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http://v10.vday.org/

It’s been ten years since the birth of the Vagina Monologues and how they are helping end violence against women (rape, incest, female genital mutilation, battery, abuse, assault, slavery, trafficking) across the globe.  Today and tomorrow they will be hosting their V to the Tenth anniversary events in New Orleans.

http://www.sublimedirectory.com/vagina_list.htm

Reminds me of when I was at the University of Texas with their Take Back the Night.  I wanted to go to their Clothesline Project (also in El Paso), but somehow I never got around to it.  Also, in Skirt! magazine, Teresa Rodriguez wrote an article about the mutilation and murders of the women in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico:  http://skirt.com/node/2863.

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/

Saturday, Feburary 16, 2008.  In the morning from 10 to 11:30 I did something but I forgot.  I tried to be productive by uploading pictures and comics, neatening up my room, and showering.  After picking up the Lins, we met Vickie at House of Bowls at 5:30 p.m.  She just wanted a discussion with her close girl friends without the guys for once.  I enjoyed it because it’s not often to hang out as a group of females nowadays.  Then, the guys started showing up.  Linton came, then David Kalloor, who brought his STIM friend Leslie.  They didn’t go to the same locale (she went to the Philippines), but they did the training together, as did Andrew Eng (he went to China) that year.  Much later Brad Eng and Denise (who apparently are dating right now) came by as well.  Hannah is the first to give me her Bible verse memory scrapbook page from my birthday!  I was so excited so when I came home I read it.  Along with it and a homemade card (talk about awesome), she gave me Diary of a Wimpy Kid: A Novel in Cartoons by Jeff Kinney.  I read the whole thing in one sitting.  It’s an easy read, but I found it so dejecting.  It’s a story about an immature boy who thinks he’s all that but in reality doesn’t take responsibility for any of his actions.  I guess the essence reflects the human condition.

Gladys Aylward in what is thought to be her only photograph
Courtesy of Moody Bible Institute

Inch came later all dressed up.  Apparently yesterday he and Sarah Kim had spent literally the ENTIRE day (since 5:30 a.m.) together because they drove to Austin to attend Eunice’s wedding.  It was an enjoyable day.  Unfortunately, the last fifteen minutes of their drive back wasn’t too hot.  I told him about Friday.  Jeff asked why I wasn’t playing (my ankle).  Anyway, tonight Harvest Community Church has an evening service and he was going to attend and thus he just wanted to drop by and enjoy the weather.  It really was splendid.  Andrew Eng arrived late and he came over to say hi.  He said he wasn’t playing because this is supposed to be a ministry so he’s letting the other people play first.  Inch commented on how Andrew’s shirt wasn’t as tight as he thought it would be (it’s a medium apparently).  We made other random comments, such as James Hsia climbing to retrieve the frisbee that ended up on the awning over the windows of the school.  I saw Kelvin so I went over to return the wrap that he lent me for my ankle.  Nathan Wang joined in later.

Tiffany Lin is amazing.  She struck up a conversation with me.  She asked me where I was working, and she said that actually she thinks that’s where she thinks she’s going to go for her psychiatric rotation (near April).  She expressed her disappointment in the working world and in herself when it came to God.  She said right before she started she had gone on a mission trip where she incorporated her medical skills and at the same time was able to ascertain the patient’s spiritual well-being as well.  However, now she’s so busy and on-the-go that she finds that she doesn’t have the time to do that, and isn’t even sure if it’s appropriate.  She reminded me of myself, when I went to Mexico with Nathan Kim, Lois Lim, Melvin Feng (”!esta bien!”), and Jane Park the week right before I moved to El Paso.  I didn’t even go home–my parents picked me up from Laredo and then we drove up to the Mountain Time Zone.  I was so hyped, and I really did feel like I was still in Mexico.  *Psi*  I find it also interesting that she asked if I found a church community.  It was like she got the core of my current issues.  How did she know?  I explained to her that the past year I had actually attended as many FBCC, WHCC, and HCC events I was invited to.  Somehow FBCC doesn’t plan as many or something, but the group I’ve ended up feeling the closest to has been HCC due to their weekly sports outings. 

I also asked Jesslyn to walk with me (I had anticipated Lindi was going to come so I could return her jacket, or Teresa Chii since she’s leaving Houston).  At the end she asked me if I was interested in missions.  I found that interesting; was she thinking about it?  She said somewhat, like either supporting here in the United States or teaching overseas or something of that nature.  I said that I hadn’t seriously thought of it, but I was always enamored of it even before I believed in God.  I told her how just this past Friday I had heard the descendent of James Hudson Taylor speak, and how I grew up being awed not only by him but by George Mueller, Gladys Aylward, Elisabeth Elliot….

I left early to join Phoebe, Hannah, Vickie, and Linton.  He decided to cook dinner for us since his sister was away and Vickie was in town and he usually eats with the Lins.  Vickie and he went to buy groceries, then the girls did work while he cooked.  He made lamb with two different sauces (ketchup with hoison sauce, and one with oyster sauce), baby bok choy (slightly over-cooked), sauteed onions, corn, and baked boned salmon.  Rebekah came home later.  Vickie initiated a conversation about flirting for attention from guys (doing good for the other versus leading the other on), emotional attachment (is okay), codependency (if the other’s wellbeing is wholly dependent on another), and other similar topics. 

A weekend of many thoughts….here’s a list of books about missionaries:  http://servinghimathome.blogspot.com/2005/12/missionary-stories-to-inspire-children.html

This past Sunday, James Wei called to have dinner with me yesterday.  I don’t know his intentions, but I figured one dinner would be okay.  He didn’t want me to feel “awkward” haha.  I am not romantically interested in him, but neither do I want to cringe when I’m around him.  And I feel that we’ve hung out enough in groups that I could tell him about my diagnosis since I’m not terribly secret about it.  I’m writing this because some people say that I didn’t give this guy “a chance.”  Au contraire.  I had barely seen a handful of times that guy who wanted to ask me on a series of date to see where we would go.  I am not in a state to be seeing anyone.  James just asked me to one dinner.  Yes, he may be planning future appointments, but my answer is to his direct question and not to my assumptions of his “ulterior motive.”  I figure this one meal would be a good time for me to share what I have to share about my depression, and for him to personally let me know what he wants to tell me–in person. 

So I was clear with him, saying dinner would be fine but I really am not a planner and am not sure how I would feel that night (perhaps too tired) or if I would be working on homework for the next day.  He called Wednesday night to confirm, and I said I would actually prefer Friday, so he said that would be fine.  And then it turns out today I got off work later than usual, so I had to call him again to let him know that I was running late.  I told Vickie that I felt like I was a girl trying to say “no” but had the inability so I keep putting it off, but I’m not!  By the time I got home it was already 6:15 so I hopped out of my car in my stiff work clothes and hopped into James’s car.  He took me to Nan Mang Korean Restaurant?  It’s very close to Ko-Mart and WHCC.  We kind of had to eat fast because we wanted to listen to the descendent of James Hudson Taylor (the missionary) speak!  We left the restaurant around 7:45 p.m.  We were late (bumped into Mrs. Lin), but Vickie came later, too.  Linton, Jonathan Eng, Greg, and Faye’s husband Simon were there as well.  I could barely stay awake by 9 p.m.  Afterwards they had different mission opportunities set up in booths in the gym.  Braden’s sister was there (wow, sure different from the last time I saw her as a teeny girl camping).  There’s a poster with EPCBC; the only people I recognized in the photographs were Linton’s parents and Sunny’s brother.  We snacked on Christmas tree cookies…?  They were talking of hanging out afterwards but I was too tired so James took me home by 10:30 p.m.

I enjoyed our time at the restaurant (non-date?) because I realized that I knew next to nothing about James.  We talked about our families (his father and sister are in Taiwan but his mother, who’s his greatest support, lives in Houston).  We also talked about church and God, a general idea of how we came to know Him.  It was mostly “surface” topics, but still necessary information in my opinion.  Also, I felt the conversation flowed pretty well.  I’m not good at asking questions.  He doesn’t appear to be an expert on it, either.  But we both are also not exactly guarded individuals.  He’ll offer some information, and then I’ll offer some stories in response/relation to what he said.  He allows me to talk all the way through, and I pay him the same respect.  Now I can say I know him as well as I know…celebrities I hear about in the news, haha!

date1      /deɪt/ [deyt] 

On Monday one of the patients here left for home.  Most patients look at Rick more than me because he’s the official therapist and I’m the student.  And if you know me I don’t convey much confidence in the first place.  But this patient seemed to make more eye contact with me than with him.  I wonder if it’s because I am younger (she’s only 21 years old).  It’s unnerving for me to be “over” people since most of these people are around my age or older.  She forgot her picture frame.  I came home and typed up medications usually used to treat Bipolar Disorder, Depression, and Schizophrenia.  I stayed up until 10:30 p.m.

On Tuesday I started Self-Care group (patients can comb their hair, apply make-up, shave, etc.) late because I thought it was at 8:30 like on Mondays but apparently it’s at 8:00 a.m. most days.  Mondays are later because they have weekend check-in, making sure all the patients are still there.  I felt like I wrote an endless array of notes for Rick to sign off on.  I discharged one of my first patients (gave him some handouts of community resources).  One of our patients requires someone to watch over her all the time (they’re called a 1:1 mental health worker).  They met with the patient’s husband, but I missed it.  Task group had 13 patients attend!  Sally reviewed some medical records with me to finish off the orientation checklist.  After lunch, Rick told me that in fact I can’t take a nap.  Last week he said noon to 1 p.m. is my time to do whatever I wanted, and of course the first thing that popped into my mind was taking a nap considering how tired I was during my last rotation (plus Rick said I yawned too much, which is true).  Well, turns out that if I wanted to take a nap I can’t take it there (boo I don’t park my car in the garage) because Rick’s boss’s boss over HCHD (Ping, who I’ve met) disapproves of it.  And it does make sense, from one perspective..oh well….  I practiced writing up an evaluation since Theodora (Rick’s boss) had a staff meeting with Rick, Sally, Janet, and Elderine.  We played bingo.  It’s the first day I drove home by myself.  (The past week and days my Dad has been coming with me in the mornings all the way to Ben Taub and then coming home with me in order for me to take the HOV lane while driving to/fro.  He still comes with me in the mornings but today he went home after I got on the 292 bus.)  When I came home I did my ankle exercises.  I felt sick.

On Wednesday I performed an evaluation for the first time, but then she was quickly discharged to Illinois (against the rest of the team’s judgment).  Rick finally had a chance to review my three evaluation write-ups:  they were poor because functional levels weren’t right and my goals didn’t fit the primary problem.  We had a new patient in scrubs with disorganized thinking.  We had another family meeting this week but I didn’t know the history and how come she wasn’t staying with the other parent who seemed more responsible.  Sometimes we have another OTR come in to help since we’re short on staff.  Her name’s Michelle Funtanilla (they call her “Mimi”).  During lunch I asked her if she celebrated Lunar New Year since sometimes it’s called Chinese New Year.  She says it depends.  She loves the sticky rice cake, though.  I asked about the apple in the mouth of a whole roasted pig (the one I saw at Luwalhati’s party back in El Paso when her mom visited).  She says it’s true that Filipinos are known to talk a lot.  She asked about my brother so I asked about her siblings: she has an older sister, and her younger brother is also an OTR who works at Quentin Mease like her.  It takes me about an hour from leaving work to arrive home (today 4:40-5:40 p.m.), and by then I had finished off seven bottles of water.  I’ve definitely come down with a cold.  I ate dinner, drank lots of soup, took some children’s antihistamine, then went to bed at 8:30 p.m.

On Thursday, we heard from two questionable patients that two patients were having ”relations” in their bedroom restroom.  We think it’s not true.  Rick treated me to lunch at la Madeleine “because I know students are poor.”  It was because it’s Valentine’s Day (and perhaps because Theodora was gone?).  Afterwards I performed two evaluations back-to-back.  I did a poor job, and I knew it, but I think Rick expected too much from me.  He was exclaiming how come my second one didn’t improve from the first one.  I didn’t say anything, but you guys know me, areas like this I can’t progress that fast.  At least I’m getting better at writing notes (e.g. I’m learning terms like “constricted affect”) after groups (we write one for ever patient, even if they don’t come).  The rooms have been extra cold lately so we asked them to turn up the temperature, but there seems to be no middle ground.  The most eventful thing that happened was that I took the wrong bus home.  I accidentally took the bus that usually comes before 292.  At first as I settled in, I noticed that the bus took Montrose instead of Main.  I just thought that Main had bad traffic and the bus was taking a different route.  I closed my eyes.  After awhile as I opened them, I didn’t recognize any of the buildings or bridges.  I asked a white lady what bus we were on and she reported that it was 298, which runs towards Addicks, which is in Northwest Houston.  My first thought was Vickie.  Oh no!  I called my Dad.  The lady next to the aisle, sitting next to the white lady, heard me speak in Mandarin and started answering my Dad’s questions to me, which I relayed to my Dad.  Eventually I handed her the phone (she told me the route to take back), but my Dad made the final decision that it was best to pick me up at the first stop that the bus makes.  I called Vickie, Phoebe, Hannah, who called me back.  She asked me some questions and we discussed our experiences.  She said tonight’s the first night that she actually gets home before 10:00 p.m. and that she has some time to unwind and watch television.  Wow!

On Friday I got off work at 5:00 p.m. instead of 4:30 p.m. (unanticipated; in fact, I was hoping to get off work early).  At the bus stop I chatted with Rachel Harrington, who’s a psychology intern also on Team B (Dr. Barber’s psychiatric team).  She’s 28 years old, married, lives in Katy, and is earning her degree from U of H, where she met her current husband.  The bus finally arrived at 5:30 p.m.  I went off to dinner, then went to WHCC.

In an email from Professor Susan Leech:

Nearly a dozen students from USASMA and about a half dozen graduate students from UTEP’s occupational and physical therapy departments work to complete two handicap access ramps. Photo by Sgt. Maj. Cameron Porter.

 

USASMA builds handicap access ramps for needy

UTEP program enlists help from Class 58 sergeants major

Sgt. Maj. Cameron Porter, USASMA Class 58 Public Affairs

 

Imagine not being able to visit your relatives or do something as simple as go to the grocery store because it is too hard to leave your own home. 

 

While this may be the case for many elderly or handicapped citizens with mobility issues, the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy teamed up with the Occupational and Physical Therapy Department at the University of Texas at El Paso to help alleviate this problem for many El Paso residents who need assistance.

 

What started out as a modest goal for a small team of UTEP occupational therapy students headed by Dr. Susan Leech, their professor – building six handicap ramps in six months – has seemingly blossomed into something much bigger, thanks in part to students from USASMA’s Class 58 Sergeants Major Course.

 

Working as a team throughout the morning, Master Sgt. Randall Boss and Sgt. Maj. Nelson Blankenship, both USASMA Class 58 students, help build a handicap access ramp Saturday as part of the El Paso Ramp Project, a non-profit organization established and managed by UTEP’s occupational and physical therapy departments. Photo by Sgt. Maj. Cameron Porter.

 

“If you want something done for the community and you want it done well, you pull from the community,” said Stephanie Perez, a UTEP occupational therapy graduate student and volunteer team leader and research assistant for the ramp project. “But if you want something done with conviction, you pull from the military.”

 

With a $10,000 community outreach grant from the UTEP College of Health Sciences, Perez and several other occupational and physical therapy students are learning the ins and outs of operating a nonprofit organization. 

 

Their organization, El Paso Ramp Project, began building handicap access ramps for needy El Paso residents late last year, and they have been averaging about a ramp per month. But with nearly a dozen USASMA students there to assist Friday and Saturday, they completed two more ramps in less than six hours.

 

“Yesterday they were so enthusiastic and ready to go, they just took charge,” said Rocio Alvarez, a UTEP occupational therapy graduate student and volunteer team leader and research assistant for the ramp project. “So today, I said, ‘I’m just going to stand back’ and let the (USASMA students) go for it. It’s nice to see Soldiers so willing and eager to get out and support their community.”

 

Cutting out support planks for a handicap access ramp proves easy for Master Sgt. Wayne Baker, a USASMA Class 58 student. Photo by Sgt. Maj. Cameron Porter.

 

“Because they’re so enthusiastic,” Perez said, “we decided to just go ahead and build two ramps today.”

 

“I think it’s great, offering freedom to people who need help and to their families who assist them every day,” said Master Sgt. Marc Hickey, a USASMA Class 58 student and ramp project committee chairperson at the academy. “Otherwise, these people are restricted to their homes, and that’s just not right.”

 

Maria Seguna, 85, is one of those people who became more and more restricted to the confines of her home. After slipping and falling in her bathroom about a year ago, and with her mobility issues compounded by severe diabetes, she is completely dependent upon her daughter to assist her with getting in and out of her house. However, with a new access ramp installed at her back door, she can now enter and exit her home much more safely, which she said makes her very happy.

 

“It is very nice of (the USASMA and UTEP students) to support us,” Seguna said. “Thank you very much.”

 

The El Paso Ramp Project is a nonprofit organization supported by an all-volunteer staff who take referrals from health care providers, survey homes for ramp placement and feasibility, search for volunteers to assist with the builds, and solicit monetary donations to fund the program, which is provided at no cost to the beneficiaries. To volunteer or to receive more information on the El Paso Ramp Project, send an e-mail to elpasoramps@gmail.com.

http://www.fbmonitor.com/2008/02february/021408/news/021408news3.html

Considering what happened last night, I went to work on crutches wondering what the day would hold.  Would I have to be sent home?  My heart was torn to whether to want to stay or not.  On one hand that would mean I get to postpone starting since I am still apprehensive, but that would mean I would have to make it up at the end (or on a Saturday) anyway.  On the other hand, I already took the effort to get up so I might as well stay since the first week is usually orientation anyway.  My clinical instructor, Ricardo Leal, met me in the lobby (since they have a metal detector) and exclaimed, “What happened?”  He decided the best thing to do would be to allow me to see outpatients downstairs (since inpatients are more dangerous - they could grab my crutches and injure someone) and read the student manual during down time.  That way I could experience seeing some of the symptoms in people and I wouldn’t have to make up any days.  I was satisfied with that plan.

These were a few things I read:

• “Persons with mild conditions may have a more dificult time adjusting because they are almost normal.  They may try to hide or deny the deficit because it is marginal.”  <–this struck a cord with me since I am diagnosed with MDD but I wasn’t pushed to take any antidepressants, which I am still wrestling with.  If I was taking medication, then I would rationalize it that it was my body chemistry’s primary fault.  Since I’m not, I’m wondering if it wasn’t really my own fault, that somehow I did this to myself amidst all the good I am surrounded with in family, friends, academics, shelter, health, spirit, the works.  I mean, people always tell others that the diagnosis doesn’t reflect on “who the person is” (e.g. if you’re manic and you strip in public).  But then again, you still have to face the consequences of your actions.  Just as if you’re diabetic by genes or diabetic by bad dietary decisions, you’re going to have to deal with the finger pricks for the rest of your life.  Might as well move on and take this opportunity to learn the better lifestyle (such as in changingin the way I think), whether they contributed to my depression or not.
• The main difference between anxiety and fear is that anxiety is a response to no specific object while fear is a response to a specific object.  For example, I have to evaluate a patient and I start getting nervous but I’m not sure what I’m anxious about.  Whereas as soon as I see an lion I’ll be scared that it would attack and thus harm me.  Interesting, eh?  I think that’s why I don’t like to watch horror movies but I can enjoy some thrillers.  Thrillers cause me anxiety but horrors cause me fear.  (There are also different levels of anxiety but I forgot them.)
• A person falls into an impaired-role behavior occurs when an acute episode of illness turns to a chronic course, and the person has to adjust to a more permanent condition.  I think of this phase as moving from denial to acceptance.  I mean, as an assignment I had to pretend I could only use a wheelchair to get around.  My roommate said that she was impressed with my determination because I had elevated my bed (in order to put my dresser underneath for more space in my bedroom at Miner Village - the dorms in UTEP) and yet in the middle of the night she heard me us the wheelchair to get into the bathroom.  Well, I said that I just wanted to get as full an experience as possible.  Plus, I knew the next day I could walk immediately.  I can’t imagine having the realization that, gosh, you know what, maybe I won’t ever be able to use my legs after all.  *shudder*
• When people have lifelong disabilities, especially from childhood, the family will most likely suffer some sort of chronic sorrow.  Meaning, they will not only mourn at that moment the loss of their child not having a “normal” mental ability, but also mourn the loss of hope, of their expectations, of their dreams for their child.  As each developmental milestone and “normal” accomplishment approaches and then passes, the grief is rekindled as they see that their child cannot graduate like the rest of the children, cannot marry, cannot contribute to society through a career.
• Some tips they offered were:  “Maintain a detached perspective through which the stress could be interpreted”, don’t ignore your problems but also don’t excessively worry about them, and “Regularize the environment.  The same stressors are less harmful if they occur predictably or if the schedule can be arranged to fit in the stressful events.”  <–It lets the person know that they can still have a sense of control over the illness instead of having the illness direct their lives.
• “Giving clients information that describes what they will see, hear, taste, smell, and experience during health care events such as ECT and cast removal reduces stress more than the traditionally prescribed procedural information that tells what is going to be done.”  <–This stuck out to me due to my future role.  I guess I can explain both.
• “A specific phobia is excessive fear upon exposure to a specific object or situation (but not of a panic attack or being embarrassed in a social situation). When confronted by such objects or events as elevators, funerals, lightning storms, insects, or animals, phobic individuals become extremely fearful. Specific phobias may also involve fear of losing control, panicking, and fainting when confronted with feared object. Adolescents or adults recognize the fear as unreasonable, but can do little to stop it. Often the individual can lead a relatively normal life by simple avoidance, and the diagnosis not made.”  <–sounds like me!  When the psychiatrist I saw told me that I had social phobia, I was like….um…are you sure???  But thinking back, it makes sense (see items 7bcfg).  Actually, the first and last examples really reflect the sentence I italicized.  While under the table, and behind the door, I was thinking to myself, “This is absolutely ridiculous.  Not like they can’t see you from here.”  But that instance of terror sure drives into many illogical behaviors.