in a day's work

i am still in quandary where im specializing in therapy. the last few years, stroke rehab, paediatric and adult learning disablilities seem to be in my top preferences. right now, mental health is really giving me second thoughts as i am enjoying it at the moment.

for a long time, i work in amputee rehab, but i was sidetracked when i was called to work in stroke then paediatrics.

and yesterday, i was really in a confused state. if i tell you whats in a days work for me yesterday, you'd know why:


9:00 AM - a review of a client's therapy outcomes. whether it worked or not. and there you'd know feedback first hand.in this part, you either get alot of compliments, or not so much, or a complaint about other professions involved in their treatment.

10:00 - helping a client's 'advance directive'. its like a medical will. where one writes down on a legal document what ones needs are: psychiatric medications, symptoms when they become unwell, or who to call when they are unwell: example who to call when they are on top of a building ready to jump, or in a suicidal threat that could harm others.

its amazing their candidness about their illness,and how they laugh about it.

11:30-1:30- a community social skills group. a lunch at a local restaurant. with 7 clients and two therapists, myself and H. its basically to get over agoraphobia, lessen social anxiety and incease confidence in social situations.

we met with at a local restaurant and had glorious conversation with the clients. some are getting better than others, some, are still slowly progressing.


2:00-4:00PM - digital imagery (back in the centre). the day before (thursday) the group met up at a local park for the practical sessions, where we took nature and wildlife photographs. (the first week was architectural and urban shots ).

the conversations and the interaction from my group was hilarious. and so humbling and goodness do i learn alot from them.


i left at 5:30pm as i had to score each client on my notes (it has all to be functionality and symptom based) and write down outcomes. theres alot of paper shuffling in this job, thats the only part i occasionally dislike.


**

conversations from the lunch:

the head OT,H, who was co-facilitating the group with me talked about pets. she knew one of the clients J, a stay-at-home mum who is into animals, has a mini zoo in her backyard. she has chickens, pigs, cats,dogs and duck pets.

they talked about J's ducks for a bit, and how one her ducks is so funny,as she has been housetrained.

one the clients from the community social skills group, is T ,who used to be a hotel chef, said to H and the group, "you wouldn't believe what i saw the other day. a woman was driving with her car and a duck was sitting on her shoulder. I was so taken aback but no one seemed to have noticed it except me".

J, said, "it must have been me, coz my duck does that when im driving"

the whole group laughed. T said, "no, it wasnt you, im sure it was just me, but im not sure. but the lady was driving a blue Volvo"

J said : "thats it! thats my car!" .

the whole group including myself and the head OT was in hysterics, especially when T added "thank god for that, i thought i was hallucinating again, i had to ring my mum and ask for a reappointment with my psychiatrist".



****

conversations in my group in the afternoon..

one of the group exercises after learning changing the levels and contrast on their photos, was a group exercise (in pairs) of critiquing photos using good photographic elements: composition, framing, rule of 1/3rds, contrast and saturation, exposure, and focus.

i had to show them a slideshow of photos (taken from google images--just google 'bad photography', there are thousands that will pop up) and some of MY own bad photos (you know those that should be in the bin) to be critiqued using the elements . its for them to get courage to pair up with someone and speak their mind.

my clients are so talented and skilled, but they have no confidence whatsoever,and have little self-esteem. and would not speak their mind. they would run away from situations like it. and if they couldn't run away, they would end up in a mess.

i was showing them a photo that was so busy and underexposed and badly focused. i let them discuss with their partner and talk about the photos elements and critique each photos.

i encourage them by saying "what is wrong with this photo?.."or what do you think should have been done to this photo?" one by one, said, "its underexposed". one said"its not focused" the other said "the image is blurry", the youngest one who is one of the shyest (and who wouldn't say anything to hurt a fly) said "i would delete it". when he said it, i felt like i just climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. (and we also had a good laugh after he said it).

you can see the sense of overwhelming relief every time they say they speak their mind to the group. and mine.


***

of the clients in my photographic class is a graphic designer. he brought his laptop for the class. he said to me, he uses photoshop CS5 (when he saw i'm using CS4 on my laptop). he said, if i want it, he could install it on my laptop. that was a big bold step from him being poorly confident. so i couldn't really discourage him, but it was unethical to receive any gifts from clients. i said, i actually have a Macbook which i use for my editing. he said, "i have the Mac version too". uh oh, it was a dilemma to say No to his efforts of coming up with an offer.

i said "thanks, i would love to, but i will be slapped on the wrist if the bosses knew i accepted it from you." i explained about patients ethics and such. he was jolly about it, but damn. free download of CS5 would have been lovely.

propriety, honour and integrity is so important in this country, and it is good practice too.

{photo: ice cream vendor at Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu. India.}