Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds

I’ve never dabbled with drugs. I did have a few beers before I was old enough to drink legally. The first time was with my cousin Gene the night before he got married. There were three of us and I was the driver, so I drank with great caution.

After that I was in college. Most of my college drinking took place during my junior and senior years. Fear was my biggest deterrent. I didn’t want to get in trouble.

I’ve never smoked pot. I was about as clean as they come until last fall. A friend of mine gave me a saltine cracker to eat. We were in Biloxi, Mississippi and as we walked from one casino to another he said, “You’re not going to be able to walk in about thirty minutes”. I thought he was kidding. He wasn’t. The cracker had a medical grade hallucinogen drizzled on top. I lost four hours of my life that night. At the time I thought it might be the rest of my life. I had no conception of what was real and what was not. I hated losing control of what was happening.

There’s an old television commercial about drug usage. Take a look. ’80s Anti-Drug Commercial – Your Brain On Drugs (youtube.com)

Last Wednesday I had a similar experience to my visit to Biloxi. I was in major pain as I awoke from my shoulder surgery. When they asked how bad it was, I said “eight”. The truth is I was closer to nine and creeping up. They injected a cocktail into my IV to lessen my discomfort. Shortly after they asked me for a new assessment. I said, “Four”.

I don’t remember the next ask, but my son David provided this account.

“Can it be a negative number? I think I’m a negative one.”

After my pain was under control a team of three arrived. There were two guys in their late twenties and a lady in her early forties. They identified themselves but the drugs blocked my reception. The lady was a physical therapist. The two guys were occupational therapists, and one of them was a student. We chatted a bit and when I could walk, we walked down the hall to another room. It was a little parade. There were the three therapists, David and me.

I think we walked in single file. One of the guys pushed a fancy wheelchair in case I faltered. I didn’t.

When we arrived at our destination, we decided I wasn’t fit for travel yet. I needed to come down a bit from the high I was on. The trio left and promised to return. About forty-five minutes later the physical therapist came back. I had forgotten her name, so I asked her for it.

“Lucy.”

“Lucy in the sky with diamonds!”

“Yes.”

The Beatles – Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Official Video) (youtube.com)

We talked a bit and decided it was time to get dressed so I could head home. That’s when I said that I should use the bathroom first. Lucy pointed to our path. We’d walk about forty feet straight forward, turn left, and walk another forty. Lucy fastened a harness around my waist which she held as we walked. Once in the restroom she asked, “Are you going to stand or are you going to sit?”

I’m seventy-seven years old and no one ever asked me that before, but I was quick to reply.

“Stand.”

“Ok, but you can’t be here alone. Do you want David to stay or me?”

“David.”

I could feel the two exchange the harness. The space was large enough to hold a pool table, so I’m not sure if Lucy left. I was aware that David was holding me securely, but that’s when my biggest challenge of the day presented itself.

I was wearing nonslip hospital socks and the paper gown that I’d been given to begin my day. That’s it. The gown hung down my front and stopped about a foot before it hit the floor. My left limb was locked securely in a sling. I couldn’t feel anything. My hand didn’t work, and my fingers were non-functional. I needed to move the gown so I could attend my bathroom business with my right hand. I could see my left hand and fingers; they just wouldn’t move.

I’ve been a problem solver all my life, but this was really a challenge. Just as I was about to ask David for help, I had an epiphany. I gathered the gown with my right hand, pulled it up to my left, and stuffed it between my fingers. I couldn’t feel the gown, but I could see it locked securely in place. Once it was secured, I completed the task.

After I emptied my bladder, we had to retrace our steps so I could get dressed. That’s when Lucy reappeared. I had forgotten to untuck my gown, so she pulled it from my locked fingers for me. I’m sure she saw the full Monty, but she didn’t comment on her discovery. She dealt with my situation professionally.

If you decide to retell this tale, I hope you will too.