Wednesday

I am sitting here, trying to make sure that I remember all the things that I need to do for today. I have an appointment with the new accountant for one of my work responsibilities today, and I think I will ask her to be my new accountant for myself as well. I am in need of some recommendations for myself as well as for the business I work for. Ugh. Taxes for this organization are the cause of 95% of my anxiety about this work. I hate it, and I know nothing!

Okay. Small anxiety episode starting right now. Breathe and breathe and breathe. Everything will be fine.

Fiddle around a bit with the iPod, and anxiety episode somewhat averted... somewhat. 

I am trying to remember my schedule for today. To be frank, remembering my schedule has become a herculean task due to all the changes that have occurred since March 2020. I never know what day it is or who I will be seeing, so trying to figure out that schedule in my head before I go to work is something I do to prepare myself. I think I know who I will be seeing today, but I am never sure until I get to my office and actually look at the schedule printed and hung on my wall. Yesterday, I forgot a group - not one that I lead, but still - forgot a group. I think I know today's sequence. It is our busiest group day - six groups. On all the others, we have either three or four groups. I am also starting to add in individual clients into my schedule again - I hope that I can get back to seeing students individually - that's where I feel like I make the biggest difference for my kids - individually. Group treatment is fine, but I don't ever feel like I know my students until I spend time focusing on them. That is difficult to do in a group session, especially with my client population.

I went to Occupational Therapy yesterday, and I will go on Friday as well - every Tuesday and Friday for the next six weeks - to bend my fingers and attempt to get back to full function. I have a new squeezing device to use once per day to increase the strength in those recovering fingertips. I also have some Theraputty to scratch at - I hate the texture of that stuff SO MUCH - and straps to strap my fingers into a bent position. The best thing about going to OT is that she "makes" me sit with heating pads on my fingers. That warmth and weight is just heavenly. I wish I could walk around with heating pads on my fingers all the time...and, let's not stop with the fingers. I think I would love the combination of weight and heat on most of my achy joints these days - knees, shoulders, ankles...sigh.

Everyone seems pleased with my progress except me.

I have been playing guitar more and more as the week has gone on. I am trying to play at least three songs per session, and today will be the test of whether I am getting stronger since I have some more sessions to lead than I have led so far. I lost my fingertip calluses, so I am having to build those back up. If you can, avoid losing those calluses - it is difficult to get them back once they are gone. My fingers hurt all the time right now, and I know that is because I am actually using them, but they hurt so much more now than they did when this all first started. I don't like it, but I know that it is the recovery process and just how things go when you are working to get a previously broken body part to work again. Rehabilitation is hard.

Wait. I am supposed to be focusing on Janice this week. I keep forgetting. How incredibly selfish of me. Time to sit and think about Janice... ... ... ... ... ... ...

So, my friend Janice is a professor, a music therapy clinician, and a hoot to spend time with! She inspires me in many ways - both actively through reading and commenting and being my friend and passively through her posts and shares and thoughts on various social media accounts. I look forward to reading what she finds to be important, and I have learned SO much about the Dallas soccer scene because she is a fan. We haven't spoken for a while - it may be time to rectify that, Janice...I have a paid Zoom account now...

Okay, so I will sign off by focusing on my friend. Happy Wednesday. I hope that things are going well in your part of the world. Stay safe and healthy, please.