Neuro Note #5: Me Before You

Thoughts on Me Before You

       Me Before You is a fictional movie about a high profile man who was in a pedestrian accident resulting in a SCI.  William Traynor lived a lavish life before he became quadriplegic.  After the accident, he rarely smiled or engaged in leisure activities.  His parents hired Louisa Clark, a extroverted, free spirit, to be Will's caregiver.  Her personality and excitement for life was inspiring to me.  At first, Will is not fond of Louisa, but as time passes their connection grows stronger.  Louisa planned several activities for them in hopes of Will finding enjoyment in his life again.  The role Louisa played in this aspect reminded me of what an OT could do for Will.  Minus the physical relationship at the end of the movie of course.  She did her best to find things Will enjoyed before the accident and tweaked them to fit his current needs.  Some attempts of the actives did not go as planned, but Louisa helped them adapt to the changes.  

      Will made plans to go to an assisted suicide facility to end his life.  This controversial aspect of the film led me to wonder about the reality of someone doing that and how hard it must be for them and the family.  It is difficult to say whether or not I agree with that.  As an OT, I would hope to help my clients find joy and meaning in their daily lives so the thought of ending life is not in question.  From another perspective, a person's own suffering and pain is difficult to understand from the outside, therefore if someone has made that decision it could be unchangeable.  

      I have heard several reviews from my classmates about this film, so I decided it would be my last Neuro Note.  While it was fiction, it gave me insight on what life is like for a person after a SCI.  I hear about stories of triumph and overcoming obstacles such as Fletcher Cleaves, but stories about the suffering and pain following SCIs are rarely broadcasted.  It was sad to see how much he hated his life, but that is some people's reality.  In conclusion, this movie made me laugh, made me cry, and gave me more insight on the life of a person who is a quadriplegic. 

Sharrock, T. (Director). (2016). Me Before You [Motion Picture]. United States: Warner Bros. Pictures

Sim Lab Reflection

1.  I thought I did well until I watched myself.  After that, I would say I did good.  I noticed a few things I would like to work on or change.  I realized I did prompt Francis to answer questions which can skew the results of the assessment. I think I did well at getting to know Francis after I finished the assessment.

2.  I am most proud of the way I tried to relate to Francis and the situation she was in.  I enjoyed talking with her about her family and working on starting a therapeutic relationship.  After the assessment was over I did my best to ask about what she likes to do and her home situation. 

3.  I struggled with giving feedback when she answered the questions.  I did not want to let her know she got it correct but I also did not want to be rude in my response.  I prompted her with a couple questions which I know could affect the results.  I think I need more practice with giving assessments more objectively while remaining kind. 

4.  I would like to know how to effectively give an assessment under a time constraint.  Although I did finish in enough time that may not be the case every time.  I'm curious how it would be like to interact with a client that was not as welcoming and understanding as Francis was. 

5.  I would definitely use germ-x or wash my hands because I forgot that simple step this time.  I would not prompt Francis to answer questions correctly.  When I left I did not ask if she needed anything, so next time I would try to do that.  I would also like to improve my sitting posture.  I noticed I slumped over a lot and that I should start sitting up straight more. 

6.  I was reassured that I am in OT school for a reason.  I really enjoyed the real life experience and it was refreshing to start to apply what we learn in a clinical setting.  I learned that when I obsess over one thing going into a situation, odds are I'm going to forget it!  For example, Germ-x.  I told myself over and over to do that but as soon as I walked in I forgot.  So lesson learned, when I do get on field work I need to relax and create good habits in clients' rooms.  Lastly, keeping a client on task can be difficult, but with more experience I will be able to do it more effectively.