Takeaways from May 24th

Caroline's grandmother Ruby started experiencing the symptoms of Alzheimer's in her early 70's, was  soon diagnosed, and lived around another 7 years. What makes Alzheimer's so exceptionally hard is that the individual's  loved ones not only watch the progression of their family member's disease, but  also have to experience their spouse, mother, father, etc., forgetting who they are. Caroline's grandmother was no exception. Though an OT would certainly help with ADLs  and optimize the fleeting executive function of their client, I think a BIG role for the therapist is family education. Therapists must help their client's family achieve the impossible of not taking things personally when  their loved one  genuinely seems to lose the memory of their lifelong relationships.. It's so sinister that relationships are forgotten in old age, when those relationships have had time to become so deeply rooted and produce so much beautiful fruit. Alzheimer's stinks.

Neuronote 4

A couple weeks back, I attended the RKS art show and got to see the artwork of dozens of individuals. One of my favorites was called (I think,) "Dinosaurs Rock." Yes, yes they do! The artist used plastic gold stars for the spikes of their stegosaurus. Another painting was done entirely with someone's nose, and it was incredibly detailed with symmetry between strokes and leaves that took a very calculated effort. Another picture, which spoke to me the most, illustrated the process of someone deciding to rid themselves of their wheelchair and run freely away from their prior mode of transportation. You can't help but wonder how often thoughts like those run through people's minds when they are in a wheelchair. As someone who loves and participates in different types of art, I can't help but smile when I think about the opportunities that art affords us. Though some physical and neurological conditions may impede our human abilities,  art always finds an alternate route. Our pens, paintings, and perceptions will find alternate paths, and the outcomes, like the paintings at this art show, are beautiful. I look forward to encouraging and implementing art of various types in the therapy of my clients one day, and I hope to find ways to, like the RKS art show did, share that art with the rest of the world.    

Takeaways from class (May 22nd)

As a man who grew up with 4 brothers, Jonah and Emory's story was extra special to me. Though they may never get to experience the brotherly fights, the collective running away from home, and  other brotherly mischief, they will get their own unique experiences. Most importantly, they'll get to do it together. The innately strong brotherly bond will be emboldened by the connection they share through their M.S. No one will understand their struggles more than each other, and I think they will be a huge support to each other.

My takeaways

From doing this case study I learned about Hungtinton's disease including its etiology, symptoms, prognosis, etc. The devastating 50/50 heritability statistic makes Huntington's especially lethal. What makes it so hard is the decision of whether not to get tested. Do you wait it out or do you find out and  stress more? I would certainly choose the latter so I could be proactive about preparing. That's what Heather (ficitiously) decided to do. I'm kind of surprised that 90 percent of people elect not to find out-not that there's anything wrong with them for that. My mind, as with most all of these diseases, goes toward finding a cure. If I could have a hand in that one day, I would love to.

Takeaways from foundations

First off, you have done an awesome job. I thoroughly enjoy your classes and the climate(s) that you create within them.

The main info I picked up in this class are: the history and origin of OT, the skeleton of the OTPF, and what it means to be an OT. The OTPF was a bit daunting at first, but you did a great job explaining it all. If the info wasn't retained, it wasn't because you didn't deliver it correctly. Regardless of what we covered, it was always placed in the context of who we are as OTs, and it was never presented info for rote memorization. This class was an excellent first class to have to acclimate us to what exactly we're going to be doing in a couple years.

You can tell that you care about each student deeper than a grade book level, and it comes out in every class that you teach. Thank you.

P.S your clothes DO match

Neuronote 3

In March, I volunteered for a special needs event at Hope church. It was a St. Patrick's day party (for which I could not find the name online,) specifically for adults with clogging, bingo, food, etc.; it was awesome. One question that I had when I left is: Why is there little cultural focus on adults with special needs? Much of the programs and events in our culture for those with special needs are tailored to kids. Though I definitely think those programs should continue and ideally grow, there needs to be a relatively equal amount of programs for adults. Regardless of age, people thrive on relationships and interactions. I saw that first-hand at this event. The adults that came in shy were engaged and joy-filled by the end of the event. Kudos to Hope for putting on events for the adults. More programs like that are certainly needed. I can't fathom the loneliness that a lot of those awesome adults must feel when their social interaction activities are limited so much, and that's the passion that prompted me to choose this for my neuronote assignment. It would be awesome to be involved in planning and facilitating events like that.

Kristen Graham

A sad irony is the combination of Kristen's profession and the effects of her illness. Fine motor deficits and being a hair dresser do not mix. It's also sad how young she was when it started. It's hard to hear news like that when you have so much of your life ahead of you. I think the bright side is that she has so much time to find new passions. For OT, relaxation techniques could definitely be enjoyable and beneficial. I would also spend time trying to help her find new passions that she can still perform despite her MG