I Did My Wheel Chair Day On September 11

There are many changes that Texas State could make to accommodate my needs. I am in a wheelchair, and while it is quite handicap accessible, there is always room for improvement. We all know that this campus is one that involves a large amount of hills and stairs. These are not easy things to deal with when you are a quadriplegic because wheelchairs do not mix well with these things. Also, I often feel alone. (Józefowski, P., & Bolach, E). I know others like me are out there and feel alone as well. If Texas State could make an effort to recognize and bring together people with severe conditions it would decrease the alone feeling in each and every quadriplegic. It would also make others used to being around people with these conditions and help them see that we are no different. Clubs and organizations could be created in order to increase awareness of diversity at Texas State.

There may be instances where I will have to deal with a patient who have both cognitive and physical disabilities that I will have to be mindful of in order to provide the best care possible. I am confident that this internship has made me more prepared for those instances, and that I will handle them effectively. On a few occasions, I have had parents of the gymnasts come up to me and thank me for working with their child, and told me what I great job I did. One father came up to me, and thanked me for being so patient with his son. He said that his son had a great time, and at home kept saying how he, "hung out with the boys at gymnastics". Not only did this make me feel good, but also will be a reminder as I advance in my career to be mindful how I act. A simple thing as being patient and have a positive attitude can make a world of difference for someone I am dealing with, even though I might not recognize

The piece of equipment that caught my eye was the Bioness Vector. I saw that it is hard physical work to help the patient walk when they are just starting. But as the time passed and I was observing more patients, they progressed to walk by themselves without the Bioness Vector. The vector was there to catch the patient from falling and there were times that the patient almost could have fallen but the vector caught them, as well the therapist reacted quickly to help redirect the patient. As they tried walking, the therapist was very delicate in assisting the patient by moving each leg into a step. It's a proud moment seeing the patient succeed in being able to walk by themselves. Patients cried and resisted the work because they thought that they couldn't do it. And theres a moment that I remember from a conversation of a therapist and a patient were the patient had a face of annoyance and his therapist asked him, "Im I annoying?" He replied, "Yes!" She responded with, "then you''ll remember me." This just showed me that the therapist will never give up on their patient, that its not just about getting better in the hospital but getting better in things that we do in life. That im sure that this patient when ever he is in the world and he is stuck in a situation, he will remember his

When I first decided that I wanted to further my education in nursing, I was inspired by my job as a Home-Health Aide. At the age of sixteen, I started working for a company called Miracles In Motions. I worked with individuals who are mentally and physically disabled; assisting them with all their daily needs. One day on my job, I was introduced to Mr. Peloquin, a man with Cerebral Palsy. I introduced myself to him and he began telling me stories about himself and his disability. I could tell that he enjoyed my company and he expressed that he does not get to tell his stories often. The story that really caught my interest involved his recent hospital visit. He told me how mistreated he had been by the hospital staff due to his disability; there was no interaction from the health professionals, and he was not treated like a human being. He stressed to me that he hated the way he was treated and that this was just one of multiple similar situations. Conversing with Mr. Peloquin that day gave me a heavy

I was taken back by how often I had to give verbal cues as to the condition of the road or sidewalk. In a place like old town, which is considered a historical landmark, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations are not usually employed, so for a person with a disability this can be challenging to navigate as the sidewalks are narrow, unbalanced and obstructed. Every bump and crack in the road is a tripping hazard to someone whose vision is impaired. Keeping my patient from running into people or telephone poles and when to step up and down curbs was a task. Several times I had to walk behind her because the two of us could not fit side by side on the walking paths. In addition to the extremely slow walking pace we had to maintain to avoid falling, I would forget she could not see what I could see and kept telling her to look at this store or sculpture, she then would remind me she could not see it so I would then describe it to her or take her to the item so she could feel it for herself. Another thing I noticed is the amount of attention you suddenly get as strangers watch you with curiosity, whereas they would normally probably never have given us a second glance if we were not portraying a person with impairments. One concerned onlooker did approach us as we were going down uneven

“Hello, Can I help You?” is a touching story. It did not only motivate me more to become an Occupational Therapist but it made me look forward to the future where I can help people feel better, happier, and more fulfilled of their lives. I have always been fascinated by the works of Occupational Therapists. Seeing them in the milieu where I work helps me stay on track and have more sense of direction in life. Meeting patients at work just like Jacqueline Goldberg opens multiple opportunities for me to learn and get a better and deeper understanding of people with disability. In Jacquline’s story, I learned that the Occupational Therapy treatment process is not just a typical in-and-out treatment routine. The story opened my eyes to a different level of patient-healthcare provider relationship and how that relationship can completely change someone’s

I shadowed Matt Woodruff, who is a certified hand therapist and a occupational therapy at St. Luke’s. I had the opportunity to see the determination, character, and patience that it takes to be an occupational therapist. I arrived 15 minutes early, so I decided to take a seat and wait for Mr. Woodruff. As I waited, I turned to the sound of elevator doors opening, and saw a paraplegic woman step out. I recognized her at my OT that I had when I had a burn incident at the age of 2. Immediately I burst into tears and took a knee next to her and said “Do you remember me?” As I explained more about myself and what happen when I was a child, she pulled out her phone and showed me a picture of 2 year old me on her lap. As I clean myself up she showed

At Boshear's, I did not have the opportunity to shadow an OT; however, I did observe aquatic therapy. The child was wheelchair-bound and could barely hold himself up, but with the resistance of the warm water massaging his muscles, he was able to move a little more freely. While observing at Beckville, I was amazed by the astronaut training, which is a linear movement to improve the vestibular system. I was able to observe the movement in the client’s eyes when the rotation stopped. Holy Angels provided me with a vision of ways in which a wheelchair is customized to meet a client's needs. They also showed me their Snoezelen room. How I wish I had that kind of sensory magic in my house! The smiles of accomplishment I saw at the Sarah Murphy Field Day will never leave my heart. Each venue I visited showed me multiple advantages of occupational therapy and convinced me that I truly want to establish a career in this

First was to use public transportation. My partner and I chose to ride the bus to catch a glimpse of what using a wheelchair in the bus would mean. I was the assistant in this case. At first I thought it would be an easy time working as an assistant. I expected to be given priority and special treatment as I had a ‘person on the wheelchair’ with me; but no. Boarding the bus was a bit difficult since the bus did not have enough space to accommodate the wheelchair. We needed help to get in as the floor of the bus was higher than the ground we stood on. In the bus, the wheelchair had to be folded while in the bus since the space to put it was limited.

As a young child, I did not fully grasp why my uncle was confined to a wheelchair. Many years later, my parents informed me that he had an arteriovenous malformation removed from his pons that left him ataxic. With a two-year-old daughter and a son on the way, my uncle was told he might never walk again. When individuals are confronted with a physical or emotional challenge such as this, they may look to others for support in finding inner strength and self-fulfillment in their life. As a future occupational therapist, I look forward to helping individuals finding this inner strength to attain competence and independence in the occupations of life.

I completed my wheelchair assignment at The walmart in Marianna Fl.I was only in there for a hour because this is my hometown they know me. And i had people continually asking what had happened and so forth.But I had a heck of a time getting into the chair from my car even with help. I wasn't sure if we had to start from the car but i did it to be safe.And me being 320 lbs did not make the hoisting of myself into the chair was hard. Then i had people looking at me like i had a disease and they had to help me anyway they could. They were holding the door open for me and anytime i dropped anything they didn't even give me a chance to pick it up myself .I remember that all the wheelchair ramps where on the side of the store and what i could buy

During my time spent interacting with residents with physical and mental disabilities, I was able to gain a better understanding of what the resident experiences during everyday life. I was able to observe the everyday challenges of living with the different disabilities. I witnessed the profound effect that mental health has on the quality of life and the outlook on life for an individual. I hoped to observe positive treatment and individuals of the individuals staying there and I witnessed just that. I obtained a better understanding of the experiences and feelings of the residents living there. My knowledge of the mind/ body interaction was strengthened during my time spent volunteering.

My name is Jasmine and I had the experience to see what it would be like living with a right arm amputee. I was a little concern about this assignment because I didn’t know what to expect from others. I knew that not having the capability of using both arms would be challenging, but I did not really know how much work and stress it could put on the individual. Friday night at 9:00 until Saturday at 9:00 I was able to experience what it would be like if something had of happened to my arm and I couldn’t use it anymore. I wish that I have of waited to start the assignment before I took my shower, but unfortunately I wasn’t thinking at the moment. As i was preparing myself to take a shower I encountered a bunch of minor problems. It took way longer than expected to get undressed

In the video they follow a man who has a spinal cord injury and how he gets around in the community now that he is wheelchair. The man discus how things are different for him now that he is in the wheelchair. Now when he goes out with friends he needs to know if the places a wheelchair assessable, do they have ramps, and where the bathrooms are located. He knows when he goes out he have to consider the fact many people will just look over him. When shopping for clothes he don’t fit into most dressing rooms. He also points out that taking public transportation is easier for people in wheelchairs now that buses have ramps. Seeing this video made me consider more things people in wheelchairs deal with. Seeing how he is able to get himself in and

Improved Coordination: Quick coordination between hands, legs, eyes, ears, and brain is a must to operate the wheelchair. Neurologists believe that like any able person, the chair cycling mechanism enables the individual to pedal without thinking, improving both motor and neurological functions of the body. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJy7K1STFyg). Additionally, controlling the break with hands can strengthen the hand