I shadowed Emily Welsh in San Antonio at the Brooke Army Medical Center for the past two days. It was AMAZING. Scott Dewey and Captain Hawkins were so kind and welcoming, showing me the facility and introducing me to everyone (even though I was only there for two days). Emily was in rounds, which they do every single day on all the patients because it is a teaching facility so it's good practice for the residents. After rounds she showed me more things and talked about how there it doesn't matter if you are an OT or PT, you are a burn therapist. That means if you have room on your caseload for a patient and one comes in, it doesn't matter if he/she is legs upper or full body, you are their therapist. I love that! I love that it doesn't matter and you are treating the whole person.
The first patient we saw was actually someone coming for outpatient care. I'm not sure how far out he was from his burn, but they were making skin for his nose on his forehead and it was amazing! Also he had no fingers, but just regained the slightest amount of grasp in his left hand and was desperate for something that would allow him to do things. So Emily was called because she is known for making things. He was trying to explain what he had been thinking and found a wooden block on the counter that happened to fit perfectly, so Emily, using splinting material (aquaplast), made little blocks for him and put tubigrip inside and dycem on the outside. I got to make one too! We made one for his toothbrush, shaver, pen, and other things. He was so excited and thankful saying, "Oh man I'm going to be able to do so many things now!"
I then watched the wound care and dressing change of a patient who had a 87.5% TBSA burn from a fuel tank explosion. I watched from behind the glass, but Emily told me she wanted me inside the room the next day which I DID! Since he has no skin, he cannot regulate his own body temperature so the room has to be 100 degrees. You have to have on full hospital garb (gown, gloves, booties, hair things, and face mask). Needless to say it was HOT, which perpetuates passing out, but I did it! For 2 and a half hours I was in there and watched everything and heard the nurse talk about seeing the muscles and tendons and seeing the bleeding when dressings were removed and heard all kinds of cream, medication and dressing names. It was amazing and I couldn't believe that I stayed upright! But wow what an honor to be a part of taking care of someone who independently put himself into a horrible position for us...respect.
Sweet Kyle let me spend the night at his apartment which was so incredibly convenient. We went to Twin Peaks to watch the SA Spurs and play the Heat in the NBA finals, and yes that is a boob bar and it caught me off guard major! So so ridiculous that all the girls were literally wearing handkerchiefs over their boobs short shorts and of course Uggs to make it seem like a mountain bar (ha). But the wait was way too long so we ordered Tex-Mex and went back to his apt watched the game and chatted. It was so nice to see him and catch up. And he let me sleep in his bed so sweet, but it was so soft I really didn't sleep too well. Then he woke up and made me breakfast tacos, how nice!? Crazy he's getting married in just 20 days! Excited to go celebrate with him and Whitney.
Overall I was driving home thinking about perspective and that I am so so so lucky and instead of complaining and thinking life is so hard I should be thinking grateful thoughts and focus on the positive. I am healthy, loved, motivated, and have so many wonderful opportunities coming down the road. I am so proud of what I'm going to be doing as a career and feel like I truly have a purpose to help others through OT. I also feel so lucky to have positivity to put out in the world and need to be more conscious of doing that (smiling, giving, understanding).
Things I learned and want to remember:
Talk to patients like they are my friends and family
Don't ask burn patients about pain
First job should be acute or something where I can see a lot
Every 5 years I should challenge myself through a new job or something
I will feel incompetent and lost when I start FW and when I start my first job - that is the roller-coaster of learning
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