Occupations...

I've been at the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) annual conference the past few days.  It was an amazing experience and I was surrounded by hundreds of people who all share the same visions and passions for our field.  As practioners we make it our goal to help people live their fullest lives every day.  I like to think I practice what I preach.  I have many occupations that I engage every day...wife, knitter, reader, runner, firefighter, supreme ruler of the roost etc.  I could go on and on.  Think about what you do that defines who you are.  These occupations can be further broken down in the the components of each activity.  If I really sat down and thought about it I could break it down to which muscles I use for each occupation and what parts of the brain run them.  Yup that is what my degree is folks.  In my field of geriatrics we break the down the every day skills and re-teach our clients how to engage in them despite age or disability.

The conference gave me a renewed sense of self and re-energized what I bring to work each day.  Sometimes we start to feel stagnant by our situations because of all the baggage our lives carry.  To often I feel like we are just trying to make our numbers for Medicare and we lose sight of the purpose we went to school for this to begin with.  I decided when I got back to work I would put more thought into my treatment selections and really try to engage my patients in occupations every day.

I also came home excited to resume my occupations that I had put off for the week.  My knitting was calling to me across the many miles and this was the first trip I had taken in a long time that didn't include a sticks and string.  I had done so much in the weeks leading up to the conference that my wrists were begging for a short break.  I only took my Kindle with me and I was very thankful I had that because I did manage to read two books while I waited in airports.  A nasty cold and an ear infection also sidelined me from the running for a week.  I did eek out a 3 mile run/walk today in the cold and rain.  I can't run too hard or I just end up in a coughing fit on the side of the road.  Not very attractive either!

Tonight I head back to knit night and have my project bagged up and ready to go.  It's been almost a month since I have been and I realized how much I miss my ladies I knit with.  And yes I am wearing a recent project.  My much loved short sleeve cardigan.  It just came out too pretty not to wear it as often as I can!