HAPPY MAIL

It sounds really awful to say but during most of my practical's in the last 2 years I've always at some point had thoughts that the treatment and things that I'm doing with my clients isn't really beneficial or making a difference because sometimes it is unrealistic because we only there certain days of the week and for a few weeks... sometimes our learning and academic reasons out weighs the benefit for the client as horrible it is to say that, it is true... This is something that's always sat in the back of my mind and has bothered me and so I have always tried my best to ensure that my clients are benefitting as much as possible...

Today I received an email that changed this for me and gave me such intense happiness. Last semester on my physical prac at a chronic hospital I did a vocational rehabilitation programme with my hemiplegic client where we set up a muffin baking business for him to sell within the hospital. I made him adapted equipment and trained him in all the skills he needed in order to bake the muffins and sell them. Even though I had set it up in a way to ensure sustainability, ever since I walked out of that hospital on the last day of my prac there I have wondered whether he was still baking and selling his muffins. This is the email I received from my supervisor who was with me on prac:

Dear Amy

 

Just a quick encouragement to let you know that Mr Ndlovu is doing really well at Hillcrest hospital… he comes every Friday to bake the muffins.

 

It truly is remarkable how this has impacted his life.  Thank-you for your contribution

 

Knowing that I made some form of a difference whilst being a student in the process of learning has made me extremely happy. The satisfaction that I feel is amazing and if this is what it feels like to help people and change lives through occupation I really cant wait until I'm doing it every single day of the week, not just twice a week.