The Second to Last Stop on This Injury Journey
If you've been someone who reads this blog every single day, then you know that I was injured at work last year (almost a year ago now). I was involved with a client who left supervision, barged into the music therapy room, tore up my expensive keyboard, and engaged in aggression. During my attempt to assist the client in staying safe, the client pushed me, my knee twisted, and something popped. I went down.
Turns out, I completely tore my left Anterior Cruciate Ligament, and my life has changed since that time. You wouldn't think that something as small as an ACL could affect many things, but I'm here to tell you that this injury has changed lots of things in my life.
Enough dwelling on the past. It's time to look at the future.
Today, I get to take CPR and First Aid. I have been certified in CPR and First Aid since I was 14 years old, and this is the first time in a long time that I haven't been a card carrying member of those who can assist others. I was told that I couldn't take the class because I was unable to kneel for long periods of time. Now I can (albeit with my brace, but still - better than before). So, I had to let my certification lapse.
When I was cleared for full duty (with my brace) earlier this month, I asked my supervisor if I could go back into what I consider a full-time therapy schedule, taking individuals and small groups again. She told me that the regulations stated that all staff had to be CPR certified. So, I started hounding the new training scheduler for a date.
Today is that date.
At 8:30, I will start my class. At the end of the day, I will be fully trained in all the things I have to be able to do in order to get back to my schedule.
(Interestingly enough, I didn't have to let my Safe Crisis Management training lapse - I attended all recertification trainings and, even though I was unable to physically participate, being there counted. So, I am able to assist clients when necessary.)
I have been craving a return to a regular schedule all year. Group music therapy is something that I enjoy, but individual therapy is something I love. To have been denied the opportunities for clients that I've seen over this past year has been excruciating for me. I am now sitting in my group sessions and planning who I'll take with me to do more music therapy, and I know that I'll be able to do so next month!!
I don't have many open times for individual students, but I am going to make room for as many as possible. In August, when we return to our regular school year, I'll have 26 individual/small group times! There will be adapted music lessons every morning. Music therapy sessions will happen in between group sessions, and my days will be full again. I will no longer sit and try to find things to do - I'll have LOTS of things to do!!
One of the things that I've learned during this entire process is that there is no guarantee that things will ever stay the same. You may be thinking, "well, duh," but I've never had a situation where I was so compromised that I was unable to do my job, so this has been a lesson that I hadn't learned until now.
I still have visual and physical reminders of my injury and subsequent surgery. I have a limp when I start to walk after sitting for a time, but that goes away after I walk for some time. I still have a stiff knee and it doesn't really feel "the way it used to," but this is the new normal, and I guess I'll have to just learn to live with it.
This is the second to last stop on this journey. The last stop will happen in December when I go back to the surgeon and physical therapist for a final round of testing and then a release from care. I am ready.
It is time to get dressed and get ready for this day of training. I am hoping that my knee will cooperate - I REALLY WANT TO GET THIS FINISHED SO I CAN MOVE ON!! (Yelling intentionally implied here to convey my strong desire!)
Thanks for reading through my ups, downs, and ramblings.
Turns out, I completely tore my left Anterior Cruciate Ligament, and my life has changed since that time. You wouldn't think that something as small as an ACL could affect many things, but I'm here to tell you that this injury has changed lots of things in my life.
Enough dwelling on the past. It's time to look at the future.
Today, I get to take CPR and First Aid. I have been certified in CPR and First Aid since I was 14 years old, and this is the first time in a long time that I haven't been a card carrying member of those who can assist others. I was told that I couldn't take the class because I was unable to kneel for long periods of time. Now I can (albeit with my brace, but still - better than before). So, I had to let my certification lapse.
When I was cleared for full duty (with my brace) earlier this month, I asked my supervisor if I could go back into what I consider a full-time therapy schedule, taking individuals and small groups again. She told me that the regulations stated that all staff had to be CPR certified. So, I started hounding the new training scheduler for a date.
Today is that date.
At 8:30, I will start my class. At the end of the day, I will be fully trained in all the things I have to be able to do in order to get back to my schedule.
(Interestingly enough, I didn't have to let my Safe Crisis Management training lapse - I attended all recertification trainings and, even though I was unable to physically participate, being there counted. So, I am able to assist clients when necessary.)
I have been craving a return to a regular schedule all year. Group music therapy is something that I enjoy, but individual therapy is something I love. To have been denied the opportunities for clients that I've seen over this past year has been excruciating for me. I am now sitting in my group sessions and planning who I'll take with me to do more music therapy, and I know that I'll be able to do so next month!!
I don't have many open times for individual students, but I am going to make room for as many as possible. In August, when we return to our regular school year, I'll have 26 individual/small group times! There will be adapted music lessons every morning. Music therapy sessions will happen in between group sessions, and my days will be full again. I will no longer sit and try to find things to do - I'll have LOTS of things to do!!
One of the things that I've learned during this entire process is that there is no guarantee that things will ever stay the same. You may be thinking, "well, duh," but I've never had a situation where I was so compromised that I was unable to do my job, so this has been a lesson that I hadn't learned until now.
I still have visual and physical reminders of my injury and subsequent surgery. I have a limp when I start to walk after sitting for a time, but that goes away after I walk for some time. I still have a stiff knee and it doesn't really feel "the way it used to," but this is the new normal, and I guess I'll have to just learn to live with it.
This is the second to last stop on this journey. The last stop will happen in December when I go back to the surgeon and physical therapist for a final round of testing and then a release from care. I am ready.
It is time to get dressed and get ready for this day of training. I am hoping that my knee will cooperate - I REALLY WANT TO GET THIS FINISHED SO I CAN MOVE ON!! (Yelling intentionally implied here to convey my strong desire!)
Thanks for reading through my ups, downs, and ramblings.
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