Treatments are Underway

I did my first two treatments today!  How did it go?  Well...it wasn't terrible, it wasn't great...it was a good learning experience, that's for sure and I'm happy with how it went overall.

My first patient that I saw is around 22 and has athetoid type cerebral palsy.  I've spent plenty of type watching the staff at my clinic work with him but he typically has high extensor tone and it made me nervous about how I'd be able to handle him.  Luckily when I started with him, physical therapy had already been working with him and they had just started a new activity to work on sitting balance.  I then worked on some reaching and core strengthening.  I assisted him with sit-ups.  Watching my supervisor and the other OT do this--they made it look so easy!  I nearly fell over when I tried assisting him!!!  I told him I was going to have to start working out at the gym just so I could continue doing his treatment.  He's such a good sport about dealing with me as a student.  I know that I'm going to learn a lot from working with him!

My second patient was the cutest little boy I've ever met.  He is around 6 years old and was diagnosed with agenesis of the corpus callosum (a rare birth defect in which there is a complete or partial absence of the corpus callosum).  My supervisor sat back and let me run the session.  It went pretty smoothly, all things considered.  He loves books and of course that is the first thing he wanted to do. After that we played on the swing for a little bit.  Next I had him copy some letters on the chalk board.  I realized I need to have a more structured activity if I am going to work on fine motor stuff.  The last thing I worked on with him was a three-step obstacle course.  Physical therapy had joined me at this point so we had him walk on a balance beam, jump over "stones" and hit a balloon while kneeling.  I hit the half way point of the session and that's when I kind of freaked out.  I felt like I had NO idea what I was doing and/or that my supervisor probably thought I was dumb for doing the things that I did.  I felt a lot like I did when I was doing practicals at school...unprepared and nervous as all get out.  I pulled myself back together and finished strong.

I have no idea who I will be seeing tomorrow.  I don't think either of the patients I saw today will be there again tomorrow.  I'll walk in the door, check the schedule and hopefully not freak out about who my supervisor puts on my case load for the day.  I think she's giving me 3 or 4 patients though.    Should be an adventure!