One Week...

I have one week left before I am in surgery for a medical issue, one more week of summer session before the start of the new contract year, and six days until my mother arrives for her second visit of the summer. I spent this weekend doing absolutely nothing as the heat and humidity raged outside. In the next seven days, I have to clean my kitchen, get a rental car, prepare for surgery, finish my sub plans for work for the week I will be gone, and get ready for when I am able to return to work.

I moved into the library room for the duration since it is so hot upstairs compared to downstairs. I am sleeping on the day bed which is surprisingly comfortable, but is a bit small for my body. The big bed in the music room next door is ready for my mom, so I am not sleeping in there. I will move back upstairs for surgery preparation and for my initial recovery period.

My anxiety is pretty high right now. This is pretty typical for me with medical anything. I get nervous and then everything just becomes overwhelming very quickly. Add in the heat and humidity, the situations in the world, and everything that I need to do before next Saturday, and I get decision fatigue very quickly. I hope to run the dishwasher and wipe down the bathroom this afternoon. That's all. That's all that I want to do this afternoon - run the dishwasher and wipe down the bathroom.

This is going to be a challenging week. "That client" and the other "that client" will be in their sessions, and I am sure that they will not be happy with anything I can offer to them. I wish that they could be spared the torture that is my setting, but they are not excused from their educational enrichment sessions just because they don't like them. Music therapy is part of the humanities credits that everyone has to earn to get their diploma in our state. My students do not get to select electives - they all have to go to all five specials in our school. Some like music better than others. Some like me better than others. Some just downright hate me.

I don't like it when my clients hate music therapy. I really strive to make my environment one that is supportive and catered to the clients that are present in each session, but there are people who are not interested in building a relationship at all. I never know if it is due to previous music class experiences, a sensory issue (though I am pretty good at figuring those issues out), or me. It is not always clear. After trying everything that is in my repertoire, I have to give up on building a relationship with some of my clients in favor of relationships with clients who want to interact.

It is time for me to head upstairs, get my shower done, and then load up on water for the week. It is going to be an interesting day - it seems that there might be some storms happening around me, and the heat and humidity will continue. That's it for now.

See you tomorrow.

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