Live Man Walking

“Are you awake Mr. Beckstein? The nurse asked me as she wrote down my vital signs in my chart. She saw I was not too keen on exercise.

“Yes, what time is it?” I asked. I could not see the clock on the wall. I took out my contacts before surgery. Two days after my abdominal resection procedure. Still no contacts.

“It is TIME for you to WALK, Mr. Beckstein. “She replied with the authority of a Supreme Court justice.

“The best thing for you to do Mr. Beckstein is to walk after surgery but your body is ANGRY!” The nurse continued with a scrunched up face trying to look angry.

My nurse unplugged the electronic gizmos but left my morphine IV. I was to walk for the first time. My blanket was moved as I made an attempt to scoot my heavy butt by using every single muscle EXCEPT my abdomenal muscles. I stared at the ceiling and tried to use my legs to move my butt.

“OOH I moaned as I tried to move with no pain. It is going to hurt but do it anyway I thought to myself. The nurse waited patiently as I inched slowly to the edge of my hospital bed. My nurse continued her “why you need to walk” pep talk.

“Mr. Beckstein after surgery your body goes into shock and is slow to start functioning again.” The nurse continued.

“Tell me more” I replied. I liked the pep talk and was glad to get more info about what is “normal” for patients after this surgery.

The nurse had that face again. “Your body is waiting for another attack like that surgery. I call it angry. When you walk you are telling your body It’s OK to start to move again. I want you to set a goal to walk FIVE times today.” the nurse commanded.

I made a mental note... walk five times today.

The nurse grabbed both of my hands and helped pull me to an upright sitting position on my bed. I am light headed. We pause a moment.

Next I wrapped one arm over my nurses neck as she lifted me onto my feet as I used my wobbly legs to lift my body. I think I weighted 8000 pounds that day. OK. I am standing. Now I must shuffle for 30 feet with blue hospital slippers pushing my IV cart. Hey this is fun.

Do you remember the Jackie Chan Kung Foo movies with the fight scenes in slow motion? That’s me but I have a nurse holding me steady with one arm and morphine IV in the other arm. This is a different fight than Jackie Chan. I had to walk with a 9-inch incision in my belly and staples to hold me together.

“Mr. Beckstein, the more you walk the quicker you leave the hospital.” The nurse stated.

“I hear your encouragement and I want to walk I really do, but morphine messages floated into my brain.

You know I've smoked a lot of grass
O' Lord, I've popped a lot of pills
But I never touched nothin'
That my spirit could kill
You know, I've seen a lot of people walkin' 'round
With tombstones in their eyes
But the pusher don't care
Ah, if you live or if you die
God damn, The Pusher
God damn, I say The Pusher
I said God damn, God damn The Pusher man

Don’t get me wrong. I am glad to be pain free. Morphine just took away my motivation to exercise or do anything. I shuffled five more feet then looked at my nurse. I know she is proud of me just to get out of that hospital bed. I was proud just to walk by myself and push my IV cart.

“OK lets turn around and return to your bed.” The nurse advised.

“I have to turn around now? Great I was doing so well in this direction." I replied.

A few nurses arrived to help by circling around me as I tried to turn 180 degrees. The nurses closed in to avoid me from falling. This maneuver is like a team of tugboats moving an aircraft carrier into port. OK my body is pointed home to my bed. I did make my return trip.

Thanks to the nurses I did complete my five walks that day and was able to stop morphine the next day. I left the hospital after six days.

The real turning point for me to start recovering from abdominal resection surgery was walking.

I am very grateful that nurse gave me that "lets go for a walk" pep talk.