Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation
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In the meantime , and using the schedule agreed on at my first visit , a speech therapist helped me relearn telling the time , a problem that showed itself by my inclination to being found in my room in the early hours , washed , shaved and dressed and waiting for my breakfast .
My social skills , both with my family and people around me , were atrocious . I was rude , dismissive of anyone I felt was not worthy of my interest . With patience , the team sat and discussed with me what was appropriate and , to highlight their points that I often couldn ’ t see , they videotaped me , so I could see for myself how I interreacted , or rather didn ’ t , with others .
My stamina levels were poor , so that when I became tired I would lose patience , express irritation or just simply refuse to co-operate . With the help of group relaxation classes , twice daily , we all learned the importance of pacing ourselves and resting often , something I still have problems doing . In fact , at times , Polly will remind me , ‘ What would the OTs say if they could see you now ?’
Their patience and forbearing were amazing . For many it is clearly not just a job , but a vocation and they really care about people . Their patience with me showed itself in their constant reminders on how to put my t-shirt and underpants on the right way round and not inside out .
They helped me regain my skills in cooking and safety around the home for when I ceased to live in at Rosehill , but returned daily , which did come with time . While all this work was taking place , twice a year they held reviews where they sat down with Polly and I and discussed my progress , or lack of , and where we all felt I needed to improve .
When I felt I was ready to reintegrate with society in the workplace , the occupational therapists were present at my meetings with a disability employment adviser at the local Job Centre , whose task was to try and find work suitable for disabled people .
With both his help and Rosehill ’ s , I joined local , private and government run schemes to help me find my place . Eventually I was able to take up my old job as a salesman for a company I had sold for before ; a placement I worked in right up until my retirement .
The occupational therapists were also present and responsible for me using my skill as a public speaker ; giving public talks to groups of carers and families of brain injured people at Rosehill , as well as litigators in Newton Abbot , social services managers from Bristol and Avon , Somerset and Wiltshire and medical teams at Torbay Hospital .
Finally came the day when the hospital said ‘ we ’ ve taken you as far as we can , the rest is now up to you ’.
Not a little scared and uneasy at feeling cut adrift , on the day I left we asked if there were any self-help books available that we could consult to assist , especially the family . Penny and Mandy repeated something we ’ d discussed before , and had been voiced by my neurologist , that it was maybe time to write the book myself .
Having already dabbled in that area before my accident and learning that although there were numerous books , all written by American and Canadian authors , they were produced by specialists in the field who explained the causes of brain injury , their symptoms and treatments , there was not one work written by a person with experience anywhere .
With the help of a distance writing course , I began the task of putting together a book , the first in this country , which was published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers in 2001 , under the title Living with brain injury .
Since then , I have written and had published many articles dealing with brain injury , travel , local history , natural history and family ancestry . For the past two years , I have been writing a series of articles for a national neurological nursing magazine and I am currently writing a sequel to my book , provisionally entitled Living with brain injury , 30 years on .
Over those years , due to the sterling work of the occupational therapists at Rosehill and the support of my wife of 50 years , I have achieved many of the goals I set myself back then .
With the ending of my epilepsy , I am once more driving , and with the removal of my numeracy dyslexia I now do the family accounts . I grow our own vegetables , make my own wine and still engage in the preaching and public speaking of Jehovah ’ s Witnesses .
So , the next time you or a colleague wonder if you ’ re in the right job , or you have doubts that what you do really counts for anything , please reread this article .
Remind yourself that , though you may not know where we are and we may not know where you are , many of us wouldn ’ t be where we are today if not for your efforts on our behalf .
We may not send you cards , flowers or messages , but we remember you with fondness as I do Mandy , Penny and the Rosehill rehabilitation team . Without their help , I wouldn ’ t be writing this article .
Does the work of occupational therapists really count ? I am living proof that it does .
Words PHILIP L FAIRCLOUGH , published author and expert by experience
February 2024 OTnews 35