Sunday, December 30, 2007
Thought provoking movie
So here's another movie suggestion (can you tell I have more time on my hands now that term has ended?). It's called 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly'. It's a true story and adapted from a novel by the same name. It's an extremely well written and filmed French flick with a great soundtrack to match. I'm going to put my reaction to this film in the comments section (commenting on my own blog - sad?)so as not to ruin the storyline. I would love to know what other people think about this movie. So don't be shy to comment on my comment. Movie website and trailer link: http://www.thedivingbellandthebutterfly-themovie.com/
Friday, December 21, 2007
Army OT's
At the beginning of the year, we attended a Rehab Expo. It was pretty inspiring to see the array of amazing designs and devices that exist out there for people with disabilities. Curiously, one of the exhibition booths at the Expo was a recruiting stand for the Canadian Army. One of my classmates went up to the booth and asked if the army employed OT's. The women looked blank - the sort of "shall I admit that I don't really know what an OT is or should I just wing it" look. Recognising this expression, my classmate filled her in on the ins and outs of a job that would seem essential in the rehab of injuries inflicted during service. The women replied that she thought the army employed PT's but not OT's. If anyone knows whether the Canadian Army employs OT's, I would be interested to know. Maybe this is one of those areas where OT is not deemed essential enough to put funding into, but wouldn't all an injured soldier want to do is return to "normal living"? That could be a tough proposition without the help of an OT. Anyway, this little YouTube clip below shows the American Army have figured it out.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Inspiring documentary
I saw this great documentary on CBC the other day. It was part of The Passionate Eye documentary series. The program follows Dr. Jack Kessler who is leading research into nerve regeneration using stem cells. Dr. Kessler is particularly passionate about this as his daughter has a spinal cord injury. Obviously a huge controversy is sparked off when the words 'stem cell research' are mentioned, but for those of us in rehab, this program is inspiring and makes it seem like important developments are just around the corner if only the moral/ethical/political issues can be resolved - don't hold your breath for that one though. There's a link to a trailer of the documentary below but try to get hold of the full program (er, not quite sure how, contact CBC?). There's also a link to a discussion board which opens up some of the issues touched on by the documentary. For anyone interested in spinal cord injury, this documentary is fascinating and inspiring to watch.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Jumping the Fence
It was a year since I sat in a similar ‘Introduction to OT and PT’ presentation. When I attended the session a year ago, I was on the outside, a wannabe, wondering what it would take to be awarded one of the elusive forty places on the OT program. It would be a bad rehab pun to say I would have given my right leg to get a place, so I won’t mention that. Having ‘jumped the fence’ and now firmly on the inside, I attended the information session again this year in part to give a student’s perspective on the program and to help others jump the same fence, in part to procrastinate from doing my anatomy studies and in part to see how far I had come in one year.
The format of the presentation was slightly different this year with the focus more on exploring the similarities and differences in the scope of practice of OT’s and PT’s. A year ago, I would have been unable to clearly articulate the differences between the two rehab professions; now this understanding comes fairly intuitively. Case studies were presented to the audience who were encouraged to suggest ways in which OT’s or PT’s might be involved. This scared me a bit as I was fairly unsure of what my approach would be. However, I consoled myself by thinking that 10 weeks of training does not make one a professional and at least I did know how to go about analyzing such cases. The presentation gave an overview of each program and culminated with a review of the application procedure. I remember this being clearly ingrained in my mind last year – the process appeared before me like a line of variously sized hoops to jump through. Some hoops were large and required a mere light spring of a step to pass through, while others were small and fire-emblazoned, requiring a careful, calculated approach. Every hoop had to be passed through, none could be missed out. It seemed like a daunting task.
Having made it through the hoops unscathed, I’d like to offer some advice to others embarking on the same journey. Generally my advice is: immerse yourself in every possible aspect of occupational therapy you can think of (and think broadly!). For example: find websites (OTworks is a good place to start), read rehabilitation related articles in newspapers and journals, contact OT’s and try to get a shadow placement for half a day, interview people you know who work in health care. Above all, try to get as much out of the volunteer experience as possible. If at the end of all this (don’t forget to leave any stone unturned!), firstly you’ll know in your gut whether this is the right profession for you and secondly, you’ll now be ready to write your application and take on the interview. If you have a deep understanding of what an OT does (beyond the standard definition) and why you want to be an OT, you’re off to a good start. Good luck in your quest – those fiery hoops may seem scary from afar, but they are not so bad close up – and hopefully I’ll see you on the other side of the fence one day.
The format of the presentation was slightly different this year with the focus more on exploring the similarities and differences in the scope of practice of OT’s and PT’s. A year ago, I would have been unable to clearly articulate the differences between the two rehab professions; now this understanding comes fairly intuitively. Case studies were presented to the audience who were encouraged to suggest ways in which OT’s or PT’s might be involved. This scared me a bit as I was fairly unsure of what my approach would be. However, I consoled myself by thinking that 10 weeks of training does not make one a professional and at least I did know how to go about analyzing such cases. The presentation gave an overview of each program and culminated with a review of the application procedure. I remember this being clearly ingrained in my mind last year – the process appeared before me like a line of variously sized hoops to jump through. Some hoops were large and required a mere light spring of a step to pass through, while others were small and fire-emblazoned, requiring a careful, calculated approach. Every hoop had to be passed through, none could be missed out. It seemed like a daunting task.
Having made it through the hoops unscathed, I’d like to offer some advice to others embarking on the same journey. Generally my advice is: immerse yourself in every possible aspect of occupational therapy you can think of (and think broadly!). For example: find websites (OTworks is a good place to start), read rehabilitation related articles in newspapers and journals, contact OT’s and try to get a shadow placement for half a day, interview people you know who work in health care. Above all, try to get as much out of the volunteer experience as possible. If at the end of all this (don’t forget to leave any stone unturned!), firstly you’ll know in your gut whether this is the right profession for you and secondly, you’ll now be ready to write your application and take on the interview. If you have a deep understanding of what an OT does (beyond the standard definition) and why you want to be an OT, you’re off to a good start. Good luck in your quest – those fiery hoops may seem scary from afar, but they are not so bad close up – and hopefully I’ll see you on the other side of the fence one day.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
First Success with a Consumer
One month into the Occupational Therapy program and I've had my first success with a real life person! Ok, so I admit the person was myself, but who else is going to let me unleash my minuscule amount of skill on them at the moment? Learning about one of the principle OT process models, I have managed to apply it to one of my own Occupational Performance Issues (or OPI's as we say in the biz). My OPI is that I can't participate in my chosen sport (field hockey) due to a knee injury. Now my injury is not that serious in the grand scheme of things, but imagine the effect on someone's life if they were unable to doing something that is so central to them - something that practically defines them. The implications and ramifications of this are huge, spanning way beyond the immediate medical problem.
Having waited 4 months to see the knee specialist, I felt like I had to take matters into my own hands in order to get my story across. With an average consultation duration of 15 mins, even doctors with the best intentions would find it difficult to get up to speed with not only what is troubling the patient but also how it is affecting the rest of their life. I decided to make a 'Resume of Tom'. The resume included basic demographic details, a summary of my sporting involvement since I was a child (embarrassingly, the highlight of which still being an accomplishment at the age of 11), my current physical activities including those involved in my work duties, a detailed breakdown of my knee troubles (patterns of pain, signs and symptoms) and my goal for the future. My goal was to be able to participate in all my chosen physical activities, many of which involve a high degree of knee twisting. I had heard the word on the street that specialists are reluctant to operate unless the ligament is completely torn - my dubious MRI had concluded a grade II tear, so I thought I was fighting an uphill battle.
As the doctor scanned my scant notes trying to ascertain the reason I was in his office, I thrust this resume in his hands. My hope was that in the minute he took to scan it, he got a much broader picture what my complaint was, what I wanted done, but most of all, who I was. I was trying to make him realise how central physical activity is to my sense of self. I suppose I would define myself as being 'a sporty person' and therefore it is part of my sense of spirituality. He told me to jump on the examination bed (it was more of a hop) and tested the strength of the anterior cruciate ligament. My good leg had an 'end point' when he pulled, like a rubber band that wants to resist being stretched. My dodgy leg did not have an end point which led him to the quick diagnosis that the ligament was completely torn, apart from maybe a few fibres ahnging on for dear life. He immediately offered the choice of having the ligament repaired or leaving it the way it is, each with their associated risks and benefits. I chose the first option, final answer, with no need to phone a friend (admittedly, I had been polling my knee injury-ridden field hockey teammates in the few weeks prior so I had probably exhausted this lifeline already). I couldn't believe I was being given this opportunity. Utterly surprised at how easily he had agreed to go ahead with the surgery, I forgot to ask exactly what procedure he was going to do - I heard the word 'arthroscopy', but that didn't mean anything to me. The secretary told me I could be operated on in one month and again I was shocked with the immediacy of it all.
All in all, the visit to the specialist had been very successful. Let's be honest, being offered the surgery probably had nothing to do with the Resume of Tom. However, it made me feel like I had done everything I could have done to get my story across in the brief time available. I felt like an accurate picture of me had been presented rather than just first impression cues. In my mind at least, the hierarchical gap between the 'all-knowledgeable' doctor and the 'clueless/dependent' patient had been reduced; for this alone, I felt that it had been worth the effort. At the very least, my little primer had showed I was motivated to engage in this invasive procedure and the months of rehab that would follow. This motivation would definitely be capitalized upon in the OT realm.
So now to find out a little bit more about knee arthroscopies...hmmm...Google?
Having waited 4 months to see the knee specialist, I felt like I had to take matters into my own hands in order to get my story across. With an average consultation duration of 15 mins, even doctors with the best intentions would find it difficult to get up to speed with not only what is troubling the patient but also how it is affecting the rest of their life. I decided to make a 'Resume of Tom'. The resume included basic demographic details, a summary of my sporting involvement since I was a child (embarrassingly, the highlight of which still being an accomplishment at the age of 11), my current physical activities including those involved in my work duties, a detailed breakdown of my knee troubles (patterns of pain, signs and symptoms) and my goal for the future. My goal was to be able to participate in all my chosen physical activities, many of which involve a high degree of knee twisting. I had heard the word on the street that specialists are reluctant to operate unless the ligament is completely torn - my dubious MRI had concluded a grade II tear, so I thought I was fighting an uphill battle.
As the doctor scanned my scant notes trying to ascertain the reason I was in his office, I thrust this resume in his hands. My hope was that in the minute he took to scan it, he got a much broader picture what my complaint was, what I wanted done, but most of all, who I was. I was trying to make him realise how central physical activity is to my sense of self. I suppose I would define myself as being 'a sporty person' and therefore it is part of my sense of spirituality. He told me to jump on the examination bed (it was more of a hop) and tested the strength of the anterior cruciate ligament. My good leg had an 'end point' when he pulled, like a rubber band that wants to resist being stretched. My dodgy leg did not have an end point which led him to the quick diagnosis that the ligament was completely torn, apart from maybe a few fibres ahnging on for dear life. He immediately offered the choice of having the ligament repaired or leaving it the way it is, each with their associated risks and benefits. I chose the first option, final answer, with no need to phone a friend (admittedly, I had been polling my knee injury-ridden field hockey teammates in the few weeks prior so I had probably exhausted this lifeline already). I couldn't believe I was being given this opportunity. Utterly surprised at how easily he had agreed to go ahead with the surgery, I forgot to ask exactly what procedure he was going to do - I heard the word 'arthroscopy', but that didn't mean anything to me. The secretary told me I could be operated on in one month and again I was shocked with the immediacy of it all.
All in all, the visit to the specialist had been very successful. Let's be honest, being offered the surgery probably had nothing to do with the Resume of Tom. However, it made me feel like I had done everything I could have done to get my story across in the brief time available. I felt like an accurate picture of me had been presented rather than just first impression cues. In my mind at least, the hierarchical gap between the 'all-knowledgeable' doctor and the 'clueless/dependent' patient had been reduced; for this alone, I felt that it had been worth the effort. At the very least, my little primer had showed I was motivated to engage in this invasive procedure and the months of rehab that would follow. This motivation would definitely be capitalized upon in the OT realm.
So now to find out a little bit more about knee arthroscopies...hmmm...Google?
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Salsa As Medicine: Mind, Body and Soul
El que canta y baila su mal espanta
(He who sings and dances scares off any misfortune)
This piece of writing really embodies many of the ideas we have discussed during the first few weeks of the OT program. It's written in a very honest manner and the message comes through loud and clear. For me, it was very inspirational to read - it confirms why I am entering this profession. It is also one of those pieces of writing that all health care professionals should take the time to read once in a while to maintain focus in our increasingly pressured world.
Please click on the following link to read this featured article:
http://www.salsavancouver.net/articles/salsaasmedicine.html
(He who sings and dances scares off any misfortune)
This piece of writing really embodies many of the ideas we have discussed during the first few weeks of the OT program. It's written in a very honest manner and the message comes through loud and clear. For me, it was very inspirational to read - it confirms why I am entering this profession. It is also one of those pieces of writing that all health care professionals should take the time to read once in a while to maintain focus in our increasingly pressured world.
Please click on the following link to read this featured article:
http://www.salsavancouver.net/articles/salsaasmedicine.html
Initial thoughts (one week into the program)
“So do you feel a little overwhelmed with all these women?”, I was asked after the first class into the Introductory week of the Master of Occupational Therapy program. Having made the transition into OT from Elementary teaching, I replied that I was used to it, yet the ratio imbalance she was referring to was hard to ignore. In a class of 40 students, I would be one of two men. As I often did when I was an elementary teacher, I’ve been reflecting on what it is that makes the OT profession particularly attractive to women or conversely unattractive to men. I’ve posed this question to OT’s over the last few months and generally no one really seems to know why. Some speculated that men prefer to be in managerial positions which can be more easily attained in other professions such as related to finance or business. Some proposed that the lay perception of Occupational Therapy (if a lay perception exists at all) is that the nature of the work is similar to nursing which has traditionally been a female dominated profession. Others thought it was a money issue (or lack of it). Whatever the reason, and I continue to speculate, I began to question whether male OT’s can have an important impact in providing services and treatment particularly in areas such as spinal cord injury in which clients tend to be over-represented by the young male demographic group.
The first week of the MOT has been a good balance of orientation details and introduction to course content. The inclusion of an ‘Introduction to Anatomy’ was a nice touch. It represented a caring outstretched hand to new students who had not studied Human Kinetics in the past. As noted by one of the teachers, there seems to have been a shift in trend towards students entering the program from psychology and social science backgrounds and this is certainly true of our ‘Class of 2009’.
Among the special items we have been given to place in our tool kits as we embark on this learning journey, has been a formula to answer the question, “So what exactly is an OT?” that predictably gets asked after the question “So what do you do for work?” As an aside, is it my imagination or does the word ‘So’ appear before any question that is asked more out of the need for conversation rather than genuine interest? Going back to the original question, it seems that the answer can change depending on who is asking, but the formula stays the same. The little gem given to us was: always base your answer in the context of that person’s experience. For example, if I was asked by an old school friend what an OT does, armed with this advice, I would reply, “well you know Frank…” (and those that did, knew Frank was quadriplegic), “…an OT would have worked with him after his accident to ensure he could participate in all his daily activities and pursue his interests in the best way possible". I have tried this formula a few times already and usually it elicits the switched on light-bulb response followed by the person giving me examples of what an OT does; therefore, ultimate proof that it works.
Returning to university again, and this time to study a discipline that seems like a perfect fit for me, has been extremely exciting; one instructor even commented that my mood had been ‘euphoric’ on the second day. I’m hoping that the large doses of interesting, yet intense anatomy classes will reduce the euphoria to realistic and possibly more sustainable levels. As I embark on this 24 month journey, I would like to share with you my experiences and reflections upon entering this wonderful profession and in my mission to become a fully-fledged Occupational Therapist.
The first week of the MOT has been a good balance of orientation details and introduction to course content. The inclusion of an ‘Introduction to Anatomy’ was a nice touch. It represented a caring outstretched hand to new students who had not studied Human Kinetics in the past. As noted by one of the teachers, there seems to have been a shift in trend towards students entering the program from psychology and social science backgrounds and this is certainly true of our ‘Class of 2009’.
Among the special items we have been given to place in our tool kits as we embark on this learning journey, has been a formula to answer the question, “So what exactly is an OT?” that predictably gets asked after the question “So what do you do for work?” As an aside, is it my imagination or does the word ‘So’ appear before any question that is asked more out of the need for conversation rather than genuine interest? Going back to the original question, it seems that the answer can change depending on who is asking, but the formula stays the same. The little gem given to us was: always base your answer in the context of that person’s experience. For example, if I was asked by an old school friend what an OT does, armed with this advice, I would reply, “well you know Frank…” (and those that did, knew Frank was quadriplegic), “…an OT would have worked with him after his accident to ensure he could participate in all his daily activities and pursue his interests in the best way possible". I have tried this formula a few times already and usually it elicits the switched on light-bulb response followed by the person giving me examples of what an OT does; therefore, ultimate proof that it works.
Returning to university again, and this time to study a discipline that seems like a perfect fit for me, has been extremely exciting; one instructor even commented that my mood had been ‘euphoric’ on the second day. I’m hoping that the large doses of interesting, yet intense anatomy classes will reduce the euphoria to realistic and possibly more sustainable levels. As I embark on this 24 month journey, I would like to share with you my experiences and reflections upon entering this wonderful profession and in my mission to become a fully-fledged Occupational Therapist.
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