Continued from Chapter 3

…How did she get here?

A woman appeared to my left, wearing a wardrobe which appeared to be selected for her in an old 90’s sitcom, made entirely of nylon and taupe, blending in to the builder beige walls, her hair, naturally wavy, streaked with silver, the colorado dry-winter effortless static poof quite not doing her not-so-subtle make up job justice. Her stale Nordstrom’s Rack perfume was giving me a migraine. Don’t you know not to wear that crap around us folk with brain injury and severe sensitivity to smell? That is a STENCH, honey pie.

My name is Patricia. It’s time to talk about Christa’s Inpatient Rehab Care. This lady wreaked of Caseworker and spoke to my family as if I weren’t in the room.

I realize I’m only on speaking terms through a dry erase-board, but come on, lady, I’m an actual human being.

Weird, I know. It’s like people with brain injuries and disabilities want to be treated as equals. WHAT?! Preposterous!

With our insurance at the time, we had two choices. Craig Hospital- the top Neuro research rehab hospital in the country, which happens to be right here in Colorado, or Encompass Health, a solid second choice but.. not Craig.

Fast forward one week.

I’m asleep and wake up to Sam fuming. I can hear him fighting with someone in the hallway, but I can’t tell who.

WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE??!!!

It’s my mom’s day to visit me. She’s helping file a chipped nail on my right hand that was bugging me. Sam storms in.

“They said its not medically necessary. i’m elevating it to management as best as I can. I can’t believe insurance company’s have the right to dictate our futures like this.” He’s still fuming from the argument yesterday.

They won’t tell me, but i’m not stupid and have started to figure out what’s going on. It seems like my insurance company won’t allow me to go to Craig. Apparently Bright Health didn’t think that being half paralyzed with your jaw wired shut or living life with half a skull in some freezer somewhere and your squishy brain shlooping out of it’s cage, in an extra vulnerable state was not medically necessary enough to go to the best neurological rehab facility within 15 minutes of my house. COOL. Double thumbs, or middle fingers up to you, insurance companies.

Now, we must wait for Encompass to have a free bed for me. in the midst of the tale end of the COVID-19 crisis… our bestie Patricia bursts through the door

GREAT NEWS!!

oh? Is Bright Health less of an evil scam and you’ve actually helped us, and I can get into Craig?

No.

THERE’S A BED FOR YOU AT ENCOMPASS!

This is the first time she’s ever made eye contact with me.  WOW. Hi there, green eyes!

I couldn’t believe it. Here we go. After almost a full month of living in this hospital, befriending nurses and the cleaning crew, I am outta here. I am embarking on a new journey. I am about to start recovering. I am going to learn how to walk. I am going to make some serious moves. cue the Rocky Theme! LET’S GO!!! Get me the hell outta this wheelchair! oh, wait… I have to be transferred in it? shit.

we shall continue….