OT Day 2

3/26/2014

Today was my second day of OT. So far it is going great! Traci is helping me work out which grips to use for certain tasks. For example, when you get in your car in the morning and crank it up, how many different grips do you use? One to open the car door, one to close the door and put your seat belt on, one to put the key in the ignition, and another to turn the key...

I have never really thought about any of this so I will probably be doing some people watching (one of my favorite past times) to see how others do certain tasks.

I feel like a kid at OT because I get to "play games". There are balls, pegs, pins, marbles, etc...it's like one big playground and preschool all in one...except most of the people there are in their 80's :)

So far so great!

Love to all :)

First Day of OT

3/25/14

Today I am taking Hanna for our first day of Occupational Therapy...and I'm kind of nervous! Tracy (the OT) comes highly recommended and she happened to squeeze me in instead of putting me  on a waiting list to see her.  I really don't know what to expect since I've never done OT before. I'm thinking maybe it is similar to physical therapy?  Oh well...I will let you know how it goes! :)

Later...just got back from OT!
I am feeling very encouraged. Tracy was awesome...she said "Damn!" a lot and it cracked me up. I was able to put on my jacket with my hand on before I left!  I was not able to do this before because I couldn't figure out how to get the hand through the sleeve. Yippee!

We will be working on fine motor skills. Those of you who really know me know that I lack pretty much all motor skills and am incredibly clumsy...so I don't think she knows what she's in for with me :) I told her one of my goals was not to continue to crush Starbucks cups. She laughed...but I was serious.


Now I am back at work scarfing down a double cheeseburger combo from Mickey D's. Don't judge me.

 

This is me and Millie Belle on the balcony. It's really rainy today and I miss the sun...but I digress...

Thanks to all of my cheerleaders, well-wishers, prayer people and encouragers. I couldn't do this without y'all!

Cool site and other stuff

3/19/14

So I found this really cool site today:
http://www.thealternativelimbproject.com/

Check out this crystallized leg bling:

Pretty cool huh?
Maybe I need to add some bling to Hanna?

By the way, I made my first OT appointment today with Tracy at the Sentara Hand Therapy Clinic. Apparently she has a waiting list but they were able to work me in on April 8th.  I am finding that I need help figuring out how to use Hanna. Sometimes it is pretty counter intuitive.

But I hope to have more of a grip on it soon...LOL...grip...get it?
Love to all!

And the winner is....

So I had a lot of votes. Some liked Helen, there was an Anastasia, and a Bionica. I think the most creative was "Talktothe". But in the end I decided to name my hand....

Hanna!


Thanks for all of your help with names! :)

So Hanna came to work with me today. I practiced typing (I am still faster without Hanna). Hanna also worked the copy machine and helped count money.

Slowly but surely I am learning how to incorporate Hanna into my daily life.  I still have a long way to go! :)

Picking up my Hand Today!!!!!

3/6/14
I got a call from Ayana at the Hanger Clinic a little while ago and guess what????
I'M PICKING UP MY HAND TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not excited or anything :)

I am so ready to start working on my skills (or lack thereof) again!  I have Jenga and Mancala at the ready.

I have been thinking...my hand really needs a name.  I've just been calling it "hand" but I really think she needs a name.  Yes, she is a she because I am a girl and well that would be weird to be a girl with a boy's hand :)

So here are some of the contenders:

Hanna (get it?)

Hannaleigh

Harley

Harper

Helen

Hermione (LOL)

Hilary

Hildegarde

Helga

Gwyneth Paltrow?

I really have no idea. At first I thought she should have a name that starts with an "H", but now I'm not so sure.  I need your help!

Please vote for the name you think I should name my hand. It can be one that is not listed.  I just need some ideas.
Thanks friends!

Love to all!

Impending inclement weather

At about 5:30am I was awakened to the ringing of my phone to inform me that all students and teachers would not be reporting to school today due to the threat of inclement weather. Oh and P.S. ALL 12 month staff must report for normal hours.

 

What the what???? I really appreciate the wake up call before my alarm goes off to tell me that I do in fact have to go to work today. Thanks

 

I know many of you are tired of hearing complaints about school and weather...but this is a different kind of complaint.  ***Warning*** I will need some cheese with my wine after this post.

 

So this is the message on the school's web page:

Updated: 3/3/2014 5:16:38 AM

Due to the threat of inclement weather, schools are closed for students and instructional staff. Twelve month employees must report on time.

 

So what can I take away from this? Well...many things really.

 

1. 12 month employees are so important that the schools cannot run without us.

2. 12 month employees are the best drivers and the ones you definitley want on the road during inclement weather.

3. 12 month employees will have so much work to do on a day that neither teachers nor students will be at school.

4. 12 month employees would be bored on a snow day.

 

Hooray for fake snow days! LOL

 

Well at least I will catch up on my blogging today. Just kidding...I am really hard at work right now :)

 

 

***Hand update***

Hand is still in Ohio. He hasn't called. He hasn't written. He is probably hanging out at The Varsity Club without me. I miss him! Hopefully he will be home soon!

 

Love to all