deep breath and look around the room, nervously laughing. “That sounds kind of embarrassing.”
“Almost everyone here who takes an extended walk has used this machine to regain strength. It’s not as bad as you’re imagining. I promise.”
He walks to a cupboard positioned against a wall and pulls out a folded article of clothing. “I even have some of the most comfortable sweat pants in existence for you to wear.”
The thought of extreme comfort sounds incredibly enticing. “Is that a bribe?” I blithely ask him.
“It might be,” he responds with a smile.
He drops to one knee in front of me and helps me put the pants on. The awkwardness of the situation slowly slips away as the incredibly soft cotton brushes across my skin. “Wow,” I say insouciantly. “You weren’t kidding. These are great.”
He wraps a wide belt around my rib cage and uses it to support me as he pulls me to standing once again. My legs are still incredibly weak and wobbly, but somehow, I manage slightly better this time.
He carefully guides me toward the hanging belts and straps them around my thighs and waist. I grip the railings tightly with my hands to steady myself.
“How does it feel?” Sam asks me once he finishes buckling the last of the straps.
“Weird,” is the only thing that comes to mind.
He steps a few feet away from me to a computer. “If you didn’t notice, there is a treadmill under your feet. I’ll set the speed over here. All you have to do is walk.”
The belt of the treadmill sluggishly glides into action. “Go ahead and walk. The harness will support your weight and give you a chance to put your leg muscles into action again.”
I chuckle to myself at the oddity of my appearance as I gingerly move one foot in front of the other. I spend the next ten minutes walking at a snail’s pace, finding my balance again.
“So what do you think? Want to try going a little faster?”
I enthusiastically agree. The speed of the belt slightly increases and my legs willingly keep up.
I spend another ten minutes on the treadmill before Sam informs me that I’ve had enough for day one. He unstraps me from the belts and helps me back into my chair.
***
As Sam wheels me down the hall, he informs me that I won’t be returning to the recovery room, but instead to the step-down unit. “You’ve made good progress today. I’ll be by in the morning to take you for another walk. We’ll do it twice a day, every day until we have you back to normal.”
I sigh in relief. “That sounds great. I’m ready to get out of here.”
The step-down unit feels much less like a hospital than the other rooms I have been in. The unit is one large room, divided into small sections. Each section has three walls and a curtain that closes for privacy. A bed lies at the center of the room. Along one wall is a kitchenette, with a small refrigerator and an even smaller sink. Along the other wall, a reclining chair, an end table, and a television.
“This is so much more motivating to return to reality.”
“That’s kind of the idea. And the best part is, once we clear you to walk on your own, you’re free to leave your room and visit others in the unit.”
“Just out of curiosity, what’s the fastest anyone has ever made it out of here?”
“Most people spend about two weeks in this unit before heading home. I think the fastest anyone who has spent six weeks in a pod has been discharged is twelve days.”
I smile at him as he helps me into bed. “You should know that I plan on crushing that statistic.”
***
Over the next few hours I meet a few different nurses and am subjected to several neurological tests. Once I am deemed healthy enough to function, one of my nurses brings me a bowl of soup and some crackers.
“Wow, food. I haven’t eaten in a long time.”
“Well, you will definitely enjoy this. It’s one of my personal favorites. And one of the chef’s specialties here.”
The medley of herbs and spices in the broth fills my room. It takes my brain a moment to understand the delicious aroma my nose is experiencing. Once it does, it immediately informs my stomach to alert me as to how hungry I really am.
I carefully slide a spoonful into my mouth, giving my taste buds a fabulous treat. My palette isn’t experienced enough