Recovering to Become a Zero: A Mixup in Rehab

At my first visit to rehab following an injury, the therapist and I had our standards mixed up when she asked me to rate how I felt. Thinking 5 was good, I said 4.

“I’m sorry you are that sick,” she said.

“It’s okay,” I said.

“No, 4 is not okay; we don’t want you to be a 4,” she said.

“I thought 4 was pretty good,” I said.

“No,” she said, “zero is good.”

“I don’t want to be a zero,“ I said.

“But if zero means no pain, we want you to be a zero,” she explained.

“Oh!” I said. “Then I am a 1 and definitely want to be a zero!”

DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective/Journey Notes 16C30