Baseline

That’s the “measurement, calculation, or location used as a basis for comparison” that I don’t really recall much learning about in school but I’m finding out is at the underpinning of all we can do in occupational therapy, or at least in this acute setting.  It’s a bit heart-wrenching, but then again, we can’t keep you forever and give false hope either.  Basically, if someone comes in only at a level of functioning of living at home with supervision, we’re not going to expect or sometimes even believe that person will leave being able to do more than that.  Our efforts are to try as much as possible to get the person to how they came in, right before the incident that brought them into the hospital occurred. 

So in essence, there’s this one guy who used to be very smart.  Reading his history, part of it reminded me of Andrew Eng, and that’s all I can say I think without compromising his confidential information.  He used to be so smart, but in the past years he has decompensated immensely.  His demeanor and motivation level reminds me of myself, hit very close to home for me.  His “baseline” now is thus not when he was working a few years earlier but as he is now, having to live at home with his parents (like me!).  So in the privacy of the small interview room, yesterday I shared that as a matter of fact I was diagnosed recently with MDD and social phobia.  That I knew it was hard (although I don’t and won’t ever know or understand his personal ramifications), and I was here to help if he would just give me something, anything.  “That’s the thing!  I don’t have any plans when I get home.”  I hear ya, brother, I hear ya.  His dad (an atheist) believes that when you die, you die, the end.  His mother is Catholic.  I wanted to ask if he personally knew Jesus, but then I chickened out.  I wasn’t sure what my boundaries were and where I personally stood.  I feel I am only a smidgen less lost than he is right now.  I reverted to the safer route, asking him about community resources.  A step towards getting better.   Made a list.  Maybe seeing what his church offered….

Magnificat

And Mary said:
   “My soul glorifies the Lord 
    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 
 for he has been mindful
      of the humble state of his servant.
   From now on all generations will call me blessed, 
    for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
      holy is his name. 
 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
      from generation to generation. 
 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
      he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 
 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
      but has lifted up the humble. 
 He has filled the hungry with good things
      but has sent the rich away empty. 
 He has helped his servant Israel,
      remembering to be merciful 
 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
      even as he said to our fathers.”
(”Mary’s Song” from Luke 1:46-55)

I had a work field trip today (honor code).  First, since they’re only open in the mornings on Wednesdays, I had my eye appointment with Dr. Tou at 9:30 am.  With a couple of hours to kill, I went to Home Depot.  My dad had originally asked me to get them for him but he changed his mind because he figured I wouldn’t have time.  Well, since I passed it while driving, I thought, why not.  Turns out they don’t have any toilet flappers at that specific Home Depot store.  Seems like the guy who helped me, “Chris,” and I had a little guy-girl thing going on because usually these guys who help don’t usually have such a huge smile on their face (unless he’s always like that, of course).  But both of us were all professional about it, and nothing was exchanged in concrete.  I guess things like that, it’s more for, making your day.  I stopped at Panera Bread to use a little bit of their wi-fi before heading off to my “field trip.”

You can find the history and background for Magnificat House in the links below.  They have a rule to be home by 9 pm.  They have enough staff to provide guidance but not enough for it to run without the consistent multiple input from members.  The house they are in is quite an old house–it even has servants steps from upstairs down to the kitchen for back in the day when they are to stay out of sight as much as possible and to be readily available to quickly bring refreshments.  They have a sand volleyball court in the back, but it doesn’t seem to really be used.  They gave me a video to watch (about how this clubhouse model started, playing “Against Me” by Godspeed in the background), and a guy who had slight tongue thrust came in, sat in a chair, and started rocking back and forth.  It really is a clubhouse because you just come in and do whatever you want, hang and chill or do work, etc.

I met an African-American called Charles, a Hispanic called Steve, Father ? (at the end of the day, who led the evening Mass), Sister Agnes (an Asian Indian nun) and Sister Mary Jude (a Korean nun), and Ernie, to name a few.  Ernie, an HCC professor of transportation law, comes Tuesday nights from 4 to 5 pm to teach Bible study.  Sometimes he tries to solicit for donations to support the work of Magnificat House.  I was paired up for about an hour? with an ex-prisoner (this is his second time) for him to tell me about what they do out in the yard (horticulture’s quite a big factor here - I helped with flower arranging earlier).  However, he just came to Magnificat House a few weeks ago, so he couldn’t tell me much compared to sharing his own life journey.  He was born in New York City but moved to Philadelphia, then went into the Navy.  He has lived in El Paso before, but his heart is really in Philadelphia.  When I said I was born in Pottstown, he reacted as if he found a kindred spirit :-)  He mentioned Reggie Theus, but I’m not sure what he was saying about him.  He showed me a picture of his girlfriend who broke up with him due to the incident that involved him in prison; she’s the daughter of an Austin minister and is 62 years old.  I was told one of the Sisters is actually an OTR (pediatrics), but she’s not here today.

“Work is a regenerative force.”  They have a sense of together helping the house run well.  It gives them a sense of success and companionship.  In fact, they don’t only have the opportunity to contribute but the expectation to do so.  They are members for life, because it’s okay to not be strong 100% of the time.  They utilize horticulture duties as I mentioned earlier, hospitality and kitchen (I ate lunch with them, which was prepared and served by the members), chapel, household/newspaper (they have their own newsletter that they work on together and print), admissions, and education/employment (learning skills, helping each other out, etc.).  Actually, the girl who served my lunch is a Filipino who I think is actually younger than me and I initially thought she was staff but she’s actually a member.  They work and reach out to help get student loans forgiven.  They make and edit videos to give to sponsors as to what their money is going towards.  I only asked a few questions, which was answered like they all have a Gold Card for health care, although a few have private insurance.

After Magnificat House, I had planned to go to Panera Bread to eat dinner and use their internet, but all those U-turns took a toll.  Instead, I took the wrong way and saw Chipotle so I ate there and used next door Which ‘Wich’s free wi-fi.  I played basketball (James called a few more times than I think is normal) with James, Linton, Jonathan, and Michael, who left and was replaced by Chris.   Afterwards we went to eat at the Kona Grill in the Galleria, where Peter Lee met up with us.  They warned us to be careful of flashing headlights, that it’s gang initiation and everyone needs to just not react tonight if that happens, because they will hunt you down and murder you.  I got home by 11:30, showered, then went to bed.

• Four Guaranteed Rights of Membership:
  1.) A right to a place to come
  2.) A right to meaningful relationships
  3.) A right to meaningful work
  4.) A right to a place to return.
• Magnificat Houses Inc, is a nonprofit charitable organization chartered by the State of Texas in 1968. The agency has been providing the poor and homeless of Houston not only with the basic needs of food and shelter, but with hope and the belief that every human being has dignity. The Magnificat House, Inc. was founded by RoseMary Badami with the intention to help those in Houston who are most in need. Magnificat Houses, Inc. now includes nine residential houses for the homeless, the recovering mentally ill, ex-offenders, women and children, and anyone who might need a place to stay. In addition to the nine residential houses, Magnificat also runs multiple programs including a house for those with HIV/AIDS, St. Joseph ClubHouse, a psychosocial program for residents recovering from mental illness, a soup kitchen located on Houston’s “skid row”, an overnight emergency shelter for street women, and a thrift store that offers discounted furniture, clothing, etc. For more information on the organization, see: http://home.surfree.com/~magnificat/houses/index.html (Aurora Seminara, GSBS).
• Eli Lilly and Company announced today the winners of the 2004 Helping Move Lives Forward Reintegration Awards.  The annual awards honor individuals or groups who help and support people living with severe mental illness; the achievements of people living with severe mental illness who offer hope to others facing similar challenges; and local and national efforts to raise awareness for mental illness:  http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/micro_stories.pl?ACCT=916306&TICK=LLY&STORY=/www/story/11-11-2004/0002403814&EDATE=Nov+11,+2004
• The Artistic Contribution Award honors accomplishments in self-expression, in areas such as painting, video, dance performance, music, design or fashion.  The Fountain House Audio Visual Department (New York, NY) won first place with ”Opening the Door,” a thoughtful, well-crafted feature length documentary that tells the story of Fountain House, the first clubhouse program for individuals suffering from severe and persistent mental illness. The film was created by the Fountain House Audio-Visual Department, which is comprised of ten Fountain House members and a staff member.  Founded in 1948, Fountain House offers a rich array of social, residential, educational, vocational, and advocacy opportunities. Membership is lifetime, voluntary and fee-free. Upon visiting the clubhouse, located in a Georgian colonial-style building complex in mid-town Manhattan, one is immediately aware of the commitment and teamwork of members and staff who are working together to enhance the program, while maximizing the ability for each member to achieve his or her greatest potential.
• “A model of the dissemination of self-help in public mental health systems” by Edward L. Knight, Ph.D. (DOI: 10.1002/yd.2330227406).  Self-help in public mental health systems has been disseminated with five different strategies; these strategies sometimes overlap and complement one another: The four forms of self-help discussed are mutual support, advocacy, consumer/survivor-run services, and coping.
• Fountain House Sketch by Scott Martin (book)
• Prince Michael

More links:

• St. Joseph’s Clubhouse - http://www.magnificathouse.com/Clubhouse.htm
• The Gathering Place - http://www.gplace.org/about_us.htm
• International Center for Clubhouse Development - http://www.iccd.org/article.asp?articleID=1
• Fountain House: Linking Lives for Mental Health - http://www.fountainhouse.org/
• Fountain Gallery: More Than a Gallery. A Movement. - http://www.fountaingallerynyc.com/
• We Are Not Alone by Anderson (a book) - http://biblion.co.uk/books/8834180.html (Prince Mica
• Project MEND: Medical Equipment Network for those with Disabilities - http://projectmend.org/