Monday blues

Today was one of those difficult days. Sunday I spent a lot of time going over the handover and looking at what needs to be done, organising everything into a file so that I am organised and ready to tackle the week. But as community goes, nothing really goes to plan. But that’s ok, I am learning this and I think because I am so used to structure from being on three blocks already, to have minimal structure is quite difficult to adjust to. But today was a good day at the clinic, we facilitated the Down’s Syndrome group which was great. I love down’s syndrome, these special angels are the whole reason I started OT. We had one little girl in a standing frame and we played with playdough allowing for sensory stimulation, weighbearing on the table, bilateral coordination using both hands with the rolling pin and fine motor coordination. What I love about community clinic is how unpredictable it is. You never know what is going to happen and I LOVE working alongside the physio, helping where I can and seeing how they treat. Today we had to leave the room while Meghan and Jani gave advice on sex for someone who had a loss of sensation- they were not expecting it and in that moment, you need to provide that client with the information that he needs. Meghan and Jani also came into contact with a disorder they had never heard of, and google was out in a matter of minutes as they searched for what this condition is and how they can treat in that moment. I love that. It is exciting and the information that the rehab team relays to the clients is so valuable and meaningful. We learn in OT about fancy programmes and intervention where in a place like Kwadabeka, information that may seem small and silly to us is so important to someone. Today in the clinic also showed me how much we do actually know. Sometimes we tend to forget that we actually do know a lot and we CAN treat, and that we are, “experts” in some fields. Such as a wheelchair a lady with TB spine was using, the transfers into this wheelchair were horrific because the wheelchair was so old school that the sides did not come off. Now, with one look at the wheelchair we could decipher all the barriers to independence, all the hardships that the caregiver must be experiencing having to transfer the client into that wheelchair. And we took a look, and could clinically reason as to why this client needed a new wheelchair that would allow for more independence. This client’s life and that of her caregiver’s will be made easier and happier because we know how to change their situation. Its motivating to know that we can help in this manner. I named this post Monday Blues, and as I am reflecting on this day, my mood is being uplifted as I come to these realisations. Today we also went on our very first home visit to the most wonderful lady. She is bed bound due to a nerve injury and elepahantitis. Our job is to make her life easier before she goes for her operation in September. In this case, we really get to challenge our OT abilities in making adaptations to her home environment and creating assistive devices so that this client can keep some of her independence in cooking, cleaning and personal management, I am so excited to help this lady and I look forward to seeing the outcome of our home adaptations and assisting this client in gaining some independence.