PTA Blog Talk : General Interest

The Legacies Project- Part 2

Jason Marketti — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:36:00 GMT

Based in Ann Arbor, MI, The Legacies Project archives self selected memories from the elderly population and categorizes it into videotaped histories. It began as Jimmy Rhoades recounts a personal experience. "My dad was diagnosed with cancer and we were...(read more)

Get it in Writing

Jason Marketti — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:51:00 GMT

As a PTA I have to rely on the PT for accurate and up to date information in order for me to perform my duties. I have been to places where all the notes were up to date with the latest tests and accurate documentation and if one piece of information...(read more)

Gordian Knots and Such

Jason Marketti — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:16:00 GMT

Trying to get things done and developed programs in our department can be like a Chow-Lui Tree explaining the Bayesian Networks. (The geeks like me will understand this) I have attempted many times to do balance and stability programs and be consistent...(read more)

Men's Lunch

Jason Marketti — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:54:00 GMT

My son and I went to a men's lunch at my work not too long ago. As we sat there I tried to engage some of the men into conversation that would appeal to my son's knowledge of history. There was one gentleman who was initially hesitant to speak but once...(read more)

Being a Dad

Jason Marketti — Wed, 20 May 2009 20:09:00 GMT

Am I invisible when I go to the MD with my wife and children? Why do most of the health providers we see together look at me then talk to my wife? Are they surprised that a father is taking an active role in their child's health and asking pertinent questions...(read more)

Michael Phelps

Jason Marketti — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:51:00 GMT

I thought I would comment on this man. I am not a sports fan, nor did I watch the Olympics. In fact I did not even watch the Superbowl this year.

So, back to Phelps. He has a charity foundation to promote water safety and advocate swimming for children, he wrote two books, won 14 career Olympic gold medals, and has set numerous world records. He voluntarily signed up for Project Believe to be tested for doping and passed 9 times.

He has an impressive history in the sport of swimming and all of this is easily found on Wikipedia. He has also been picked up for DUI and most recently a picture of him with a bong.

So we have to weigh whether his accomplishments far out way his mistakes. Also, he is 23 years old. Young people will make mistakes and I don't think we should destroy them for those mistakes.

He could claim his ADHD was uncontrolled and he acted impulsively during the troubled times, but he didn't. He manned-up and is taking his punishment. Good for him.

Imagine if pictures of me were published back in my hey-day. Either I would be laughed at because of the way I was dressed or criticized for what I was doing.

Great people have been penalized for making mistakes. Presidents, kings, and military hero's have all made mistakes (some have tried to cover them up), and yet we realize later they were great people under a greater amount of pressure because of their accomplishments.

The power to forgive is greater than the power to penalize.

Wii

Jason Marketti — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:35:00 GMT

The title says it all. I finally saved up for a Wii and several games and an extra controller. Now I understand why it is used in therapy. I don't think Billy Mays could have sold it any better.

On bowling nights we have a fun competition to see how many strikes we can get in a row. My youngest has gotten six, while my wife and I are up to four and five. I also bought Fire Emblem for me and my son. (It's a guy thing).

I have not explored everything the Wii is capable of, like Internet and pictures, etc. I just like to get in there and play. And I am not sure whether to call the controller a joy stick. Every time I do, I picture myself sitting on the living room floor in the 1980s playing Dig Dug and Pac Man on our Atari system.

Then I wonder why I didn't buy one of these things when they first came out. I could have been having all this fun, jumping around, swinging my arms and competing to see how many look-a-likes there are as they go down the escalator.

One day I bowled too much and my right shoulder was really sore. So rather than quit, I used my left hand to play; I am an addict. I think it has to do with keeping your pro status once you achieve it in the game.

Then I got to thinking about how effective this game really is to those who need the UE mobility, hand eye coordination, and memory. Fine motor control is tested every time it is used. I am sold on this game for rehab use. Now, how do we convince the employer that we need one and it is purely therapeutic in nature and not intended for the therapists enjoyment at lunch.

It is kind of like riding a motorized wheelchair in a facility - I am trying to assess the integrity and safety of the vehicle and to adjust the speed for proper usage. Certainly I wouldn't be having any fun riding it all around the facility trying to do dounuts.

Life Goals

Jason Marketti — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:01:00 GMT

Randy Pausch's book, The Last Lecture is excellent. Section V has been re-read multiple times. It was like taking his short but successful career with all his knowledge and experience and condensing it into 30 small chapters.

Another book that should be making rounds is, Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure. It is a book about people who have put their life story, philosophy or goals in six words.

And this all got me to thinking, how we would sum up our lives in a small chapter in the archives of the APTA. What can we say about ourselves that would inspire others in our field? Are we the first to do something new? Have we taken that leap, trusting ourselves enough to step around the ideas others are still thinking about? Can we all be innovators?

My answer is yes, we can all be innovators but we have to begin somewhere. And that is to have a goal for yourself. I am not talking about a bucket list, but a professional goal to achieve in a given period of time.

A PT or PTA should ideally have several professional goals they want to achieve within five years. Whether it is to become certified in a specific technique or to research a topic, we should have a direction we want to go and a place we want to be in a couple of years.

After achieving your goals, ask yourself whether your contributions have promoted the field of therapy and look around to decide whether you could have inspired others to follow in your footsteps.

Then, write a paragraph that sums up your life both personally and professionally. Ask yourself whether you could have or should have done it differently. And do it differently regardless of the answer - if anything you will gain valuable experience.

Out to Lunch

Jason Marketti — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:21:00 GMT

Recently I went out to lunch with my co-workers.

One asked about my family, so I layed it all out, my wife was fine, my son was adjusting well, youngest one was great, but my middle daughter has a new diagnosis; Schizophrenia.

I went on briefly to describe the change in diagnosis with the MD and the telemedicine my wife encountered during the visit. This was met with indifference. There were no follow up questions or comments about it. Everyone went on to discuss another topic and I pondered why people do not want to discuss mental illness.

For years mental illness was a hushed subject. It was an institution where strange people were locked away from civilized people. Topics like mental illness were rarely discussed 20 years ago and at times it seems nothing much has changed.

Services are difficult to get, the state makes parents and caregivers jump through hoops just to be turned down for services that are needed. Some school districts do not want to address the issues concerned about mental illness and one principle suggested we continue to either homeschool or to find a private school to send our daughter to. Ahh, the dilemmas of parenthood.

I could describe the hours spent by both my wife and me on the phones with pharmacies, doctors, therapists, and teachers just to obtain help (and maybe a sympathetic ear), but very few will actually listen. Most have said, "I am sorry there is nothing I can do." And I do not believe that. What they are saying is that they do not understand mental illness and they do not want to address it.

Multiple doctors have been sought out as well as many therapists who have both said things like, "I think she is making it up." Unfortunately they are not the ones who have to live with the illness. And it is not a curable illness, it is a prolonged, treatable with (expensive) medication but not an exact science illness. What works well for one will not for another and symptoms fluctuate from person to person. Her symptoms affect our whole family in what we do, what we say and sometimes where we go.

With all that said, I wonder what my co-workers will say when I tell them on Christmas day, December 25, 2008, at about 9:00 pm my youngest daughter had another grand mal seizure, it was her fourth grand mal that we have witnessed. She is diagnosed with epilepsy. Maybe this is another one of those subjects that co-workers do not want to listen to as well.

Do people want me to tell them that everything is fine and life is a bed of roses? Or should I be truthful and tell them what my life is really like when I get off work?

Reuse, Recycle, Rehabilitation

Jason Marketti — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:48:00 GMT

Ed Begley is a nut.

He is also one heck of an environmentalist. As I was watching his program, "Living with Ed," I got to thinking about how many resources we (in therapy) might waste.

What happens to all of the paper charts after 10 years? Are these recycled or thrown into a fire pit along with millions of other papers? And what about therabands, are they biodegradable?

I am sure there are a lot of gait belts that are simply thrown away when they become frayed and unsafe to use for patient care. And where did all of those stop watches go that were used when PPS began? (Post-PPS therapists won't get this one)

I am not one of those Greenpeace people chained to a tree, and I'm not packing my ditty bag and setting sail with Captain Paul Watson from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, but I do care about our environment.

I replaced all my bulbs with those curly ones, I recycle cans, bottles and plastics, I have also encouraged my family to turn off lights when they are not used. I have a compost for my garden and I donate all of the items I cannot use, including clothes that no longer fit.

So, back to the therapy issue and recycling. This is what I would like to see change:

1) Hemp gait belts (kind of Woody Harrelsonesque);
2) Biodegradable therabands;
3) Recycled paper for all charts;
4) Energy Star appliances and bulbs in facilities; and
5) Computerized documentation.

Then we can work on the state boards who license us and question their use of resources.

Halloween

Jason Marketti — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:18:00 GMT

This time of year can be challenging for some people. Do you allow your children to participate in Halloween or not?

Should we allow them to dress up in make believe costumes and let them pretend they are someone else for a couple of hours while they go from house to house asking for candy? Will my therapy department allow me to dress up for the day as well?

My wife and I made a decision. We initially decided that we would not participate in the Halloween events, then we flip flopped (like a political candidate) and agreed they could. We also decided that we would attend a church-sponsored event called Hallelujah Night where the church will have games, candy, jumpers, etc. for the evening. The children can still dress up, but we thought they should go as something not evil.

As far as house to house, I didn't feel real comfortable last year in our California neighborhood so we didn't. It is a big contrast from my Nebraska youth days running amok from house to house eating baked cookies fresh from Farmer Fred's wife Nettie.

So, we moved to a new place where I feel more comfortable with the children going house to house eating junk food and getting stomachaches. We'll still look for a church-sponsored event because the children had a blast last year.

My son presented me with a newsletter from his school about celebrating El Dia de los Muertos. And then family asked what we are doing on All Saints Day and All Souls Day.
I responded, "If there is food involved we will be there celebrating whatever holiday it is."

As far as dressing up at work, I use that as a day to wear jeans and a pocket tee just like I do on my days off. Last year I went as a tough guy. I wore jeans, a black shirt, tough biker rings with skulls on them and of course my Harley Davidson leather boots. I looked real cool getting out of my 1997 Aerostar Minivan.

Oh yes, I must mention the time-honored event that I take part in--just as my father did with me and my brother, and that is to confiscate the "poisoned" candy from my children so they can survive doing it again another year.

My Civic Duty

Jason Marketti — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:06:00 GMT

I received my jury duty notice in the mail a while ago.

After sitting in a crowded room for what seemed like days several of us potential jurors were sent to a courtroom. After painfully long instructions we were asked several questions about our families, children and whether we could be fair jurors in this case.

I answered all the questions truthfully and became juror number two.

Over the course of two and a half days the case was presented and we all went to the deliberation room to "deliberate" the case. Once seated in the room we took a vote and I was the lone dissenter, voting undecided. The others, all 11 of them voted guilty immediately without a discussion of the facts and conflicting testimony.

I often wonder how many times this happens, we make a decision based on what we want to hear and not even try to understand the other person's side of events. It is very easy to label, judge, or convict a person but it takes courage to stand up and say, "Wait a minute, lets examine this, lets take another look at these events."

I tried to understand my fellow jurors and some of them expressed that they did not get paid for jury duty and wanted to get back to work or school. For them it was easier to say "Guilty" than to discuss the case so they could continue on with what they do best.

For me, I want to be absolutely sure I don't condemn an innocent person.

Multiple Jobs, One Career

Jason Marketti — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:27:00 GMT

Last year I worked three jobs. So far this year it has been only two, but I am working on my third and it is only the beginning of the year. Some may ask why I would want that many jobs in one year and why I would want to "job jump."

Let me explain. Last year I quit one job and took another so I could be closer to home with my family. I also worked per diem for another company, hence, three jobs last year. One might wonder why I don't stay at one place and be content. Why work with so many employers and why seek out even more?

The benefits of multiple jobs can be similar to having multiple degrees. With more education it gives a broader perspective and often a greater insight to situations that arise in life. If I have a greater knowledge with multiple employers I may be able to find systems that work more effectively and efficiently with less time expended on the task.

I can also learn from those who have a greater understanding in tasks that I have not done. I can then take those tasks and teach others in the many places that I work. Some of these tasks include a non-conventional approach to patient care like those listed below.

Find a room that has low or no light available to it and have a patient find objects in the room such as books or clothes. The patient can use a flashlight if no light is available. This can simulate a home environment in which the power is out as well as spatial awareness and balance with patients. A list can also be given for the patient to find three things in a specific order around the room. This activity should be done with closer to normal supervision with higher level of activity patients.
Water balloon toss. Not every patient will enjoy the possibility of getting a little wet but it can induce a lot of laughs and most patients will enjoy just being outside in good weather. If the patients do not want to toss them back and forth you can see how far they can throw them and have some competition between each of them. They can stand and throw or sit in a wheelchair and toss the balloons around. As a side note, when I worked in Palm Springs we threw them at other staff members; like I said not everyone enjoys getting wet.
Badmitton. This is a hand-eye coordination activity as well as a balance challenge and an upper body range of motion challenge. The rackets are light weight and the "birdie" will not be injurious if it hits someone or something. Again, being outside will be beneficial for the patient and this can be done as a group activity. I have also played volleyball using a beach ball and a long length of theraband as a net when the weather was rainy.
Obstacle course. This is done in a non-traditional way across different terrains, up and down stairs, around and between chairs, desks, people, cars, etc. We have also rolled objects in the patients way as they were walking to simulate small pets as well as "accidentally" bumped the patient to simulate them being at a mall or grocery store with a lot of people around. Having them carry a bag or box can increase the challenge. Even those who require the use of an assistive device can carry a bag while trying to maintain balance in the parking lot walking between two cars parked close together, just like the real thing.
Have the patients call the Bingo numbers or make announcements in the facility. This is great for those who have difficulty with memory, sequencing and speaking clearly. Of course some patients may not feel comfortable speaking to a large group so a group therapy activity with four patients of bingo may allow the patient to be more comfortable.

The list should not stop here though. I have had patients use the internet to look up information about their knee or hip surgery. Often this was their first exposure to the internet. It is not so much as about seeking outside-of-the-box thinking but more of using every opportunity and non-conventional approaches to better serve our patients and challenge them as well as ourselves to provide a variety of activity they will remember in their rehabilitation process. Often this type of thinking and doing will separate us from our competition in the field of restoring patients to their full recovery of activity.