Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Slow my roll!

So last night I was thinking, “Why am I so bored out of my mind and why am I not enjoying this break that I am getting from work and school?” It hit me that for the last two years I have been extremely busy with work, running my kids to their sporting events, going to school four nights a week until 10pm, and doing drafting and design work for my interior design degree. Now that everything has stopped I realized that I am experience what most people who retire experience when they stop working, which is missing the busyness of a life that they have been accustomed too. I am going to do my best to enjoy this time. I feel that I am rushing life. I am rushing to go back to school, rushing getting accepted into the OT program, rushing starting my career.  I am rushing my life and need to stop. I read a very encouraging article this morning about climbing a mountain. It basically said you will not ever realize the beauty of the mountain unless you have climbed it and noticed its beauty on the way up which I realized is true. I need to realize that everything happens for a reason and right now I am getting a break from school and work because it is needed at this time. I am not even doing a lot of ripping and running for my kid’s sports events right now. The only event I have is my daughter’s competitive cheer events. My boys soccer starts back up in February. I must admit that breast feeding is the only thing that has me going all day. I need to also enjoy that too because Gem’maica will only be this size once. I am learning to slow down. Maybe that is my life lesson for right now, to slow down and enjoy the moment that I am living. Besides this is a great time to start applying for scholarships for the next school year. Every day I learn something new about myself which I am thankful for.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Maternity Leave

My last session at school was the week of Nov. 19. I gave birth to my second daughter, out of 5 kiddos, on Nov. 14 at 9:47 pm in the front seat of our Dodge Charger. My husband did a good job at catching her. She weighed 6.2 lbs. and 19 inches. Today we had her one month checkup and she now weighs 7.5 lbs. and is 20 inches. I must admit that I was really looking forward to this time off work and school. I have now come to realize how much I miss school. I keep thinking about the fact that I could be taking classes that will get me closer to getting into the OT program. Then I start to think about how I will miss my baby. I nurse her on demand so I know I will miss that. So to pass the time, I read other students blogs and live through their experiences. I will just enjoy this time off and love on my baby girl.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

How I fell in love with OT!

I started at Spalding University in Louisville, KY June of this year as a Pre-OT student. I have always wanted to be in the medical field. Due to some choices I made when I was younger, I was not motivated enough to attend school. When I was about 18 I decided that I wanted to be a nurse. As I became older, I realized that blood and needles is not my thing. I almost pass out when I see needles. I become a teen mother at the age of 19, so my main priority was to support my son.

Four years later I gave birth to twins (boy/girl). My daughter was breech and her left hip was completely dislocated. So she was placed in a harness from 2 weeks to about 4 months to form her hip socket. As time passed, she was not developing according to her milestones. When she was about 9 months, she was not sitting up. At this time the doctor recommended a DT and a PT. She still was not advancing, so we opted to add an OT and ST to my daughter’s regimen. All of the therapists were amazing; however the OT and PT were the two that stood out to me in my daughters improving abilities. I loved how the PT stretch her muscles, pushed her limits and strengthen her. She helped Dyimand, my daughter, get to where she needed to be and made way for the OT.

The OT helped Dyimand fine tune those muscles that she strengthened, learn textures in her hands and mouth, put shapes together, build things, bounce on balls, balance, and more. I loved how the OT helped Dyimand develop skills that she needed to function and enjoy life, and it was an added bonus that my daughter loved it when the OT came. Of course when the PT came, Dyimand would cry because she had to work and work hard. I found that too funny, but that showed me that the PT was doing her job. After being introduced to the therapy field, I knew that this is the field where I needed to be. Being an OT would allow me to helping people use and learn how to "play" and enjoy life.

That was when I fell in love with OT and I am ever grateful what therapy has done for my daughter. Today Dyimand is an active 5 yr. old. She is currently in a competitive cheer leader and she loves it!