Review of The Fundamentals of Caring (Neuro Note #5)

Over the long weekend, I had the opportunity to watch The Fundamentals of Caring with my family. A few of my classmates mentioned they watched this movie and recommended it to me. I was intriged by the movie since it is based around a care-giver and a disabled teenager and how they cope with their different challenges and barriers in life. I feel like this is a very relevant movie in relation to occupational therapy because OT clinicians ultimately end up helping their clients cope through their therapeutic use of self. I was interested to see how this caregiver would provide the support needed to this teenager.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2452386/

The movie was not what I really expected and I didn't love it but I did think it included some very important concepts that most people don't recognize are struggles of those that have debilitating illnesses. I found appreciation in the fact that Ben, the caregiver, truly wanted to show Trevor, the teenager, that there was more to life than just staying home and watching TV. Ben wanted Trevor to realize that even though he was disabled, he still had opportunities to see the "world's deepest pit"and other landmarks that Trevor was interested in. I feel like Ben really opened Trevor's eyes and helped to create a greater quality of life for Trevor. I also think that Ben learned a lot of lessons through Trevor as well. Overall, it showed me a different perspective and just how important a caregivers attitude and encouragement can influence and individual and I'm glad I watched this movie!

Reflection of Dementia: Allie Calhoun

Allie Calhoun, from the movie The Notebook, started experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in 2006. Some symptoms she had was asking questions over and over again or losing her keys. some of Allie's main roles were mother and wife. When she found out her diagnosis, she wrote down the love story between he and her husband that can be read to her as her memory begins to fade. Allie was referred to OT because she needed assistance with her routine and needed help to increase meaningful activities. The main focus for OT would be to help decrease confusion and panic, provide education and assistance for her husband and to help her create a daily routine to have a good quality of life. Since every patient with Alzheimer's experiences different symptoms and progresses differently, it's important to always remember to be client-centered - what may work for one client may not work with another. I always loved this movie but didn't really realize that Allie had Alzheimer's and that she could potential benefit from OT.

Memphis Rolling Grizzlies (Neuro Note #4)

About a month ago, we had the opportunity to attend a practice for the Memphis Rolling Grizzlies, a wheelchair basketball team. I had never watched a wheelchair basketball practice or game before so I was extremely interested in attending their practice to learn more about how the players move around the court and play basketball in a wheelchair. In 2003, the Memphis Rolling Grizzlies was created to spread awareness and advocate for wheelchair basketball. Twice a week the Memphis Rolling Grizzilies meet to practice and keep their basketball skills fresh so they are able to travel around the country to play against other teams. They are a well recognized team and have even placed in the top 10 on a national level. Many of the players are amputees or have experienced some type of traumatic event which affects the use of their legs but as Michael Owens, one of the players, says "Gun shot wounds, car accidents, freak accidents. It don't matter we're in the same family. A chair is a chair." 

I was extremely impressed by the intensity and determination of the players. All of the players were in incredible cardio-respiratory shape and I could tell they were working hard to keep up with one another. They were extremely competitive and their coach was really encouraging and positive. I think this is a great outlet for these guys to get together and to work towards a common goal to help with not only their physical skills but also their social skills. It was a really cool experience to attend and I hope they continue to excel within the wheelchair basketball community. All of the players were very welcoming - they even let us try out their wheelchairs. Even though I didn't participate, it was cool to see some of my classmates try and figure out how they use their wheelchairs and do a few drills in them! 

Check out more information on the Rolling Grizzlies on their Facebook page: Memphis Rolling Grizzlies or on their website: www.rollinggrizzlies.org. 

Sources:

Man who lost leg continues to recover, playing wheelchair basketball. (2017, January 13). WMC Action News 5. Retrieved on May 24th from http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story/26364603/man-who-lost-his-legs-continues-to-recover-playing-wheelchair-basketball-too

Reflection of MS: Jack Osbourne (OT 537)

Jack Osborne, son of Ozzy and Sharon, was diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting Mulitple Sclerosis in 2012. Some of the symptoms he had previous to his diagnosis were blindness in one eye, numbness in his legs, and stomach, bowel and bladder problems. The biggest challenges that Jack faced after his diagnosis was depression, finding a consistant exercise plan and he was conserned about potentially relapsing. Occupational therapy could be beneficial for Jack, or someone experiencing these same symotoms, because an OT clinician could help him find activities that allow him to active but wouldn't be too hard on his body. An occupational therapist could also help provide suggestions to help him manage his depression symptoms. After overcoming these challenges that Jack faced after his diagnosis with MS, he has continued to live independly and is taking advantage of the opportunities he has in life.

Reflection of Huntington's Disease: Dr. Remy Hadley (OT 537)

Today, we learned Dr. Remy Hadley, a 35 year old female was diagnosed with Huntington's disease. She had a family history of the disease and had a 50% chance of getting it since her Mom had it. She was not interested in being tested for the disease but eventually got tested and tested positive. Her first symptoms developed about a year after diagnosis. She began shakining and noticed she was more clumsy. She would be recommended to OT to evaluate how bad her tremors are, suggestions on how to reduce fatigue and receive education on the progression of her disease. She would also benefit from receiving education and help on using adaptive equipement as her disease progresses. Some of her goals were to continue working so having AT to help with documentation would be important since she is a doctor. I found it very interesting that she did not want to be tested for a disease. I'm not sure how I would feel if I were in that position but I think I wuold prefer to be tested vs. not being tested. That is defintely a challenging decision to have to make!

Final Reflection (OT 425)

Foundations of Occupational Centered Practice was a very interesting and informative course. It allowed me to learn even more about occupational therapy than I already knew. It taught me the history of OT, the process of how OT works, the focus of OT, how to actually begin the thinking process of how I will work as an OT and how these concepts will apply with both fieldwork experiences and when I get out in the "real world." I felt like all of the projects and presentations very relevant and important concepts to cover. I feel 100% more prepared in all of my other courses and in learning more about being a future occuapational therapist after this course. I enjoyed how interactive our classes were with worksheets, group work, Kahoot quizzes, powerpoints, prezis, videos and reflecions.

Cheering for Chico (Neuro Note #3)

Chico Garcia, a 34 year old from Louisiana, was a former collegiate cheerleader for LSU and went on to become a LSU’s cheerleading coach.  On August 27, 2011, Chico was enjoying a day with friends on the lake participating in water sports and activities and enjoying some food and drinks when his life was forever changed.  On the way home, the boat drifted too close to the shoreline and crashed into a pier.  Chico blacked out when the crash happened and when he came to and tried to move, he couldn’t.  He tried three different times to move and when he wasn’t able to, he knew he was paralyzed.

http://www.wafb.com/story/17078742/chico-garcia

Chico was airlifted from the lake to a hospital in Baton Rouge where they diagnosed him with a C4 & C5 spinal cord injury. This was a tough time in Chico’s life because he used his body and his hands to do this job and knowing that he lost that is hard to comprehend. Chico was transferred to the Shepard Center in Atlanta about 3 weeks after the accident to begin rehab.  He was initially told he would never walk again and that he would be dependent on a ventilator the rest of his life. Although there were times when he would question why this happened to him and why he had to go through this experience, he was hopeful and positive about his recovery.

He eventually gained sensation and movement in his arms and legs and was able to get off of a ventilator. He also launched a motivational speaking career and has turned this tragic situation into a way to motivate and encourage others.  One thing that Chico has mentioned that has been the hardest adjustment is dating because women don’t look for a guy in a wheelchair and he doesn’t blame them. Although there are many barrier in his life that could make it tough to live, Chico has just decided to be positive and be happy for the life he has.

http://www.wafb.com/story/17078742/chico-garcia

According to his Instagram, Chico began treatment in Florida where he is receiving electric stimulation as a way to get his muscles moving again. He is bound and determined to get moving again and is trying his very best to overcome these challenges that have been set before him. I was interested in doing a neuro note about Chico because his story was really interesting to me since I am a LSU alumnus and was a cheerleader throughout my middle and high school years. I have followed his story over the past few years and enjoy keeping up with the progress he has made. I think his overall positivity, hope and encouraging attitude is incredible.

Follow along with Chico’s progress on his Instagram: @lsuchico

Scott, Jacie.  (n.d). Chico Garcia. Retrieved May 14, 2017 from http://www.wafb.com/story/17078742/chico-garcia

Moreau, Andre.  (2014, August 29).  Chico Garcia three years after the accident. Retrieved on May 15^th, 2017 from http://www.wafb.com/story/26409127/chico-garcia-three-years-after-accident

Talley, Deron.  (2013, October 9).  LSU Cheerleading coach motivated Rotary to be positive about life. Retrieved May 15, 2017 from http://www.donaldsonvillechief.com/article/20131009/NEWS/131009619

Reflection of Guillian-Barre Syndrome: Rowdy Gains

Rowdy Gains, 3-time Olympic gold medalist,  experienced Guillian-Barre syndrome at 31 years old. Just before he began experiencing symptoms, he swam a 3,000 meter long meet so he was in optimal physical condition. He was hospitalized for 5 weeks and slowly began to make gains towards recovery. After he began to gain sensation and movement back in his extremeties, he was able to start rehabilitation to start functioning independently again. He used swimming and pool therapy as a way to gain back strength since was familiar with that setting and felt comfortable there.

After fully recoverining, Rowdy swam 2,000 meters 5 days a week and planned to return back to competition. He didn't lose that motivation or drive just because he had to experience Guillian-Barre. He ended up qualifying for the Olympics in 1996 but decided instead of competing, he would join the analyst team and provide commentation for the Olympic Games. His persistance and motivation to get back to swimming was inspiring and he wasn't going to let this illness control his future.

Reflection of ALS Case Study: Steve Gleason

I thoroughly enjoyed doing my case study on Steve Gleason. His story is so inspiring and insightful into the challenges that people diagnosed with ALS encounter. I decided to do my case study on Steve Gleason after watching his documentary, Gleason. I would highly recommend this documentray as it is a raw and real portrayal of the progression of the disease and how it can not only affect the person physically but as well as emotionally. Steve's perspective on life with ALS is so incredible and he continues to make the most out of every single day. I also believe that his committment to helping fund research for ALS and helping others with ALS is really admireable. Through my research, I found his twitter and he even responds to tweets from people that are experincing symptoms or have questions regarding ALS. I hope that through his determination and drive towards advocating for more research, more progress can be made towards the treatment and eventually a cure for ALS.

The Sky Is Not the Limit (OT 425)

One of my favorite days in OT thus far was when Fletcher Cleaves visited our Neurological Aspects of Occupational Performance class. His story was so raw, real and honest and hearing it made me reflect on not only my life but my future work as an occupational therapist. Fletcher Cleaves was injured in an automobile accident in September 2009 and was paralyzed from the chest down (Level C6). Immediately following the accident, Fletcher adopted a very positive and driven attitude towards his outlook on his life and his future. He was determined to not let this tragic accident or injury define his life. Fletcher worked as hard as he could throughout his rehabilitation phase to gain as much function and independence as possible.

http://bartlett-express.com/2017/02/09/speaker-inspires-bon-lin-middle-students-gold-award-celebration/

Even though every individual will process a life-changing injury like this differently, Fletcher provided a lot of perspective about how clients with a spinal cord injury may feel or act. This was very eye-opening to me and allowed a lot of us in that class to truly understand the challenges and barriers and individual with a C6 spinal cord injury may have. Even though I do not have a disability or illness such as Fletcher, it taught me to look at challenges in a different way and to know that the sky is not the limit. Whatever you dream you and can do - it can happen and you shouldn't let someone define your limits in life.

Check out more about Fletcher Cleaves' story here: http://www.fletchercleaves.com

Emerging Areas in OT Practice: Cancer Care & Oncology (OT 425)

Each of the different emerging areas within occupational therapy is so unique and highlights the creativity and applicability of the profession in a multitude of settings. One of the emerging areas in which I find really interesting is cancer care and oncology.  Cancer is such a harsh word and for most individuals it can seem like a death sentence. OT’s that work in this area can help to take this diagnosis and to encourage clients to remain positive and keeping living the life they’ve been living and to provide support wherever the client may need it. Cancer patients are treated in so many different settings and I believe OT can play an important role in each of these settings.  I also believe that providing support and therapy for cancer survivors can be an important area for OT services.

I also found it very intriguing that research has shown that patients who received early palliative care report better quality of life and can even live a little longer versus patients who did not receive this type of care.  I know that if I were every diagnosed with cancer, I would appreciate all the help I could get to continue to have good quality of life even with the circumstances.

Emerging Areas of OT Practice: Childhood Obesity (OT 425)

There are a number of different emerging areas of practice available through AOTA and even more that are developing every single day. The emerging area that first caught my eye when scanning the list on the AOTA website was childhood obesity. Having worked in the health and wellness field since 2010, I have noticed that obesity and health problems that stem from obesity is a huge issue in our society that needs to be addressed. I find it very interesting that OT can play a role within this area and am excited about the development of this area of practice.

http://www.fundamentallychildren.com/10-common-myths-about-play/

There are many different health conditions and illnesses that can develop when an individual is obese and can affect an indivinduals quality of life or daily occupations. For children, those illnesses or health conditions could hinder the main occupations needed for proper development, growth and learning incuding education and play. The focus of an occupational therapy intervention for this area can target healthy habits and routines, establishing a healthier diet and increasing physical activity or fitness level. Teaching children about making these healthy choices at a young age can ultimately lead them to live a healthier life as grow older. 

I believe this emerging area of practice is addressed in Vision 2025 through all of the guideposts. This area involves accessibility because focusing on obesity in childhood and what other barriers it may create is directly responding to a cultural issue that is developing within our society. I believe that as OT's we must also collaborate with the childs teachers, parents and other service providers in order to treat the client with a holistic, throurough approach. This emerging area can be effective because it is focused directly on the client and what occupations that may be effected with their personal weight or other illnesses that develop because of their health conditions. Occupational therapists can be leaders in this area since we truly look at the whole picture and recognize that wellness is not just one aspect of health. We can teach other professions about this approach and find ways to better advocate and educate others on improving their lifes through healthy habits.

Additional Resources for Emerging Areas in OT: Childhood Obesity

http://www.aota.org/Practice/Children-Youth/Emerging-Niche/Childhood-Obesity.aspx

Reflection of Parkinson's Disease: Bob Roberts (OT 537)

Sarah's presentation on her grandfather, Bob Roberts, was extremely interesting since I can relate because my grandfather also has Parkinsons. I was really intrigued about the OT's process with her grandfather and how occupational therapy can make a difference as the disease continues to progress. Unfortunately, my grandfather was non-compliant with OT or PT so he did not receive any benefits or stabilization in symptoms that were affecting him from treatment he recieved. Since my grandfather's diagnosis and experiences with rehab, I have been really interested in the different ways that OT can help and support those diagnosed with PD. I am also interested in how OT's can also help their caregivers and this case study explained the OT's role even more than I'd already learned.

Review of The Crash Reel (Neuro Note #2)

Last weekend my husband and I were trying to decide what movie to watch together for a movie night.  Since I love documentaries, we decided to watch one that was on the list for our neuro note assignments.  We decided on The Crash Reel since we both enjoy watching sports and find competitive extremely talented and entertaining. It was a great documentary and really showed the challenges that a person goes through when they sustain a traumatic brain injury. I highly recommend this movie for any and everyone, not just those who work or are involved with the medical or rehabilitation field. I felt many emotions while watching The Crash Reel - it was extremely emotional, shocking and heart-warming. 

http://www.redbull.com/en/snow/stories/1331651474444/after-the-crash-kevin-pearce-says-love-your-brain

Kevin Pearce is a 29-year-old former professional snowboarder. In December 2009, while he was training for Olympic trials, Pearce hit his head after attempting a new trick and went unconscious. He was a favorite going into the Olympics and was predicted to be one of Shawn White’s top competitors.  Initially he was in very critical condition with a breathing tube and then after a few days, his condition was updated to serious. He spent almost four months in the hospital slowing gaining more independence and working on different skills to help him gain more function for every day tasks. 

http://www.theinvisibleinjury.net/blog/2015/10/18/4a-conversation-with-kevin-pearce

Even today, Pearce still struggles with memory loss, mood swings, and vision issues.  Although he eventually was able to start snowboarding again, it was an extremely long process.  Snowboarding was his biggest hobby and his main occupation - after this accident it was a very hard adjustment and realization that his life would not revolve around this sport. As a future occupational therapist, I know that I may work with clients in the future that also have a hard time realizing that they are not able to participate in their main occupation anymore.  I think it’s part of our job to help clients overcome these barriers and evaluate other interests in order to find another occupation that is just as fulfilling.

Kevin Pearce has now founded a foundation called “Love Your Brain”. The purpose of this foundation is to empower, connect and education those with a brain injury to keep living a healthy and happy life. He is also now a motivational speaker and travels across the country to help others with traumatic brain injuries come to terms with their injury and encourage them to keep going and keep living life!

http://www.loveyourbrain.com

Kevin Pearce. (n.d). Retrieved on April 27^th, 2017 from http://kevinpearce.com.

Kevin Pearce Update. (2010, January 13). Retrieved on April 27^th, 2017 from http://snowboarding.transworld.net/news/kevin-pearce-update-january-13/#CpyEU68gu6LcSEwI.97.

The Crash Reel. (n.d.). Retrieved on April 27^th, 2017 from http://thecrashreel.com/store/.

Activity Analysis Project & Lab (OT 425)

The activity analysis project and lab has been my favorite project in OT school so far! Everyone's activities in my group were very engaging and could easily been graded up and down. This type of project and analysis is so relevant and important for an occupational therapist to be able to do so they are able to specifially pick out what client factors and performance skills a client may need to work on. It is also important to be able to break down an activity and be creative by figuring out what  different populations an activity could be used for. All of the activities in my group could be used in multiple setting and with multiple age groups and diagnosis.

I was constantly thinking throughout our different activities on how actual clients would act and react to the different steps in each of the activities. The activity I found the most difficult that our group worked on was making the friendship bracelets. The steps and process to get the correct pattern of the strings was difficult and I could see clients getting frusterated or confused. I think it would be important to start with an easier pattern and then grade up from there to make it harder.

I really enjoyed the activity and analysis of making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and talking about the ways to grade up and grade down. It was interesting to think about and analyize the different ways of grading for this activity because initially it seems like such an easy and simple activity to complete. It was also nice to enjoy a yummy snack during class since peanut butter is one of my favorite snacks.

AOTA Code of Ethics (OT 425)

The AOTA Code of Ethics is a set of standards and policies that all occupational personnel, as well as occupational therapy students, must abide by. The Code of Ethics serves the following two purposes: it provides core values for having ethical courses of action in both professional and volunteer roles and enforces principles and standards of conduct for all AOTA members. The difference in a professional code versus established laws that an OT pracitioner must follow are the ethical and moral standard one is responsible for. The code is not only how an OT practitioner should act in the workplace but also outside of the workplace.

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I believe that each of the principles of the Code of Ethics serves a very important purpose and definitely covers all bases which should be address through a professional organization. While working in the field of occupational therapy, I hope I never have to question the ethics or morals of a a fellow OT practitioner. If I do ever encounter an issue, I know that as an honest and ethical  individual, I would need to address the issue with the individual or supervisor of that individiual in which it involves. While that is always a hard choice to make, I would know that it is my professional responsibility to do what is best for the facility I work for and for our overall profession.