I have decided to add a blog to share my more personal experiences. All the information on the site has been evidence-based and informative! My hope is for this section to be relatable and encouraging!! It will still be filled with valuable information about individuals with limb loss and prosthetic devices, the OT profession, and many other related topics!
If you have questions, comments, or ideas for any portion of this site, including the blog, please send them my way! Your input is valued, and my desire is for this site to be as informative and fun as possible! I want everyone to learn and grow their understanding of the journey, challenges, and experiences faced by individuals with limb loss and prosthetics devices and to also gain a better understanding of OT and how the two relate!!
I thought I would kick off this blog section by sharing my story of how I chose occupational therapy! So here we go...
If you would have asked me as a child, or even a high school student for that matter, what I wanted to be when I grew up, I can guarantee I would not have said an occupational therapist (OT). In fact, I didn’t even know what an occupational therapist was until my junior year of college!! I used to say I wanted to build or design bridges; it sounds like a fun job (to some) but overall, to me, not nearly as cool as being an OT!
I most definitely would not change a thing about deciding to become an OT! So here is the story of how I found occupational therapy.
I was in high school, and it was nearing the time to start applying to colleges, but also the time of completing a graduation project (at the time, this was a requirement for schools in the county I lived in). I wanted my project to be something that would help me decide on a career path and be a valuable experience, so I chose to shadow a prosthetist and an orthotist. Overall, it was a wonderful experience. I learned so much about the process of creating prosthetics and orthotics. At the time, way back in 2012-2013, the steps to creating a prosthetic socket and an orthotic were very similar. I assume they still are today, but there have been major advancements in technology as well. The steps seemed simple… cast the individual, make a mold, heat the plastic, form it to the mold, cut and sand it to the appropriate size and shape, and then smooth all the edges. I mean, that sounds easy, right? But I promise it takes a unique person with a special talent and specific training for it to turn out perfect. And perfection is what they strive for because these devices are becoming an extension of another person’s being. Each step is very intricate and requires great attention to detail. And as if it is not enough pressure to make it as perfect as possible, there is the additional component of making the design and/or print custom. I saw sockets with all kinds of designs on them, each unique to the person who would be wearing them. It really is a very neat process! I truly enjoyed my time at the orthotic and prosthetic facility. I learned a lot, and the individuals were extremely talented. So, this is when I decided becoming a prosthetist was the path I wanted to take. Little did I know this would completely change again… but even then, I knew this was not a component I ever wanted to leave behind!
Either way, the next step in my journey that would ultimately lead me to become an OT was attending N.C. State and pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering with a biomechanics concentration. I loved most... (I mean, I don’t know many people that love every single class and aspect of school) of my classes and overall was confident I had chosen the right path. It was later on in college that I decided to shadow another prosthetist to get more hours and confirm that was what I wanted to do before applying to graduate school. Again, it was a wonderful experience and taught me so many valuable lessons. This time I went in with a better understanding of the process. And the things I was learning in school helped me to better understand what to look for when working with patients to improve their fit, comfort, and ultimately gait for the patients on the current caseload. At this particular facility, the prosthetists did a lot of work behind the scenes (still extremely important work, I definitely don’t want to downplay what they do!). But I started wondering if this is truly what I wanted to do.
I had a heart for working with individuals with limb loss, but I began to think there was a different path that was better for me personally. I did some research and talked to numerous individuals in all kinds of professions and eventually came across occupational therapy. I did some more research on the profession and shadowed various OTs and even PTs too. In my heart, I knew occupational therapy was where I belonged. I went into it knowing that OTs could make a positive impact in the lives of individuals with limb loss and prosthetic devices. Still, I also knew this was not well recognized or understood. Regardless, I chose to pursue my passion and began school in 2018 to get my doctorate in occupational therapy.
From day one, I knew my final capstone project would be related to individuals with limb loss. I did not know how or what exactly I would do, but I knew that was what I was meant to do. It has not been an easy journey. Just school in general is challenging, and then add on completing a project in a field that is not very well known to the profession. But I would not change a single second of it. It ultimately led to me being able to carry out the project of my dreams (not without several stressful days and nights as plans changed numerous times due to things outside my control). But every hard day and stressful moment was 100% worth it! If I can teach one person about OTs role in the rehabilitation process of individuals with limb loss and prosthetic devices, and then they teach one more person and so on, it will be a dream come true.
I will continue to choose occupational therapy every day for the rest of my life. For it is where my heart lies, and my passion grows! I can only hope to have a positive impact on the lives of others as I would not be where I am today without constant encouragement and support from family, friends, professors, and healthcare professionals. I want all individuals to see their potential and live life to the fullest!
If you are considering OT or have any questions, please reach out. I would love to help you decide if it is the right path for you! It is such a special profession and one I am truly grateful to be a part of!
Check out otunlimbited.com for more information
Kommentare