"Until we meet again, may God bless you as he has blessed me."-Elvis PresleyIt has been a rough day.
As I'm working with one of my clients this morning, I get the news that one of my sweetest clients has passed on from this world. It came as quite a shock because when I last saw him (on Friday) he was in good health and working hard in therapy so he could be independent when he returned home. He would have been discharged on the 20th and then returned home on the 21st. Would have. . . For the rest of the day I felt dazed, like a zombie walking around with an emotional weight on her heart. I know it may seem silly to be attached to someone who would only be in rehab for 21 days but I had made a connection with this man, and I feel that the feeling was mutual. I'll call him Marley. From the first day we met he immediately loved my name because it reminded him of the African American-Caribbean soul singer of the 90s. Marley would share thrilling stories about his trips to the Caribbean and how his memories from those adventures influenced his life in Memphis. When I would transport him to and from his room, if he ran into someone he knew in the hallway, he would talk with them as if they had seen each other yesterday and introduce me to them like I was his family member. Truly, he was a beautiful soul, and it makes my heart sad to know I will never have the chance to tell him goodbye. Although I struggled with this all day, I tried to see the silver lining: Marley was an upbeat, easy-going guy and I should take on that same nature because life is too short. I prayed that the good Lord would take Marley under his wing and care for him. I know he is enjoying Caribbean vibes in heaven right now, and he is no longer suffering. I miss him already, as I'm sure his family and friends do too. I prayed that they will all be comforted during these tough times. God, watch over my Caribbean angel.
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AuthorI am an occupational therapy student at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN. The purpose of this blog is to demonstrate competence in my graduate-level program through journal reflections pertaining to one of the four main competency areas. Through practice, I hope to become consistent at journaling so that I can help my future clients to the best of my professional ability. Archives
August 2017
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