Are you talking to me????

The routine in the ICU for me was to flip me over every hour or so to change my dressings, and to prevent one side of my body from flattening out too much (at least that's what it felt like). I felt a little week, and I still couldn't lift anything from the neck down, so I was still eating while laying down. I had things on my calves that inflated and deflated so that it would pump blood to and from my legs. I had a catheter in me to get rid of bodily fluids. I only had one IV in me. I had my jeopardy style pain clicker. I wasn't on oxygen, so that was good. I was always hot, and I'm sure I smelled lovely at this point. I am sure I was not in the best condition to do anything. So it came as a surprise to me when the night nurse said, "Ok, Amy, let's go for a walk."
Whuh...me??? Now????
He let the guardrails down from the side of the bed, and called another nurse saying that I was going for a walk.
Whuh...now???...I have a blood bag...I have a pee bag...how is this supposed to work?...I have a broken back...uh...I'm on morphine...
Ok, Amy, let's go.
So they lifted me out of bed, and with a nurse standing on either side of me, one holding my pee bag and the other holding my blood bag, they supported me while I shuffled around the ICU. I could barely put one foot in front of the other. I felt very unstable, but it was kind of nice to be able to put some weight on my legs. It also felt nice knowing that I could walk, and that I wasn't paralized after all.
Walking...wow...what a conconcept.
After one lap around the ICU, I was spent. I was eased back into bed, and fell asleep for the rest of the night.
I was able to go for walks like this anytime I wanted to after this experience. So early Thursday mornings, and the rest of the day on Thursday, I walked around the ICU with assistance from the nurses. And then I found a walker. So started using a walker. I felt like an old lady, but it was nice to be able to get out of bed. YAYAY!!!