Reflections During OT Month

Apr 16

I am asked from time to time, “Why did you become an Occupational Therapist?”

Well, growing up in a home with a Methodist minister father and a registered nurse mother, in retrospect it almost seems like I could have been destined to be an occupational therapist. They were both focused on caring for people whether it was spiritual, emotional, or physical needs, so between the two of them I was greatly influenced in all of those areas. I knew at a young age that I wanted to do something in healthcare but I wasn’t sure what... I explored physical therapy (but I hate physics!), and I considered orthopedic surgery (but who wants to go to school that long?!), and then I was introduced to occupational therapy when I was receiving PT in high school for a knee injury. Once I learned a little more about it, and was doing my observation hours prior to applying to OT school, it was OT’s holistic approach to patient care that drew me in. Add to that the fact that we get to work with what Tom Brokaw called “The Greatest Generation” – and I was sold!

As an OT in long-term care, the people I have been able to meet are pretty incredible. I once had a patient who landed on the beach at Normandy on D Day. His job as a medic was to administer morphine to the men who had been injured. He was a patient of mine at the time that Tom Hanks’ movie Saving Private Ryan came out. Hearing him describe the beach that day was something I will never forget. I had another patient who held over 100 patents; he had worked at places like IBM and NASA and something he invented made it to the moon on the Apollo missions. Yet another patient was considered to have “perfect taste buds” - they were even insured by Lloyds of London. He was a chef, but his job was as a consultant perfecting recipes for some of the big brands that you know - such as Hershey’s, Popeyes, and Morrison's Cafeteria.

While these encounters were memorable, the one I will never forget (and probably the one that spurred me on in my pursuit of an occupational therapy degree) was the patient who had had a massive stroke. I was completing observation hours at a skilled nursing facility at the time, and he came in with what I later learned was left neglect and his left side was flaccid. He was completely dependent for ADLs, ambulation, and was on an NG tube. I observed a few treatments, finished my observations hours, and then applied to OT school. Once I found out that I was accepted, I returned to that site to tell the supervisors and thank them for the references and all their help. We were standing in the office talking when a gentleman I didn’t recognize walked into the office carrying a cane. I introduced myself and he said, “You don’t remember me, do you?” He reminded me that he was that patient with the massive stroke. It turns out that he had made a remarkable recovery with minimal residual deficits and he was there that day after completing his home health therapy to thank all the therapists for all they had done for him. It was quite an emotional moment and one that I will never forget.

This OT month is different than any we have experienced before. You are covered in PPE, putting your safety at risk and still trying to provide quality care. Creating a meaningful interaction between you and your patient where “therapeutic use of self” (you might have to think way back to your OT Theory or Principles class to dig up that phrase!) is integral to the treatment session can be difficult in normal times, much less when there are now layers and layers of material between you and the patient. You all are Healthcare Heroes! During OT month (and beyond) we celebrate you and thank you for the important work you do.

Now you know why I became an OT. Next time I see you, please tell me why YOU became an OT. I’d love to hear your story.

Cheers to OT Month,