A little frustrated

[solobiker]

Back in 2000 I had some pretty significant back issues which kept me off my bike for close to 1.5 years. I did a lot of stretching, strengthening and yoga to make it better. It still flairs up but usually does not bother me too much. Well today at work while I was working with a resident in the therapy gym I saw out of the corner of my eye one of the PTs struggling with a resident in the // bars. She was not near her wheelchair, she was was turned half way around and was starting to fall down. Well I jumped up, grabbed her wheelchair and with the help of the PT pretty much picked her up and turned her around and placed her in her chair. Of course I had to reach far forward to reach her and twist my body to get her in the chair. Well now my back is starting to hurt. I will have to tell my boss tomorrow, but I am pretty frustrated now because there were others in the gym which were right there and didn't help. Some of my co-workers do the minimum amount of work possible while I feel like I go above and beyond. Oh well, just needed to vent thanks.

[Zen]

If you tell your boss exactly what you just told us do you think it will have any effect?

I would be more than a little frustrated, I'd be seething.

[Blueberry]

I'd be pretty PO'd too. Make sure you explain the entire situation to your boss, including all the folks who were close and didn't help. That's just NOT ok.

CA

[solobiker]

If you tell your boss exactly what you just told us do you think it will have any effect?

I would be more than a little frustrated, I'd be seething.

Well, I am more then frustrated I am just trying to not get too worked up over it. As for my boss...I doubt it will have any effect. She is pretty useless in a management type of position. It just bothers me that others are not aware of their surroundings at work and just let others do it for them. I am not that type of person and I did not want to see that little lady fall down, she is already suppppppper anxious about falling. I guess I give most humans more credit then they deserve.

[NbyNW]

It sucks to have any kind of setback after the patience and hard work it takes to get back to normal or better.

I think it speaks volumes that you reacted to help this other person without thinking about what the consequences might be for yourself. I hope you start to feel better soon.

As for what others could do, the minimum or otherwise . . . it sounds like you were sensitive to this particular woman's anxiety about falling. That can be both a gift and a liability.

Having been through injury and rehab myself -- sometimes we do need someone to catch us so that we don't exacerbate our injuries. Other times, we need to be allowed to fall so that we can learn. Limits and boundaries shift during the healing process, and they need to be tested so that we know when we can push and when to back off.

I guess my point is: it's great that you went to help -- but was it actually needed? Yes, her PT may have been struggling, but maybe was not at the point when she needed to ask others for help. I wasn't there, I don't know, maybe there wasn't time to verbalize anything.

Maybe there are some broader issues at play here . . . for example, I often think that my co-workers should be more sensitive to my ongoing issues with my back and hip, when in reality, why should they? they don't live with my problems, and they don't know what it's like. It's not necessarily fair for me to expect them to be sensitive to my needs, even if they intellectually know that I've been through something terrible.

Is there a camel's back that is under stress here, and is this the straw that would break it?

[solobiker]

The PT definately needed help and I really did not want to let resident "fall" because she recently had a fall in the hospital which resulted in a hip fracture. She was in the hospital due to a rather significant stroke. She has many physical and visual deficits which affects her ability and makes her that much more anxious. I definately do not want to be coddled at work and have never asked, I am just bummed that my back flaired up. I am sure I will reach out to help again because it is in my nature..it is who I am, especially in a situation like the above mentioned. So to make a long story short I will do more stretching, yoga and stay off the bike for a bit. Luckily it is getting too darn hot for me to enjoy the ride. Have a great day everyone.