get her into the chair. She wasn't entirely serious, but eating anything seemed an awful lot of effort to go through just to get some food into her belly just now.

"That's what popsicles are for." Chryrie threw in cheerfully.

"And popsicle handlers." Skid added with a sagely nod.

"And look, you already have a handler right here." Chryrie patted Skid on his head as she moved to Mira's chair to hold it steady for when she made that final step.

"Very good, Miss Mira. Rest well and we will try this again this afternoon." The therapist assisted the worn out looking Mira back into the chair and then nodded with obvious respect and deference to Dr. Nightstar.

"Thank you." Mira offered to the therapist. Then she turned her head to smile to Chryrie and Skid. "You two are wonderful. Popsicle handlers - that's funny."

"Thank you dear. Make sure you're careful with this one, or you'll have a certain former Governor coming for your hide." Chryrie winked and smiled to the therapist and then peered down at Mira. "Where would you like to go now" It's not often that I offer to wheel people around, better take advantage of it."

"Well, you certainly can't be holding them with your feet like I do, not in the shape you're in. But soon enough, you'll be able to once again. I promise." Skid set a hand to Mira's shoulder in an altogether paternal manner, before he slipped it back to graze across Chryrie's, and then he stood beside the pair of them.

"Kitty really said that?" Mira grinned to Chryrie. "I don't know where I want to go, back to the room perhaps" Where do they keep those popsicles you mentioned?" She was just full of questions now and giddy after the exercise. She had not been all that confident that there would be no lasting damage. Now she felt sure that she would indeed be walking again, and soon at that.

"I never even would have thought to try if I could that, Skid." Mira giggled at the image Skid's comment provoked.

"I'm sure the cafeteria has them. We can stop by there on the way to your room." Chryrie gave Skid a hip bump, and then she began to wheel Mira out that door and down the hall."

Skid took the hip-bump in stride and pride, and followed along beside her silently. It was nice to hear her speak, Skid thought, and with Mira, no less.

"Sightseeing and a popsicle - that is certainly more than ample reward for walking up and down the length of a short carpet, or mountain climbing for hours." Mira smiled. "And with such fine company, too. It's good to see you again, Chryrie. How have you been?"

"Oh, I'm wonderful as always." Chryrie chuckled. "This place has been keeping me quite busy, much to Skid's dismay. And yes, Kitty did say we had better take excellent care of you or she would make heads roll."

"My dismay grows with every double-shift. Believe me." Skid offered as a side note, comical enough.

"That is so sweet of her, and entirely unnecessary. All the staff here is wonderful and taking excellent care of everyone. I didn't know Governor Kitty knew I was here." Then Mira blinked. "Double shifts" Is that normal or did something big happen to give you extra patients?"

"She tries to keep up on things as much as possible. And I took over a position that had been vacated a month or two before I came on. So I have quite a bit of catching up to do along with my normal duties. It will calm down soon though." Chryrie directed that last bit directed more to Skid and with a wink.

"Congratulations on getting the new position. Now I feel even more special that you have time for popsicles."

"All work and no play makes for a very grumpy fairy." Chryrie chuckled, and then wheeled her into the cafeteria and towards the food line." Is there any particular flavor you have in mind, Mira?"

"Kitty's my best friend. Of course she knows you're in here." Because Skid liked to think that he alone spread vital news. When Chryrie mentioned the slow in busy times, he smiled a little secretively. "I can hardly wait for that." Once they made their way into the cafeteria, he peered over her shoulder. "Blue is the best flavor."

"Red" Mira wondered if that was a flavor. "Blue works too."

"One cherry, one blue raspberry, and one chocolate, please?" Chryrie looked to the worker behind the counter with a grin. The woman nodded and toddled off to get what was requested. "You see, Mira" She spoils me so." Skid snickered, and set a hand upon Chryrie's shoulder. "We were talking about you last night, you know. Had a whole pow-wow."

"About me?" Chryrie's eyebrows lifted as she reached to take the popsicles from the woman and then handed them to Mira and Skid before she took her own. "I hope good things were said."

"I feel spoiled, too. I'll miss all the spoiling once they kick me out of this place." Mira grinned, and then turned a questioning look to Skid. "We were" I thought we were talking about fairy prince - , oh, right, you said Chryrie was a real fairy princess."

"Well, I am a fae. I'm not sure about the princess part. But I do have my own castle, if that counts, had it built years ago." Chryrie handed the woman her badge, which was scanned and handed back.

"I like to treat her like one." A snerk preceded the implanting of the blue raspberry popsicle into Skid's mouth. "And she does have the castle, and a Dragon that lives there."

"I don't think one has to be fae or a princess to be a fairy princess, one just needs to happen across a fairy prince." Mira grinned and winked to both, enjoying her popsicle. It was quite possibly the best popsicle she ever had. "And Skid is certainly a fairy prince."

Skid coughed and choked on his popsicle, almost laughing it down his throat. Chryrie snickered so hard she had to hold her popsicle away from her for a moment.

"Well yes," she allowed, "I think he is too. But I don't think he sees it."

"How can you not see that, Skid?" Mira tried to keep her face straight. "You even have a crown on your head." Never mind that the crown was called horns by most.

"Ouch..." He pressed a hand, fingers splayed out, to his chest. "You know, I think that I happen to be a very masculine male." Skid harrumphed a dramatic harrumph.

"All fairy princes are very masculine. How else can they sweep their ladies off their feet?" Chryrie stated with a bemused smile

"What Chryrie said." Mira agreed, grinning now.

"Fine. I'm a fairy prince. And I'd better be getting a kiss for saying so." The statement came flat as a board straight from Skid's mouth to their ears.

"Just don't turn into a toad." Chryrie laughed and leaned over to give Skid a quick kiss.

Skid smiled, brought to contentment by the kiss, and flipped a wrist back in an obviously put-on flamboyant manner. "Please. Us fairy princes take skin and scale care very seriously." "That's good to know. I'd hate to have to explain *that* to Anya." Chryrie finished off her popsicle and tossed the stick into the garbage. "Now Mira, did you want to go back to your room or we can do more sight seeing. There's a courtyard with some very lovely flowers."

"As much as I'd love to visit the courtyard, that 'walk' earlier really tired me out. Maybe there's enough time for a nap before lunch." She asked with a hopeful look. Her now empty popsicle stick followed Chryrie's into the garbage can.

"Oh, I think there certainly is.? Chryrie checked the time and then wheeled Mira back to her room, Skid in tow.