It's only Tuesday, and my patients have already made my week. I didn't have a patient at the end of the day, so I was observing some other therapists who had decided to have their patients do therapy together. Before they came the therapists alluded to the fact that this would be interesting.
One patient is a white woman in her 70's. I'll call her patient 1. The other patient is a black male in his 50's. I'll call him patient 2. Patient 1 has a rehab diagnosis of LE weakness (She also happens to be the patient I referred to last week about forgetting her teeth- she's kind of crazy). Patient 2 has had a CVA and is a L hemi. Here is how the afternoon went.
The therapists tried a few things with the patients before finally deciding to have them bounce a ball back and forth to each other, (functional... i know...). Before they could bounce a ball to the other person they were supposed to say a type of ice cream.
Patient 1: What am I supposed to do? (bounce)
Patient 2: butter pecan (bounce)
Pt 1: (bounce)
Pt 2: chocolate (bounce)
Therapist: Wait, before you bounce the ball you are supposed to say an ice cream flavor.
Pt 1: Huh? (bounce)
Pt 2: Strawberry
Therapist: You need to say a flavor of ice cream and then bounce the ball.
Pt 1: Oh ok (bounce)
Pt 2: Double chocolate (bounce)
Therapist: Now you have to say two flavors.
Pt 1: Oh I do. Two flavors of what?
Therapist: Ice cream
Pt 1: Oh.... Lemon?
Therapist: ...It's a stretch... sure...
Pt 1: chocolate peanut? (bounce)
Pt 2: vanilla (bounce)
Therapist: Why don't we try fruits and vegetables instead?
Pt 1: Broccoli
Therapist: We're on to something now!
Pt 2: apple
Pt 1: celery
Pt 2: banana
Pt 1: did i already say celery? I did, ok... how bout broccoli. ...all the ones i don't like
Pt 2: strawberry
Pt 1: grapes... i'm trying to think what comes in my fruit cup
Pt 2: pineapple
Pt 1: how bout pecans, i don't like pecans
Pt 2: Pecans aren't a fruit or vegetable. Watermelon.
Pt 1: Drugs
Pt 2: (Pt laughs) Did you just say drugs? Ok... marijuana.
Therapist: (laughing) NO!!! We're doing fruits and vegetables! Let's keep this "G" rated!!
Therapist: Ok lets try something else. How bout places to vacation?
Pt 1: I haven't been many places, but my son lives in vegas. So, vegas.
Pt 2: California
Pt 1: Ashtabula (For anyone who is not from here, that is a teeny tiny town in ohio that has NOTHING)
Pt 2: New York City
Pt 1: What was i just thinking? I had one in my head. I can't remember. What one did i just have in my head? I don't know...
Pt 2: (interrupting pt 1) ...I give up.
Needless to say, myself and the other two therapists were dying laughing. It was hilarious. I hope it was at least a little bit funny while reading it. I also find it necessary to note that Pt 1 is crazy. She is fully capable of doing the activity. She is there for LE weakness... not for a neuro/cognitive reason.
Other reasons why my week has already been made?
-An MS pt that I transferred yesterday told me "You do that good." (Maybe its because I don't transfer her by pulling on the gait belt... just sayin.)
-The transverse myelitis patient who is paralyzed from her waist down walked yesterday. Granted- It was with a lite gait (a machine that supported her about 95%)- But she was able to use her hip flexors to move one foot in front of the other. Seriously one of the coolest things I've ever seen.
-I only had to work 1/2 a day since I had a doctors appointment this morning.
Hope everyone is doing well!!
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