Healing Hands...I recently had to contribute to a discussion board post for my class participation. Here is an excerpt from my post.
I am currently working at a SNF, and have already seen a variety of diagnoses that are commonly seen in this particular demographic (i.e. strokes, Parkinson’s, rheumatoid arthritis, global weakness, dementia, etc.). However, I recently started providing therapy to a client who has both fibromyalgia and RA. Luckily for this client, she isn’t limited in much other than her hands. Nevertheless, her joint pain limits her from participating in occupations she enjoys such as writing letters to friends and family members. I can sympathize with her because I enjoy handwritten letters as opposed to an email, it’s more personal that way. I can also empathize with her because I know that her pain is excruciating and it honestly reminds me of my mother’s reactive arthritis when it flares up. As a child, I remember my mother being bedridden due to these episodes, and my client experiences similar tear-jerking moments like my mother. My fieldwork educator and I have been working hard to provide hand strengthening activities as well as pain management techniques to improve the functionality of the client’s hand. Her grip strength has slowly improved, but the little improvement has motivated her greatly to work harder in therapy. I recently had the client play a game that simulated writing. When I explained how it mimicked writing, the client was ecstatic that I had taken her occupation of writing letters into consideration. I told her we would eventually get to the real thing but we had to continue strengthening her hand muscles and slowly get back into the practice of writing. My reasoning: “I want you to be successful with writing, but the only way to be successful is if we take it one step at a time and build up both your strength, endurance, and manage your pain symptoms.” From that point on, my client trusted me and did what I asked of her. Her hand strength is progressively improving and she can tell the difference. I am so happy to see how motivated she is to continue with occupational therapy, and I cannot wait to see her first handwritten letter. -Lauryn E. Hill, MOTS
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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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