To Jessi
As you head off to start your doctoral program so very far away, my feelings will waft after you and linger long here and in my heart. Like everyone who has worked so many months with my son, I can never repay your patience with him. I am so very grateful for how joyfully you interacted with Tony every single week, and how kindly you accepted my suggestions for how to handle any challenges we were having during sessions. I thank you for your willingness to try new things, and your help in working towards improving his tolerance for working in sessions without me.
I deeply appreciate your desire to see Tony through your own experiences and not those of others, and for seeing in him the capabilities and strengths others often leave obscured by his list of diagnoses. You are a gifted therapist, but I understand the world also needs gifted researchers. We wish you every success, and that you remember to carry with you always an invitation to visit us in therapy any time.
A Quick Update for Families Applying for AAC Devices in AZ:
A couple of weeks ago, I received word that the order for the speech device approved in our latest appeal resolution had still not been placed. In following up with our DDD support services coordinator, I was told that the DDD department that handles AAC requests was not placing the order until they received another copy of all of Tony’s diagnosis documentations and quarterly progress reports. I, as a courtesy, had already provided them yet another copy of all relevant documentation and diagnosis proofs as part of the appeal filings. If you or your loved one are experiencing continued delays or requests for additional copies of documentation that seems to contradict your understanding of the notice to cure directions by the AHCCCS administration, please do not hesitate to do what I did, which was to contact the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest with your situation and concerns. We have been advised that as of yesterday Tony’s device has finally been ordered. Much success and love to you <3 Ariana
Some Listening & Reading to Consider
Dark Thoughts, by Jessi Teich
For the most part, I leave last names off of this blog. However, anybody Googling NMTSA, which I have listed many times as the clinic Tony receives Neurologic Music Therapy at, could have seen Jessi’s full name. Further Googling (like the kind I did when she was assigned as his therapist), would tell you she has publicly recorded and released quite a few songs, and Dark Thoughts is my personal favorite of them and I purchased a copy for myself many months ago. This is not a recommendation or a mention made at her request. I can tell you the soulful quality of her singing is definitely not produced by studio equipment. She has a lovely voice, and because her work has dropped notes of kindness in our son’s life, I am hoping each of you will honor her work with our family by checking her out on Spotify or wherever it is you personally use for streaming music.
Conversations with Dr. Bauchner, JAMA Podcasts:
Emily actually recommended these to me as something worth listening to, and I agree. I think Dr. Snowden’s point that the societal stigma which comes with diagnosis often increases the spread during epidemics because individuals with milder cases of illness often resist diagnosis, isolating, etc. to avoid those social negatives. Re-framing how we treat individuals who contract illness in situations such as these could be one of the more important advances towards protecting more vulnerable individuals that our communities could make. Because many of those vulnerable individuals are members of our vibrant disabilities community, I find both of these episodes to be recommended listening, and you can click on the titles above for links.
Dr. Walensky’s insights in her episode touch on many aspects of containment, but I think something important she discusses is the idea that social distancing and staying at home are really options that come with privilege. Many individuals are unable to do those things and provide the necessities of life for themselves or their loved ones. As our communities continue to grapple with the heartbreak pouring in from so many directions with this pandemic, my hope is that we will each take some time out to listen to the medical and scientific experts, and in doing so let their thoughts and wisdom guide our actions.
“How doctors can keep their families safe after providing COVID-19 Care,” by Sara Berg
This is an article published April 8th, 2020 by the American Medical Association. I feel like some of the information contained in here is beneficial to therapists and other providers continuing to work with the public, uncertain of whether or not those they interact with could be asymptomatic but contagious. The AMA does not recommend isolating care givers or healthcare providers from their loved ones or the community, even if they are actively providing care to COVID positive patients. They recommend wearing the appropriate protective gear at work when contacting individuals with known or possible infections, hand washing as necessary, and avoiding contact with your face. Providing care for infected COVID patients with hand washing and using appropriate protective gear is to be considered “pretty safe,” according to the AMA. Changing clothes in the absence of gown coverings at work is necessary only if you are treating patients with a known or possible active COVID infection (that doesn’t apply to therapists who would be staying home when clients were sick but you can certainly change your clothes any time you return home as an extra precaution anytime you are returning home from situations with public contact or interactions), and solid infection control measures are advisable for anyone with reason to be concerned about getting sick who is going out into less regulated public spaces at this time.
While it is not recommended in this article, providers or concerned therapists can maintain additional precautions such as disinfecting work shoes and keeping them in the garage, having a family member follow behind and disinfect any light switches and door knobs touched on the way to the shower, and bleaching down the shower when finished. Please note, these are steps of extreme caution not recommended as necessary when appropriate protective equipment such as masks are being worn and hand washing is being carefully done. But, they may provide you and your loved ones with some additional peace of mind, and that is invaluable and worth some extra effort sometimes. Also, health care providers and workers receive special training on how to properly implement infection control, how to effectively wash their hands to reduce the spread of germs, and how to wear protective equipment correctly. If you are a therapist who has never had exposure to those practices, please contact your management team for recommendations on appropriate training videos for those procedures. You can click on the title above for a link if you are interested in reading Ms. Berg’s article.
