OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY & ME

Tonight I was asked the following question: Do you enjoy being an OT?

Initially, I thought, what a bazaar question. I blog OT, I tweet OT, I Facebook OT, I promote OT on Linked In and on Google+. I live, sleep and eat OT. I think that OT is in my DNA! In many ways, in the words of Lady Gaga, "Baby, I was born this way!"

I was a single mom, I worked at so many different types of jobs but never felt like me. Then my dad had a brain hemorrhage. I never got to see any of the therapies that he was prescribed. But, I could sew well and I made him some things that I thought would help him. One day, when I visited him at the Rehab Center, some one asked me if I was an OT. I had no clue what an OT was. I looked into it, went to work in a health care environment to see if it was a good fit for me. I loved working in health care. Within one year I was in school starting my prerequisite courses at SUNY and pretty much aced them. Then went to OT school. It was hard, I worked a full time job and went to school at the same time. Not an easy task and not so great for your grades either. But I muddled through. I remember driving home from my very last day of level II fieldwork and I called my mom on the way home. I was so emotional, "I did it! I finished!" I cried into the phone. My mom actually gave me a graduation gift that very day, a a beautiful emerald band ring. I was was so thrilled. The day my license came in the mail, I screamed, "I passed, it's a big envelop!" My poor dad nearly fell off his chair, I scared him so much. For graduation, my son gave me a card that I hold onto until this day, so many years later. The card read, "For your Advanced Degree." He wrote that he was so proud of me and it was the best card and gift that I could ever receive.

I cannot see being anything but an OT. I love the ability to be creative and to work with different age groups. It is the most freeing job that I have ever had. OT is growing by leaps and bounds. I am a maverick in my field going where few have gone before but I am loving the exploration. I want to see more OT out in the community. I want to see community groups involving OT. OT should not just be cornered in a classroom or a rehab unit. OT should be celebrated as it provides skills for people to live independently.

My dad died in 2002. He was my co-pilot in many adventures. When I graduated, of course, one of the first things I bought was a car. The two years later I bought the SUV. I would lift my dad into the SUV and we would go places all the time. We loved the midnight rides to the Hess station around Christmas time to find that year's Hess truck. We loved going to the Air Show at Republic Airport. He loved the Air Power Museum at Republic. Our very last trip was to the museum in Nassau County. The very next day he went into the hospital and never came out. Without the support of my son, mom and dad, I would not be doing what I am today. Dad would be so proud to see how I have stepped out of my comfort zone and started down the really tough road to my own practice. He would love to see some of the things that I have written and will soon publish. Today, I would not be who I am without my family. I am an OT! Thank you <3