Ayn's Multiple World

Catchin up Monday and Tuesday

Good morning. This is me. I’m at work this morning. It’s 7:40 am and I’m with group 1. Sister has taught the 3 clients that are already here to do a letter/envelope folding job. Thankfully, she said on her way out it was ok for just these 3 and when others came in they could do their own jobs - which means free time. That’s a lot easier than teaching someone the job and all the checking that would take.

My talkative client just came in and one the other problem one. My hope is that some – that they quitety walk in and do their own projects. I feel very tired. We didn’t turn off the TV so woke up without mask and dreaming about the steam cleaner on the infomercial. Yeeks. Hmm, now my other problem client is in. It might takwe some settling. The talkative on is at it already. I just told the group to work on their own projects. There are 8 people here automatically from no where – 7:55 am. Some of them look as tired as I feel. Please everyone just adjust.

Ahh one of the problem ones put his head down and said he was going to sleep, but that only lasted for a minute. The talkative one is mumbling outloud to herself.

Obviously I’m paying attention, but certainly giving the impression that I’m busy.

Oh Lordy … that was one of my girls. She was telling me I had to help her make a birday card for her friend because her mom say so. YeeGads … you gotta know that isn’t going to happen. I told her to ask her friend to spell her name. I told her I wasn’t going to have time. That’s certainly true. I think in disgust the thought of being required to do someone’s free-time work. I just spelled Happy Birthday for her. This is the nature of this client. She believes that it is the group’s project that she get these personal birthday cards written. She is not understanding that it was a private project she could have done over the weekend and she doesn’t understand that it is un-Kosher to tell the birthday person that she has to make her a card. Like just do it and surprise her? Wasn’t that the way it’s supposed to work?

Ok, what’s next. The other problem one is trying to get my attention in a backward manner – oh good problem averted. He wanted to make not having work be a problem.

Then he used that conversation to begin talking about his home problems. I averted that and another cliet game him paper to write. I showed him where there was a pen, but he said he has his own. Now he was talking about the local park and the ballgame etc *sigh* I hope everyone just settles in.

Oh shoot … there was Maria who had another of my problem clients in tow. She wants me to talk to her about a problem over the weekend. That seems to be the way it goes whatever happens over the weekend is supposed to be my deal. I am probably cold and calculating here, but I don’t really want to hear about everyone’s problems that have nothing to do with me or the center – especially first thing on a Monday morning.

Yes, I am a counselor type person. But, I am not a dump. I figure I am to help regulate their behaviors so they become engaged in independent work. That means I’m to watch out for anything that gets in the way and get them quickly back on track. 3 clinets are working quietly, one is in the bathroom, two are reading a magazine, two have papers/pens in front of them and the one is working on her birthday card.

Unfortunatley, the one with book and notepaper hasn’t decided to make himself buys.

He is settling in though … he is watching his peers. Oh oh … he’s up and roaming.

Good sitting. He’s still looking to take someone’s notebook paper. He’s now sitting again with the book open. He hasn’t found his pen yet, but he’s shown some effort. The people out in the hall are doing well. One came rushing back here to get a drink of water.

Whoops there goes my roamer again. We say, “What are you lookin for?” He’s one that takes things that he shouldn’t, so we have to pay close attention. I don’t want to push him,. He said he was looking again for the notebook. He grumbled saying, he wasn’t a kid when we suggested he sit down because there wasn’t a notebook here for him. One of the clients is taking his time in the washroom. It’s now 8:20 and he’s been in there for 5 minutes. Better watch that too.

One of the clients needed more supplies. I told her where to find the supplies. I just suggested to my roamer he take out a pencil or pen because he couldn’t write without one. Just trying to progress that situation. He’s talking to his peer now and the talkative one is chatting out loud to no one. The one who was just writing quietly was shuffling through papers. I had to ask to see what she was writing because sometimes she sends bad notes of a sexual manner. Now she’s just watching the talker.

Now one of the talkative clients is telling me what she’s getting her – the birthday person to the card writing person. She says the birthday girl is going shopping with her mother and is going to bring something back – a gift. The roamer is roaming again and its that much later it’s now 8:27 am. Two minutes … I knocked on the bathroom door and now the one is finally coming out. My wanderer was told to get out of the garbage, but he’s still not moving. For the record now there is a pencil on the table. I just looked around and smiled at anyone looking to acknowledge I was paying attention. The bathroom person found himself a binder and went to the shelves and came up with 3 writing utencils. My one client finally picked up the pen – not writing yet, but is making progress. My timeclock person just reminded me it was time to move the lunch boxes. So the one took the talkative peer with her which forced the person being talked to to look for something to do.

Hmm, back to the bathroom with him too.

I complimented one of the quiet ones, but the one who is holding a pen used that again to try and start up a conversation. But, I’m not going to sit here and just liste to him complain. Margarita came in quietly and is looking at the folding job. She might ask why the others aren’t working, but so far she is quiet. Oh the sound of relative quiet! Now my friend is mumbling, “I have a problem.” He is sitting 3 feet to my left. The two are back from the lunch duty. The one asked Margarita to start on the job, but we reminded her not until Sister gets back. Pshwoo. Got past that one. And, the bathroom person is done. Record time of 6 minutes. WooHOO Sister is back!

Next Day...

Good morning. We’re back again in the workshop. It’s already 8:15 am though. I’ve been answering the door and paying the drivers. Thankfully the client that takes care of it finally came in.

On the side, I’ve been taking care of the clients in Group 1. There are 11 people how have come in. My two problem clients came in. I’ll have to call the one #1 problem … he came in cranky. He wants to argue and we are saying no. Trying to work off from getting into his bad mood while watching that he doesn’t spread it to his peers. He’s got to make a conscientious decision to let go of the things that really have been dumped on him by the sisters. He’s got to learn to handle his life – hopefully in a positive manner, but at the least not dump his mood on everyone else.

He just decided to move seats. We moved him back. We’re not letting him make new rules. I know he is trying to or should be getting himself under control. I moved over to the chair 3 feet from him, but I want him to get a grip on it. He’s got his head down and is now feigning tears. We blocked that move.

Hmm, we’ve been talking to him 15 minutes. We repeat that his sister’s problems aren’t his problems and to let them go. He brings up one of their problems after another and you can see how he’s been dumped on … but, I am refusing that he just dumps the stories on me. We’re teaching him to let them go – that’s none of your business … that’s your sister’s problem, don’t take it from her … let it go. We’ve also said not to be making problems bigger than they are. He reaches way back to deal with problems from years ago so I tell him it is too old. We will only talk to things here in the present. We will deal with his bad mood by letting other things go, but we’re not going to talk about the problems. It does neither of us to try and solve the sisters problems, because that garbage they put out isn’t mine or his.

He calmed down again. Oh deare one of the male clients is singing in the bathroom.

He’s trying to let go of tension. The group giggles. My #1 problem is talking to himself, but he’s finally got his pen in hand and the book open. That’s the goal – to get out of his head and focus on being here.

Ahh, my relief Sr. is here.

Ok, everything is typed up for the last two days. Hmm, apparently … the DSP – Imelda came back in for the book, because it’s no longer on the corner of my other desk. Basically, she had come in and we argued about 1 ½ minutes over who has to do the data in the book. She’s saying that she should do it because she’s not here on Tuesdays and Wednesday with the group, but then I say me neither. She wants me to take care of it. Then the suggestion is made that Karla should take care of it when she comes in on Thursdays. But, again she doesn’t want to take care of it because she’s not there either. The sister who is here, is taking on those extra clients and writes the notes down on a piece of paper, but they have to get transferred to the other book. Really it’s not hard … but point is – that it’s a DSP job it’s not a Q-job. I’m a Q not a DSP. I have nothing to do with that group now with the exception of watching my clients on the side.

I said that Sr. Theresa would have to decide … and so then Imelda said I should ask her. And, I was being contrary and saying why did I have to ask, why didn’t she ask. But, then I said fine. I’ll ask. But, maybe she talked to her first, because the books aren’t there. The next time I’ll see sister I’ll ask her. It really is a lot more inconvenient to do the books for them when it’s the only thing – and you need to remember this little side problem that becomes big when ignored. Both the DSPs do it on their days – Imelda on Mondays, and Karla on Thursdays and Fridays.

Let them all figure out the problem ... it’s not mine. I did DSP work only until Sr. hired someone for those days. Pshswoo … now scoot … that’s no longer my problem either.

We woke up a little late this morning. It was already 6:30 am. We usually leave at 7 am, so it wasn’t too hard getting ready, just we had to do it without sitting around to write or watch news. That was fine enough. It really isn’t as much fun to be around the house when Rich isn’t there.

Hmm, that’s newsworthy. Rich is still out with his mother and Bud. I didn’t get to talk to him about any changes out there. I know that he and I got home about the same time and we went out Monday night for pancakes and eggs – him something meatier, and then last night he came home for another couple of hours and brought some kind of pizza crescent like thing. On Sunday night we made mad passionate love, and then last night he had his eyes closed on the couch so I figured we might as well get in some cuddly time. In the background I listened to the news, but I wasn’t watching it. I was just snugglin with my bunny. That lasted about an hour and a half. Hehehe when he opened his eyes he said he might have dozed.

We got the next series of directions that sounded something like … we better be picking up the fudgicle sticks or they would collect ants. We weren’t going for that at all. They were like our BC calander marking the days since he’s been gone.

Kind of an out loud reminder to him that he’s neglecting us.

Hmm, there’s Tropical Storm Marco that has made landfall in Mexico. That can’t be good … it’s about 9:50 am.

I can hear Sr. Theresa somewhat down the hall asking someone “What’s your problem?!” She’s saying it in a manner I might as well. I think I get my psychology from Sr. Hehe … you got a problem … lets deal with it and be done with it. ‘Cept, by now I’m not even wanting to deal with it. I’ll go as far as suggesting how to deal with it, but I don’t want it dumped on me. It’s like people say … here you figure this out. I’m going out for a Mai Tai.

Maybe I’ll have to talk to Dr. Marvin about my attitude. I’ll ask him if I should change my approach. Then he’ll make me think it through and then we’ll all be happier. Think it through now? No, we’re too close to it. The answer at this point is no.

We did deal with one problem that was our problem to deal with yesterday. One of my problem clients – and believe me a lot of these client problems is because they have family problems. But, anyone one of them came in with bruises on her arm and leg.

The one on the leg takes up her knee and upper thigh.

Ahh … did it … we’ve got today’s pictures of the bruises. We’ve gotten also some manila envelopes to be putting them somewhere safe. The bruises look better now … And, she says that home is fine.

We also had a little tour … there were 3 women from another facility who wanted to check out this place for their daughters. They seemed nice enough, but I figure that their daughters are going to be a handful. I don’t know if the one has been toilet trained and the other she says is hyper and doesn’t like to sit in any one place. But, here … we sit a lot. We’ll have to see. I don’t know what sister is going to do with them, but they said they would tell the other parents about this place. I recommended that Sister send with them a video and most likely that happened because sister thought it was a good idea.

This is me today. Yaya .. nothing special. Just we had the camera out for the other deal. Did you see those pictures in the background? That’s my special grandchildren. Hmm, wonder if I could get a better picture, hold on.





Ahh … a pretty good picture … not nearly as nice though as it is sitting up on my desk. Doesn’t Isa look like one of those two cherubs you see pictured all the time? Ahh yes, this one!

It’s a beauty!

Sweet! Ok, well we’re not focusing very well. We just sent the picture to a few people that we knew. Sent them to their Grandmother and Aunt as well. Well, ok and to my doctors, and sons, and some friends and Rich. You know how that sorta thing goes hehehe

posted by Ann Marie @ 10/07/2008 01:31:00 PM Comments: 0