OT 537 Media Project: The Helping Handle

My initial reaction to coming up with a therapeutic tool for occupational therapy intervention was very exciting. I have recently become interested in adaptive equipment and technology, and I was looking forward to getting to make my own device. However, my first thought when I found out I would be making a piece of equipment out of an empty ketchup bottle was, "What in the world am I supposed to do with this?!". It took a lot of brainstorming and trial and error, but I came up with the perfect piece of adaptive equipment for my client, Maurice, who is a retired 83-year-old dairy farmer. 

Introducing, The Helping Handle! 

I used an empty ketchup bottle, felt, duct tape, pebbles, and velcro strips to make this device. I cut a screen out of the front of the bottle, where the label would normally go. I added pebbles to give more weight to the handle and sealed it off with hot glue and a piece of felt. This tool features a window so that my client can scoop or pull objects from a table or floor and bring them closer to him. He is also able to turn light switches off and on as he pleases, and he is able to more independently feed himself with the velcro strips I attached on the side of the bottle, where his adapted spoon and fork would go.

For someone with Parkinson's disease (PD), like Maurice, I thought this tool could be helpful in a variety of ways. I chose to make the tool with contrasting colors because Maurice has cataracts in both eyes, which diminishes his ability to see properly. I wanted to make the colors alternate enough so that he could differentiate objects within the handle, but not so much that a neon color would shock his visual system. I also added weight to the handle because people with PD usually have some sort of tremor. I thought that adding weight would be beneficial for improving his fine motor coordination with certain activities of daily living (ADLs), such as eating. 

Once I came up with the design of this tool, it was not that difficult to make. The only real challenge that I faced while making this was keeping the pebbles inside of the handle. I had to hot glue the pebbles inside to make sure they would not come out. I gave it a test "shake" to see if they would stay. A few of the pebbles came flying out of the tool, So I had to reinforce the pebbles again, and hot glue the edges of the felt so the pebbles would not come out. 

I also designed this tool to allow for more independence with choices and decision-making for my client. He stated that he still likes to make choices about the food he eats and the clothing he wears, and I wanted to be able to give him some of that independence back by helping him pick clothes from his closet, and bring his shoes closer to him so he does not fatigue himself by stooping down to pick them up. This tool will provide increased independence for Maurice so that he does not have to rely on his wife as much, and will allow for more freedom in eating, dressing, and doing things around the house. I have included a number of pictures you can view below: 

 Maurice can hang up his clothes, or pick out his outfit for the day 

I have adapted a fork and a spoon using velcro strips so that he can independently feed himself. 

Using the scooping mechanism, Maurice is able to bring objects closer to him so that he does not fatigue himself by getting up and walking to them, or bending down to pick them up. 

Alzheimer's Disease Case Study: Ronald Reagan

Before Lauren gave this presentation, I was not aware that former President Ronald Reagan had Alzheimer's disease. His roles included being a husband, father, son, brother, and patriotic American. His occupations included riding horses, acting, and taking care of his ranch and horses. I was aware of some of the symptoms of Alzheimer's, including forgetfulness and memory loss, but did not know about some of the other symptoms, including difficulty sleeping. I noticed in Lauren's goals for Reagan that she included a sleep management program to help him get a restful night's sleep. I did not know that Alzheimer's could cause irregular, inconsistent sleep patterns, as Ronald had. I also learned that he had acquired a blood clot after being thrown off a horse in 1989, which Nancy believes is a big cause of his Alzheimer's. He did not get diagnosed until 1994.

One of Ronald's main concerns was to not be a burden on Nancy, since she was his primary caretaker. Lauren introduced caregiver education as part of her treatment program, which would be very helpful in improving both Nancy's and Ronald's quality of life. Her long-term and short-term goals for Ronald were very reasonable. I learned a lot about Alzheimer's and about former President Reagan. Her presentation was very insightful and informative!

Neuro Note #4: (TedTalk) What you can do to prevent Alzheimer's

I came across this TedTalk while looking for something to write my next neuro note on. I try to write about things that we are learning about in class, that way I can elaborate on my knowledge and understanding on that particular topic. In this TedTalk, Lisa Genova, author of the book, "Still Alice" talks about how we can prevent Alzheimer's disease by making new neural pathways and increasing our cognitive reserve. I thought that this topic was interesting because there is currently no cure for Alzheimer's and I wanted to see how what she talked about could help my future patients and clients. She explains that individuals with Alzheimer's disease have increased amyloid plaques, tangles, and brain shrinkage caused by microglia, and that this is due to losing synapses in the brain. People can start developing these plaques and tangles as early as age 40, but are unaware that anything is wrong because they typically do not show any signs of Alzheimer's until later into their 70s and 80s.

One thing that I found very interesting was that sleep deprivation and poor sleep habits in general can significantly increase the amount of amyloid plaques in the brain. Even one night of sleep deprivation can increase the amount of plaque. I can't speak for everybody, but I know I won't be pulling any more all-nighters in school. Lisa goes on to say that people have an increased risk for developing Alzheimer's disease if they have poor sleep habits, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, if they smoke, or have high cholesterol. The brain has about 100 trillion synapses, which makes up our cognitive reserve. This number can vary at any given time, and can be increased by making new connections in the brain. We can train our brains to combat Alzheimer's if we have more years of formal education, a higher degree of literacy, and engage regularly in mentally stimulating activities, which will create more neural pathways and increase our cognitive reserve. Lisa also put an emphasis on participating in activities that are meaningful, which is a big buzzword in the field of OT. Doing things like crossword puzzles wouldn't necessarily help with making new neural pathways, but rather meeting new friends, learning a new language, or reading a book would have a significantly higher impact.

From an occupational therapy perspective, I believe this is something that needs to be researched even more. Hospitals and healthcare providers would save so much money buy implementing preventative care into their practice rather than treating the symptoms after their patients have already been diagnosed. I personally love that the engagement in purposeful and meaningful activities can be a useful tool to help prevent the onset of Alzheimer's, even if someone is genetically predisposed to it. I would love to incorporate this into my practice if I end up working with individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Lisa mentioned three lessons she learned from her grandmother that she mentioned at the end of the talk, and they really stood out to me: "Having the diagnosis doesn't mean you're dying tomorrow; keep living.  You won't lose your emotional memory. You are more than what you can remember."

I really enjoyed this TedTalk and would recommend it to anyone who is curious about Alzheimer's prevention. The link for the talk is listed below:


Genova, L. (April 2017). What you can do to prevent Alzheimer's. [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_genova_what_you_can_do_to_prevent_alzheimer_s#t-791251

MD Case Study: Jonah Marlin

Before I gave this presentation, I knew a little about muscular dystrophy from knowing Jonah through my church. I knew he was in a power wheelchair and that was his main form of getting around, but I truly did not understand how much it affected his life. When I interviewed his dad, I learned that he has difficulty with transferring in and out of the bed, toileting, and self-feeding, which were his primary concerns that I addressed in the presentation. It never occurred to me that the muscles become so weak that he could not do anything for himself. The one thing that broke my heart was when Jonah's dad said the hardest part about having DMD is not being able to play with kids his age because he can't run around and keep up with children in school.

I learned that individuals with MD are typically diagnosed at age 5, which is when Jonah was diagnosed, and that his form of muscular dystrophy, Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, is the most common form. I learned that DMD is caused by a defective gene called dystrophin, which is responsible for making protein in the muscle, and that individuals with DMD have a 50% chance of passing it on to their children. DMD also causes pseudohypertrophy, which is false enlargement of the muscles in the calves, due to an increase in creatine kinase in the muscle. His calves are not large because of the muscle fibers, but because of scarring and fat buildup on the muscle.

Overall, my main takeaway from this project was that there needs to be more research done to find a cure for DMD. Most males diagnosed with DMD do not live past their twenties, which significantly decreases their quality and longevity of life. Just because people have DMD, does not mean that they don't have something to offer to the world. You can learn more about Jonah and his little brother, Emory, at www.fightdmd.com.

HD Case Study: Charles Sabine

Huntington's Disease is a degenerative neurological disorder that affects the nerve cells in the brain and causes them to break down. HD is genetic, and parents who have the disease have a 50% chance of passing on the disease to their children. Charles Sabine, a 57-year-old former journalist and producer has the disease, as well as his older brother, who is in the late stage of HD. Charles' father passed away from HD. Charles has difficulty with feeding and dressing independently, maintaining control over body movements, and cognitive deficits. Occupational therapy interventions for Charles could include energy conservation, compensatory strategies, adaptive equipment for eating, as well as postural changes to decrease his level of fatigue. People who have HD do not die directly from the disease, but from choking due to weakness in muscles used for respiration.

Before Alicia's presentation, I was not aware that this disease was hereditary and could be passed on to children. Charles did not choose to find out he had the gene for HD until he was in his 40s, which is typically a later age of onset. I don't know how I would feel if I knew someone in my family had the disease and I had a chance of getting it. On one hand, knowing would help me feel prepared on how to handle it whenever I did develop symptoms. On the other hand, not knowing would make me appreciate my life and live every day like it's my last.

Neuro Note #3: TransFatty Lives

For my third Neuro Note, I decided to watch the Netflix documentary, "TransFatty Lives". This documentary depicts what life is like for Patrick O'Brien, a 30-year-old film maker and director from New Jersey who has been diagnosed with ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. I chose this documentary because Professor Lancaster had mentioned it in class, and I knew a few of my other classmates that had watched it and recommended it. In our Neurological Aspects of OT class, we just learned about ALS, and I thought watching this documentary would enhance my knowledge and understanding of this diagnosis.

Before I started OT school, I had no idea what ALS was. I had heard about people doing the Ice Bucket Challenge a few years ago, and my Facebook feed was blowing up with videos of people participating in the challenge. I knew that this disease was debilitating, but I didn't realize how crippling it was until I learned about it in class and watched this documentary.

Patrick's story begins when he is first diagnosed with ALS at the age of 30 in the Spring of 2005. Before his diagnosis, Patrick was a creative, out-of-the-box film maker who had a very lively, outgoing personality. There was no one else like him. His doctors gave him 2-5 years to live. On a trip he took six months ago, he first began to notice his leg trembling. Through the documentary, Patrick deals with his worsening symptoms, including weakness, trembling, and severe muscle fatigue. Eventually, Patrick loses his ability to walk, feed himself, dress himself, shower himself, and perform all the other activities of daily living that we often take for granted.

Though Patrick was diagnosed with a terminal illness, he was still able to find love. He met Laura in the Winter of 2006, and they fell in love. He jokes about still being able to have sex, despite his diagnosis. Patrick is ecstatic when Laura gives birth to their son, Sean Patrick.

As his condition worsens, the one thing that Patrick said that matters most to him is his son. It broke my heart when Patrick said he couldn't hold him, play with him, or be there with him when he got older. All he wanted was to watch his son grow up, but Laura moved to Florida, while Patrick stayed in Maryland.

In 2010, Patrick moved to a facility in Boston, Massachusetts that gives individualized care to people with ALS.

While watching this film, there were a few things Patrick said that really stood out to me. "You can’t help it, so you may as well go with it and stay positive". "When there's nothing you can do, simply surrender." That one absolutely broke my heart. And finally, “Thank God I still have my mind, that’s the only thing I have left to control”. He goes on to say that he has become a better person, and has witnessed those around him being transformed as well. He stopped focusing on the things that weren't important, and started focusing on the things that were important to him. 

It breaks my heart that this fatal disease has no cure. It has really opened my eyes to what Patrick and others living with ALS, as well as their caregivers, have to deal with on a daily basis. Things we take for granted, like eating, walking, and even playing with our children, were stripped away from Patrick. Despite his diagnosis, he still finds purpose in his life by using social media and blogging as a platform to educate people and advocate for his disease and others living with ALS. I would highly recommend this documentary to anyone who wants to increase their knowledge and understanding of ALS.

You can access the documentary at the link posted below:


O'Brien, P. (Director). (2015). TransFatty Lives [Documentary]. Retrieved from: https://www.netflix.com/search?q=transfatty.

Foundations Course Wrap-Up

I very much enjoyed taking our Foundations of Occupation-Centered Practice course. At the beginning of this class, I knew what occupational therapy was, but I was not able to give a great definition of it to someone else, or thoroughly explain what occupational therapists do. After completing some of our assignments, such as the occupational profile, era presentations, activity analysis, and conceptual diagram of the field of OT, I have a much better understanding of what occupational therapy is, and the role of an OT practitioner. 

When I first started this program, I thought, "How am I going to possibly be able to learn everything I need to know about being an OT? I love occupational therapy, but I don't know if I will really be prepared to be a practitioner once I leave UTHSC." I can now confidently say that even with a few weeks left in my first semester, I feel much more at ease about learning all of the material I need to in order to pass my board exam and to be a great OT. I know I still have a lot left to learn and more skills to develop and cultivate, but this Foundations course has really given me a good, solid base of my knowledge of OT and how I can tell other people about what I am studying. 

I have learned more about myself and about the field of OT in this class than I have ever in any kind of internship or clinical setting. It has truly opened my eyes to what the distinct value of OT is and how OTs can help make a difference in the world. I feel like I am very prepared to take on the next semester of coursework and use the knowledge I learned from this class in order to be successful throughout the duration of the OT program. 

MG Case Study: Kristen Graham

Before I heard Valerie's presentation of Myasthenia gravis, I had no idea what this diagnosis was or the symptoms that went along with it. I learned that symptoms of MG include muscle fatigue, weakness, double vision, and facial drooping, and can be induced by stress. For Kristen, having this diagnosis made her occupation of being a hairdresser very difficult, since she has to be on her feet all day and have the stamina and endurance to get through the day. Kristen has been on medication for MG before, but is currently off all medications, and is focusing on maintaining life balance, independence, and energy conservation by doing yoga in order to decrease the severity of her symptoms. MG can be debilitating for some individuals, but luckily for Kristen, her symptoms are managed by the techniques listed above. Her main goal is to live her life to the fullest, and not let her diagnosis get in the way of her living her life the way she wants.

Begin With the End in Mind

When I first started UTHSC's occupational therapy program in January, I was nervous/excited/scared all at the same time. I was ready to be here, but terrified of getting swallowed up by the monster that is Gross Anatomy. During those 10 weeks, I thought, "Man, this is never going to end!". I was fascinated to learn about the human body, but I couldn't wait to get into the more in-depth OT classes. Many nights I would cry, stress, worry, and just feel overwhelmed because I thought, "If this anatomy class is any indication of how my time in OT school is going to be, I don't know if I deserve to be here. This is REALLY hard."

Luckily, Gross Anatomy ended and life was a breeze after that. 

I was so caught up in how I felt about that one class and how my performance would affect me that I forgot the reason why I am here in the first place - because I love to help people and I want them to be happy and successful. It's hard to think about that when you and 4 other people are standing over a cadaver 3 days a week, poking, prodding, and dissecting every ounce of tissue you can find. But sometimes I have to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. I am here for a REASON. 

I'm sure I will have more challenging classes as my time in school passes, but I am up for the challenge. I am choosing to start every day now by beginning with the end in mind. 

At the end of this journey of OT school, I will have a degree, pass my boards (fingers crossed), and work in a job that's not just a job, but a career that I can do for the rest of my life. So the next time I get stressed about a test grade, project, or paper and tight deadlines, I am going to remember my purpose for being here, and enjoy the ride along the way.

Perseverance is Key

Often in our profession, it seems that we are the ones motivating our clients, encouraging them to never give up, despite the insurmountable circumstances. We are there to see them through the many ups and downs they face during the treatment process. We even help their families cope with a new diagnosis or injury their loved one is facing. But my question is, how do we as future OTs become motivated?

It is no secret that getting into occupational therapy school is a large feat in itself. We as students had to compete against hundreds of others who are as equally as qualified, motivated, and skilled, yet we are the ones who made it. Why is that?

The answer to both of these questions is perseverance. The process of applying to occupational therapy school involved jumping through a lot of hoops, getting observation hours, references from mentors and professors, and writing a really killer admissions essay. But even after all of that hard work, so many people still get rejected; people like me.

I was not admitted into UTHSC's OT program the first time I applied. I was discouraged and upset, but I did NOT give up. I persevered, took the GRE 2 more times, got an internship and full-time job experience under my belt, and I was ready to apply again. I had confidence in the skills and knowledge that I had learned from the first time I applied to the second. I felt I was much more competent and deserving of being accepted into the program for which I had worked so hard to be in.

Because we as OT students persevered and encountered many obstacles just getting into school, I feel that we are able to help our clients succeed and reach their goals, because we know what it is like to want something so badly, yet it being just out of reach. We can be the driving force that helps keep them going, and we will always be reminded why we are all here in the first place - because we want to help people.

How OT School Has Given Me a New Outlook

I will admit, before I was in occupational therapy school, and even when I was in middle school and high school, I was afraid to interact with kids my age who had disabilities. It wasn't that I thought negatively about them, but I was afraid to ask the wrong thing and end up putting my foot in my mouth. Being in school has taught me that everyone is different, everyone faces challenges, and everyone has a purpose in life that they are trying to fulfill. Just because someone has a disability, doesn't meant that they AREN'T ABLE. It just means that they do things differently.

I have a very good friend, Lindsey, who uses a wheelchair because of her spina bifida and is a survivor of thyroid cancer. She loves to blog and came out with an interesting post a while back giving her point of view on how people view her in a wheelchair. Reading her blog post and learning about disabilities in school has really opened my eyes to how I talk to, and even how I look at people who use a wheelchair and other assistive devices. She owns her own business, is very active, goes to the gym, goes to concerts, and even just completed a huge bucket list of things she wanted to do before she died. Despite all that she has been through, Lindsey has not let her diagnoses get in her way of accomplishing her goals and doing things that bring her to joy to her life.

With new advances in technology every single day, we as future occupational therapists are better able to serve our clients and meet their needs, despite any challenges they may face. Lindsey has been an inspiration to me and has given me the confidence and encouragement to achieve my goals. If everyone had her outlook on life, the world would be a much brighter place.

ALS Case Study: Ulla-Carin Lindquist

What I have learned from Lauren's presentation is that Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a debilitating, fatal disease that affects the nerve and motor cell in the brain and spinal cord. The disease is very hard to diagnose, and there are many diagnostic tests that have to be performed in order to obtain a diagnosis. What blew me away was that from the time of Mrs. Lindquist's diagnosis to her passing, only one year had passed. This disease accelerates rapdily, and is very unforgiving to the people it affects.

Fortunately for Mrs. Lindquist, she was able to stay in her home while she dealt with her diagnosis. She had many adaptations made to her home so that she could have available access. The one thing that surprised me was how quickly patients with ALS can fatigue. Mrs. Lindquist stated in her book that it would take her twice as long to recover from performing certain activities, such as brushing her hair, compared to the average person without the diagnosis. I believe OTs can play a big role in teaching clients with ALS, as well as many other clients with various diagnoses, about energy conservation.

Though it is a sad situation that Mrs. Lindquist passed away, her book, "Rowing Without Oars" has given people an insight into what her life was like while living with ALS, and can hopefully educate people on this diagnosis which can lead to further research, and a cure.

Why OT Students Need Balance

In our Foundations class, we discussed Work-Life Balance, which has to do with the amount of time participating in activities in work and outside of work. It can be difficult for people who work in certain professions to maintain a proper work-life balance, such as individuals who work night shifts and may not get to see their family during the day, or people who work long hours nearly every day of the week. In graduate programs such as ours, it can also be difficult to maintain a "school-life balance."

When I was working at my outpatient PT clinic, I would dread going to work and would stare at the clock, watching the time drag by. It would seem like days waiting for lunch time to come, and once it was over, the "3 o'clock sleepies" as I like to call them, would set in and make me even more bored. The good thing about being in the workforce (for some people) is that once they clock out and leave for the day, they get to leave their work AT work and don't have to worry about anything else until the next work day.

In OT school, we are pretty much working a full-time job (plus overtime). What I mean by that, is we are supposed to be available from 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. That is a typical work day, with one hour of lunch calculated in. And most days, we are going all day. But whenever we leave our last class for the day, the work is not done. For me, I have to go straight home and let my dog out and feed him. I usually change into comfy clothes and wind down from the long day I just had. Sometimes I'll sit in my room and scroll through social media for a while, or even go sit outside and enjoy the weather. Whatever I have to do to release the stress of that day, that's what I do. Sometimes I will go home and take an hour-long nap before dinner. Then I'll fix dinner or heat up some leftovers, maybe watch 30 minutes of television, and jump into studying.  Because my boyfriend and I are long-distance, we usually FaceTime for about an hour before we both go to bed.

I say all this because we all have ways we maintain balance in our lives. If I studied day in and day out with no breaks, I would drive myself crazy and burn out quickly. Everyone is different. Some people like to go grab coffee or go out to eat after class, others can dive right into studying. For me, I just need a break to digest everything before I start studying again. And I think that's okay! I have beaten myself up because I don't study the way my peers do and am not constantly in the library or study through my lunch break. What works for me is frequent breaks, which might not work for someone else. The bottom line is, we all have different ways we cope with stress, and I am proud of taking care of myself and maintaining balance in my life while going through a rigorous graduate program.

The Road to OT School

I can remember the day I found out I got into occupational therapy school at UTHSC. I was THRILLED! I couldn't wait to finish up my last day of work so that I could finally pursue my dreams of becoming an occupational therapist. At that point, I had already been out of school almost a year and was ready to get back to the grind. Almost a year went by and before I knew it, I was packing up my life in Nashville and heading 3 hours west to the 901! I was scared at first, because I have never lived in a big city before. I tell people I am from Nashville, but really I am from the small town outskirts of Nashville (where the tourists can't find me, haha)! It has been quite an adjustment moving here. I am used to the small town life, where the grocery store is less than 5 minutes from my house. I don't have to pay anywhere to park, and I can feel safe being out at night by myself. It's different here. I never would have imagined a small town girl like me would end up in this big, metropolitan city. 

Even though it was scary at first, I'm glad I've taken not a step, but a LEAP outside of my comfort zone. At first, my parents weren't so sure about me moving to Memphis. After explaining to them that OT schools (and offers into their programs) are few and far between, they couldn't let me pass up this one-in-a-lifetime opportunity. There are other OT schools in Nashville and East Tennessee, but something about UTHSC stood out to me, and I knew I just had to come here. On my interview weekend, I fell in love with the OT Department and the faculty. I already had a couple of friends in the Memphis area, and one friend in the program, so the adjustment to a new school in a new city wasn't so bad. 

It is such a blessing to get to go to school at UT every day. Most days are long and tiring (especially when I was taking gross anatomy) but I wouldn't trade being here for the world. I have made some really great friends, and have connected with some really great professors in our program. They truly care about our success in the program, as well as our overall wellbeing. They are molding and shaping us every single day into becoming great occupational therapists. Every day I get a little bit closer to achieving my dreams. I can't wait to see what my future holds and where my degree will take me! Go Vols! 

Emerging Areas of Practice and Vision 2025

Before I became an occupational therapy student, I had never imagined working in the field of oncology. Since my freshman year of college, I was dead set on working in pediatrics, and nothing was going to change my mind. I even did an undergraduate internship in a pediatric speech, OT, and PT clinic. Since I started dating my boyfriend, Andy in October and learning more and more about his brain tumor, the field of oncology has sparked an interest in me. Andy's brain tumor was benign, but his story is incredible in that his craniopharyngioma reared its ugly head THREE TIMES in his life; first when he was 10 years old, again at age 15, and as recently as age 23. Talking with him and getting to know him has really changed my outlook on life, and what truly matters. He has told me that he feels like his outlook on life is much different from the experiences he has had compared to his peers, which I totally agree with. He appreciates the little things in life, and doesn't take a single day for granted.

As I've learned in my graduate studies about brain tumors and reading Professor Lancaster's story about her father's experience with cancer, I can't help but feel compelled to help these individuals diagnosed with this horrible disease. After reading about the emerging area of oncology on the AOTA website, I discovered that almost 1 in 20 adults and 1 in 5 people over the age of 65 have survived cancer. Studies have shown that individuals with cancer who receive occupational therapy treatment live a few months longer, and have a better quality of life than those who only receive standard care. At first, I was worried about not being able to make lasting relationships with my patients and clients, since I would not know how long they would even be alive. Now I understand that it is not about saving the client's life, but just making it a more quality one. Wouldn't it be rewarding to know that you made someone's final days worth living, just by being there with them?

AOTA's Vision 2025 states: "Occupational therapy maximizes health, well-being, and quality of life for all people, populations, and communities through effective solutions that facilitate participation in everyday living." I feel that every single part of this Vision 2025 can be related to working with someone in oncology. By treating someone with a terminal diagnosis, we want to maximize their health and ensure their best quality of life through meaningful occupations. Though we are not able to cure their disease or illness, we are able to make their final days worth living by letting them participate in activities that are important to them. Every person that has either survived cancer, or is currently going through it, can benefit from occupational therapy intervention. I hope that I am one day able to purse this as an area of interest when I become an occupational therapy practitioner.

Guest Speaker Fletcher Cleaves

It was truly an honor to have Fletcher come and speak to our class last week. He told us all about being a star football player in high school, and even locking down a college football scholarship at Lambuth. His life was changed in an instant when a distracted driver was texting on her phone and crossed over into Fletcher's lane. When he swerved to miss her, his car flipped and ended up in a ravine. I couldn't imagine what was going through his head at that point in time. I would be terrified, especially if I couldn't feel the lower half of my body. He told us he had a C5-C6 spinal cord injury.

Years after his accident, and after lots of physical and occupational therapy, Fletcher is thriving. He has his own apartment, a career at the IT department at AutoZone, and a really fancy adapted truck. He even let us go check it out in the parking garage. I have never experienced a spinal cord injury, but now I can sympathize a little bit more now that I have met someone who has had one. I can't begin to imagine the frustration and negativity he faced, even from his own doctors. If someone told me I couldn't do something, I don't know if I would argue with them, especially an experienced doctor. But Fletcher never gave up. He persevered through all the trials he faced, and now he is able to live independently.

The one thing that stuck out to me that Fletcher said was, "The sky is NOT the limit. How can the sky be the limit when there are footprints on the moon?" Now when I think about this phrase, I don't think how I am limited; I think about how I can push the envelope, go the extra mile, and prove people wrong by being successful.

Neuro Note #2: Rollin' Grizzlies Game

When Professor Lancaster told us about the opportunity to watch the Rollin' Grizzlies Wheelchair Basketball Team during their practice, I knew it was something I just could not pass up. I had seen wheelchair basketball on television before, and even have a good friend that did adapted skiing this past winter. It was nothing like I expected. I thought that since the guys were in wheelchairs, that they had to be gentle and be careful not to tip themselves or anyone else over. Boy, was I wrong! These guys went at it, just like in regular basketball. They fouled on each other, got penalty shots, and even had a rule for traveling, which was no more than three pushes for one dribble. As I watched them push up and down the court, I couldn't help but notice how easy they made it look. Every move they made was orchestrated perfectly, and it looked second nature to all of the guys. Even from watching them do suicides and turn their chairs around on a dime, they had me in awe.

I was so fortunate to have the chance to try out one player's chair and try to shoot a few baskets. It is much harder than it looks. Even pushing myself in the direction I wanted to go was a challenge. "How do I turn myself around? I don't want to go that way! How do I back up? I need to turn around" These are just a few of the thoughts that ran through my head as I pushed myself in the chair. Some of the other OT students in my class had a relay race, where we pushed as hard as we could to the half-court line and back. We even tried doing it backwards, which was much harder. For someone that doesn't work out regularly, it was quite a challenge, especially for my upper body. Professor Lancaster told us that the movements would feel weird to us since we don't use wheelchairs regularly, and how it would be much easier for the players to do since they were so used to being in a wheelchair.

My biggest takeaway from this experience is that anyone can find meaning and purpose in their lives, even if they have a spinal cord injury. If basketball is something that brings someone joy and happiness, why should they stop? I personally believe that everyone deserves the right to happiness, and I was able to see it in everyone's faces that night. It was very clear that the guys there were a family. What set them apart from the outside world due to their injury brought them together for one common goal: to play basketball. This was an experience I will never forget, and I suggest everyone should go if ever given the opportunity.

PD Case Study: Bob Roberts

The main takeaway I received from Sarah's presentation was that Parkinson's Disease took a big toll on her grandfather. Having this disease transformed Mr. Roberts from a happy, joking, jolly man to someone who could barely walk or take care of himself. Parkinson's can strip individuals of their independence, making them fully rely on family members as a support system. Sarah told us a story about how her grandfather told his family he didn't have to go to occupational therapy one day, and that he just played cards instead. Little did he know that he actually was working on fine motor skills and dexterity by playing with the cards. Sarah also mentioned that if occupational therapy intervention were implemented sooner, her grandfather would have possibly had better, more successful outcomes. Since his Parkinson's was so far progressed, it was hard for him to make good gains. Parkinson's Disease can be debilitating, but someone who has been diagnosed can live a high quality of life with occupational therapy intervention.