Chucky Mullins

    Today, I shared my case study on Chucky Mullins with my small group.  It was exciting to share his story as well as my ideas on how OT could have benefitted him.  One thing we discussed was how OT could help Chucky with his relationship with his girlfriend. We were unsure if sexual activity would even be possible and if so how OTs could help him. As I was completing my case study I did not think about this aspect, so I'm glad new ideas were facilitated via this group discussion. Another aspect I made sure to address was helping Ole Miss become more of a universal campus.  Ensuring Chucky can get around campus is vital for him to perform his meaningful activities.  The group discussion helped me to share my ideas and get feedback on how we could improve the long term and short term goals.


HOTTY TODDY!

This is Reflection

Neuro Note #1

     The material I chose to delve into is a photo documentary title This Is. This Is followed a newly wed couple through the ups and downs of brain cancer. The husband Josh was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiform or GBM brain tumor just months after the couple was married. I went through the documentary several times and each picture exemplifies different emotions each time. Similar to how the documentary laid out a few details, I wrote all of the words that came to mind as I was going through the documentary. 

Here are my words: 

unconditional

love

strength

adapting

struggle

active

determination

real

laughter

bravery

intimate

emotional

despair

     I chose to reflect on this because it gave a clear and raw explanation of the emotional rollercoaster of brain cancer. It depicted the emotions clearly without having to be spelled out. I gained even more insight on aspects of terminal illness that are hidden from the public view. Jenna, the wife, showed such strength and tenacity while caring for Josh. Knowing the challenges the caregivers of clients or patients with brain cancer is important for OTs. Often times caregivers do not show outwardly how much they are struggling with seeing their loved one suffer and remaining strong. I hope to create meaningful, therapeutic relationships not only with my clients but also with their caregivers. Individuals who are going through similar situations can view this documentary and be reassured they are not alone in their journey. As a future OT, I hope to grow and learn from others' stories such as Josh and Jenna's so that I can show insight and empathy for my clients when they are going through difficult times.

     Everyone can learn from this photo documentary and I definitely recommend it to further our learning about brain cancer!

Link to documentary: http://www.thisisdocumentary.com

References

Gilbert, J. K. (n.d.). This Is. Retrieved April 21, 2017, from http://www.thisisdocumentary.com/

Developing Clinical Reasoning

After the lecture about clinical reasoning, I was scheduled to observe at the Rachel Kay Stevens Clinic.  I decided to bring a notebook to begin working on my clinical reasoning skills.  My professor described the client as "a mystery".  The client exhibited attention deficits.  I noticed he did not stay focused on one activity for very long.  Once he focused on the OT evaluation he could only concentrate for around 1-2 minutes.  The OT2's explained to me that he seemed to be sensory seeking.  The client seemed impulsive as he was playing.  He listened well and had sufficient hand writing.  I took notes on anything I found note worthy and asked the professor and OT2's about my questions at the end.  I was able to observe and learn from the evaluation and begin my journey of developing clinical reasoning. 

Keep Calm I'm a (future) OT

        Today in class, I learned an interesting fact that OTs get sued the least compared to other health professions. I started to make guesses on why that was. Our therapeutic use of self is most likely one reason. Creating a therapeutic relationship with the client is in our scope of practice. Other professions may not have the same relationship with clients. The relationship is evident even in the beginning stages of evaluation during the interview part. Professor Lancaster pointed out that another reason may be that OTs are typically better at documentation. I think this is because we are trained to pay close attention to the details of our client.
         The documentation and legal aspect of occupational therapy can be intimidating to students. (At least it is to me!) I have also heard insurance can be a difficult aspect of the profession. I am excited to continue learning about the ins and outs of these subjects.

Finding an OT Niche

     While learning about the MOT2's experiences at the AOTA Conference, I realized that I have absolutely no clue what area of practice I want to go into. I believe this is perfectly fine due to the fact that I am only 4 months into OT school. I know most of my classmates have an idea of what area they are interested in. I just find so many of the areas I can potentially work in to be so interesting. Before I started OT school, I had a feeling I would be drawn to geriatrics but now I am leaning towards mental health and even community health. One the beauties of our future profession is that I have so many options and am able to reach an vast amount of individuals. I hope that as I continue to gain knowledge of OT, I will be able to make a better decision. Until then I am relishing in the fact that my options are endless. 

Neuro Aspects and Personal Perspectives

      Today in class, I was able to hear very relevant and also disheartening stories of classmates who have personally experienced situations involving brain injuries. This helps get a more empathetic and emotional understanding of how brain injuries can affect not only the individual but also their loved ones.
      Professor Lancaster's blog also gave so much insight on the details people do not often think about regarding a family member's illness. One thing that I related with was the blog post titled "No Rhyme or Reason". I have personally said this myself that it can be frustrating hearing "everything happens for a reason" from bystanders when you are facing difficulties. Knowing unfortunate events can happen to anyone and everyone was oddly comforting to me when dealing with my father's chronic illness. While I know it can be difficult to comfort someone who is facing adversity, I have realized sometimes it is better to just tell them, "I am here for you" rather than trying to give "rhyme or reason" to a situation. I hope I can create meaningful relationships with clients and be able to comfort and support them, but never to tell them they are hurting for a reason.

DisABILITY

    Aimee Mullins's TED Talk was related to how disability and/or adversity is seen as a negative phenomenon, when it is often a fact of life. When Mullins's listed the synonyms for the word disability, I was very taken aback. The terms were extremely derogatory and demeaning. If society has this view of individuals with disability, it is difficult for them to feel empowered and respected.
    I found her story about her doctor very relevant to our profession. I have learned that by being in a health profession we are leaders to our clients and others. Being leaders, we have the responsibility to promote empowerment of all people, regardless of ability or disability.