What the mind can believe...

What the mind can believe the body can achieve.
I am quite sure that is a bastardization of a perfectly sensible quote, but you get the idea.

The lady who looked me over and deemed me capable of giving her a bath was feeling rather nervous about getting down into the tub again. I told her we should at least try.
"I won't let you fall. You know I am strong."

Yes. I think you are good."

She needed to get up and move around a little. The first time she did not try very hard at all to get up. I purposely *over-assisted* her so that she felt herself launched rather than assisted.

"Oh my," I said. "You are alot stronger today."

She walked into the bathroom. She got undressed and into the tub alone with me standing by. I just poured jugs of water over her back for 15 minutes until she felt cleansed and then I drained out the water and put a thick warm towel around her.

I can't get out."

"Of course you can't. You just had a hot bath. We have to wait a few minutes."

Towelled, creamed and conversed about her increasing strength. THEN I said"
"Ok let me get behind you."

Into the tub I go too and stand behind her very low bench.
I reach down and hold the bottom of the towel.

You're not going to get me up with that little towel I am sitting on are you?"

"No not at all. You are going to stand up yourself. I am just here in case you need to sit down again. You just stand up and sit on the ledge of the tub a minute. Come on. 1-2-3 up.
OK! now just sit there and get your breath."

She had pushed herself up under her own strength.

We got her all settled back for her nap and then she told me.

he last two days it has taken two people to lift me out of the tub."

I had a call about it.

Do you lift her out of the tub?" (we are a no-lift worksite)

What the mind believes....

She believes so adamantly in my abilities she just does it.
My comment to my Supervisor was just to tell her other workers to go real slow.
She can do it. But she has to believe that *they* believe she can.
Or else she will lose faith in herself and them.

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Faith, enthusiasm, and passionate intensity in general are substitutes for the self-confidence born of experience and the possession of skill. Where there is the necessary skill to move mountains there is no need for the faith that moves mountains.
- Eric Hoffer