On October 4, 2010. I arrived at Riverview around 1pm. I was in room 408 on the 4th floor east. I remember thinking to myself that it was a nice room but I was nervous. I sat on my bed, when someone knocked on my door. It was a nurse whose name is Cindy and she informed me that l was at a rehabilitating center for stroke survivors and everybody in this ward was also a stroke survivor. 


She told me about the routine that I was expected to follow and what to expect. The routine for me was:
- everyone gets up around 8 am and a nurse on duty would come in to help with getting dressed and also to clean up and to get refreshed( brushing my teeth and combing my hair and washing my face.) Everyone was to eat at the main dining room for each and every meal. Unless you where feeling sick or if you had a visitor with you who could assist you if you needed help to eat. The reason for this, it helps to eat with others and to get to know the other patients, it helped  to socialise. I did not like what l heard since l was not use to eating in a designated area, l was also use to the nurses bring the food tray to me. 
However l was very determined to get better and l would do anything.
After she put on a identification bracelet on my arm, she left the room to get a wheelchair for me since l could not walk.   


She told me my schedule would be as follow: 
8am wake up time
9 am Breakfast
11 am to noon I had Occupational therapy.
noon Lunch
2 pm to 3pm Physio therapy
5 pm Dinner


It was almost time for dinner, so we headed to the dinning room. 


I was very nervous. She placed me at a table with 2 other patients and gave me a bib and then she left. The nurse's gave us our food trays. l remember sitting there and could not believe l was actually there, l still felt l was dreaming. 


My meal l can't recall but l usually received some broccoli or corn, mashed potatoes with no butter or l would get rice. hot water for tea or coffee, 0% milk  and water. Sometimes l would get either pudding or applesauce for desert.

After my meal a nurse took me back to my room and my mom, my sister and her daughter  where there. It really helped to have family their for me.


They stayed for a few hours. l loved how riverview had no set time for visitor's. They could come and go as they pleased as long as they where not noisy.


That was my first day there and l knew l had to get up early the next morning, so l went to bed as soon as my visitors left. So l would feel refreshed.