As the World Turns
Good Morning,
Just us! We’ve been playing over at the Exodus Fitness place. That has left us feeling pretty good about taking care of ourselves. This is a very important thing to us.
Not sure where to start this morning. I guess as true to form, we’ll start with yesterday. All considering it was a very good day. I explained over at the other blog, but one thing after another, and somehow we’d created a new thing at the Center. With Sr. Tess’ blessing, there is now a new fitness incentive at the Center. It started by talking to one staff, then another, and pretty soon Sr. was saying that if all the staff were committing to a new program, then we should include the clients. So in one fell swoop, 50 clients and 11 staff are now “joined up” to be health conscious. YAYYYYY!!! 66 PEOPLE!! We’re going to give thanks for this to Gabreael and the other women who have committed to the Fitness blog. YAYYY GIRLS!
That really left us feeling good and the staff feels excited. Wow! I think it is particularly of importance now, because we are going to be losing one of the staff. The woman who leads the second group has decided to take full time employment at the company she has worked part-time for 6 years. Nobody is supposed to know about it, but of course, being a small center, everyone knows about, but because Sister doesn’t know that, nobody can “talk” about it. Eh small ponds and all.
We are going to miss this person, because she’s really contributed a lot of spirit to the team effort. She’s tried her hardest to be good leadership for her group. There were bumps in the path. She’s been at the center now one year, so was one of our newer members. One of the other staff was saying that in July when staff evaluations were to occur she would want to ask Sr. for 40 hours instead of 32. We got behind that and have coached her for a week getting her courage up. She wants to buy a house with her husband and has no children, but is the age she very well could work 40 hours. Plus, they have saved up a nice bit of egg money to put down. She had in mind she would volunteer for housekeeping, but our suggestion was to say she could also help with paperwork. We knew from another staff member that Sr. had asked her to take the group for a month or two, but she was weak on paperwork. So, we figured between the two of them they would complement each other.
Yesterday morning, we figured the time was ripe. The peer was pretty confident and sure of herself and her request. She then went to Sr. Tess. I gave the situation about a half hour, and then I sought out the peer to find what had happened. She was very excited, and a little in shock, but Sr. had told her she would think about it, but although she couldn’t say why, the offer might have been a God send. YAYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!! Win-win situation. But, anyway that is why the group pulling together at this time is very important. It is always a little let down when somebody leaves. This time, because the staff was well liked, but also because it leaves vacancy’s that have to be covered. It means again that there is no substitute and the lady taking over the group has less time to job coach, drive, or incidentally do housekeeping. Yep, yep … that’s what happens when the State decides not to fund people with disabilities. Boooooo!
Yesterday, was also the day that I had use of the Q. Assistant. She did a great job as always, she finished up the last half year on one client and did a whole year of Qnotes for a second client. Both clients had their numbers already set up and after typing in some Q Chrononotes, she had most of the day to be getting work done. Plus, she had taken time out for staff training and had about 20 minutes to do some light filing. I’ll never get over my appreciation for Sister hiring her. She is what gives me my biggest sense of hope.
We might only have about 6 more clients to catch up, then she will maintain them monthly, and I will be able to give her another responsibility. Sister wants her to do some work with annuals. While we were chatting about things yesterday, she said, I’m not sure if I should say something, but I am thinking it is something that you might like to hear. Then the assistant said, that Sister had been talking to her in general about how things were going. Sr. then told her that she was supposed to pay close attention to what we said, because we were a very good teacher. Wow! That made me so happy that I could cry. Shoot, so we’re crying now, *Sigh* Please help me to remember this the next time Sister yells at us. I know there will always be highs and lows. Just ebb and flow.
I still want to involve the assistant to be doing more work with the DSPs in figuring out goals. I think what I’ll do is rotate staff, but create 2 pm meetings each Thursday with them, the Assistant and me. The assistant is able to remember the formulas we set up for each of the goals, but she doesn’t yet know how it is the DSPs and clients work through the goals. I think it would be great education for her to help me create and maintain goals and necessary changes of goals as the DSPs think to improve them, or need assistance in getting back on track. Hmm, have to remember to meet with the one staff early, because she goes home at 2 pm. Maybe we’ll wait until those last six clients are caught up. Hmm, that sounds like a good idea? Hmm, we’ll have to see … like to think that half hour will be well spent and the sooner the better. We choose that time, because it is the DSP’s “free time” without clients. So, very special. That way, we could set the tracks straight with all of them on a balance of five week periods. YAYYYY! I think too the staff like talking to us and will like the Assistant. It gives them a chance to feel their importance in the whole scheme of things.
We did a so-so amount of other work yesterday. We are caught up in our work journal and decided to clear up some background work. We first made copies of things needed in CARF. We have a checklist that’s about 65-70 pages, so we could count in work already done one copy and note improvements made for the second copy. We also went through the desk drawer that contained old CARF stuff and refreshed with the new stuff. We sent out some more info for those psychologicals, so that there is only one left to be concerned with. That will go out today. A big effort was put toward filing about 3” of paperwork in the client files. I had taken a lot of stuff out with this last task. That made me feel more on top of things to have everything put back where it was supposed to be. I sincerely treasure the thought of the files being caught up. YAYYYY! It is like a system that is working. I was disappointed that one of the State people that has half my case load has decided he will be leaving his job as soon as he can find a new one. That was a let-down although, we knew it was coming. He is the one that has spent most of his time in getting to know the clients. He is also the one who could speak Spanish at staffings, I am going to cry to lose that treasured gift. I have never felt so close to the Spanish speaking parents. Shoot, not going to start crying again.
There was something that happened that was pretty neat involving one of my clients. This is a person that I’ve known now for about 6 years. Her speaking is limited and periodically, she’ll just start crying and make life difficult in this way for her group and staff, or anyone else within hearing range. It can go on for an hour or two. And, it can get louder. She is at about a two year old age equivalent. Twice yesterday she started and I took her to my office. Each time she stopped crying bout the time she reached my door. Pretty amazed, she just took my hand and followed me in and claimed her seat. We played first a game of “What would you like to do? This? This?” Each time she said “No.” I was giving her my best stuff! But, at least she had started to laugh and giggle. So, we told her that we were going to get back to work and that she’d have to help us. As, mentioned we had that 3” stack of papers to file. So, we got her hooked into helping with the paper punch and she would pull out the tabs to the hanging files. She took her work seriously and after a while there’d she’d catch a phrase I used and would repeat it or give some other clue she was following verbalizations. In the afternoon when she came back we played a game of numbers. It was something I remember doing 6 years ago with her when I was her DSP. She has only about a 32% ability to count 1-26. It is spotty, but for a half an hour we played with it while we were both filing. She’d say, “no one.” “You want to start at one, ok, one … two …” She’d say three, four, eight” “Ok, 20. 21” “21, 22, 23 28.” NOOOO, 24!!” Then for a while she got into 7-11, until we figured she was most likely thinking more of a convenience store. Hehehe …. Both of us laughed and giggled and spoke with different emphasis.
It made me very happy that she had wanted to come back. But, we are going to need teaching her she doesn’t have to cry to get “sent” to Ms. Ann’s Office. *Giggle* We still buy into the factor that most the odd behaviors at the center are because someone wants to avoid something, or needs attention. Yep, didn’t even need to go to psychology school to know this! I can’t believe someone is paying me for this kind of “work.” Hehehe. She seems to be understanding the timer too. We’ve been reinforcing telling her that when it beeps it is time for her to go back to her room. YAYYYY! Great client!
The last marker of my day was with Dr. M. We played around with a little more reality. But, it was at times very rough going. First, we had to take care of a couple of new medicines the other doctor is prescribing. Dr. M. helps me get them to a place that mails us a 3 month prescription for the same cost of a one month at the nearby drug store. I usually am not pro on giving up free talking time to “business,” but I’m getting better. Then from there we went into the cost difficulties and not being able to see him as much. In one hour’s time, we fell apart five times into long hard sobs. We were pitiable. Each time we’d swear we weren’t going to cry anymore. Each time, Dr. M. would be there at the end of a tunnel, smiling and reassuring that it would be ok. We realized that he was getting us to talk about all the hard feelings, and was trying to swoosh out some angry feelings. We’re not there quite yet. Still feeling hurt by his abandonment of us. He’s trying to encourage that what we learn of this period is going to tell us a lot of where we’re really at and the real difficulties. There were times we were able to laugh and tease. We’re having a hard time believing we are going to lose the Dr. M. we know, that we’ll not feel his strength. That a new client will be sitting on “our” couch during “our” time. That he won’t miss us. That we are not going to die of either depression or suicide. About nearly every possessive thought you could imagine. We’re attached and mom is loosening the apron strings. We also talked from our end of having some feelings like we are growing up or at least graduating. We know we are going to have to be more succinct. Sort of like when we switched over from needing him to read everything we write to just periodical things. We’re afraid of not having someone to listen to us and give us good ideas, and to think about the hard stuff. That he actually cares…
We spent much more time than normal looking into his eyes, but then we’d start crying again and remembering some other terrible thing. Each time, he suggested better thoughts to replace the old. There is no replacing Dr. M. Thinking about it now helps us to think how much of us we’ve internalized of him. Especially, his ability to think and be positive, and not be so scared. Even when he’s handling us in our crises periods, he’s maintained a calm reserve. Thoughts go to the last time we held the knife (case cutter) to our throat. We’d already been cutting our arms. Everything is designed around safety. “You’ll have to put it down, or we won’t be able to talk.” “But, I feel better holding it.” “There is no compromise here.” “Are you sure?” “Yes, I’m very sure.” “Ok, but then we are going to be very angry at you.” “That’s ok, you can be angry at me.” “Will you get mad back.” “Nope!” “We’re pretty confused right now.” “I can see that. What would help?” “Someone’s crying inside.” “What can we do to help her?” “I think she wants something. She wants a white pony with a unicorn horn.” “Can you give her that?” “Yes, we have a herd of them back at the castle. We can let her choose a pretty one. She needs to comb her.” Pause. “How is she feeling now?” “Much better, thank you.” Looking over at clock. “We are going to need putting her somewhere safe.” “Yes, that is very important?” “Do you think we could keep her in your office? She barely takes up any space at all!” “Sure, that be ok.” “I feel better, but the other KC wants to talk to you now.” “That’s fine … thank you for talking to me.” *sigh*
posted by Ann Marie @ 2/10/2006 06:02:00 AM
Comments: 6
