Hi everyone,
I'm feeling a little uneasy about my post yesterday and the references to my Mum. I haven't had any feedback but I would hate it if my post upset anyone, especially my family. Moving on.....
I returned home this morning after another night shift and have set about my usual morning rituals...loading the washing machine, dish washwasher etc etc and have now decided to settle down to write another entry for my blog. I am feeling recovered from the overindulgence of the other evening and normal service has been resumed.
My work last night was with a young man that I have worked with for about 10 years. He is soon to be 18. He has cerebral palsy and is not able to talk. He has recently been given a communication aid called a Proxtalker. The Proxtalker is basically a device that enables words to be recorded onto a small disc - each disc takes 4 seconds of speech - the discs are then put onto the Proxtalker base (the base can take 4 discs at a time) and then the user presses each disc and the machine 'speaks' the words that have been recorded.
I know that's not a very clear description but I hope you get the idea. If you want further information please go to:
https://www.logan-technologies.co.uk/proxtalker
Anyway, my lad's Dad is away in Japan at the moment and he is missing his Daddy very much. We have even had tears. So I decided that it would be nice if we could send Daddy a message using the Proxtalker. We decided on the message being:
Disc 1 - Hello Daddy
Disc 2 - I hope you're OK
Disc 3 - I miss you
Disc 4 - Lots of love
I recorded my voice on the discs using the words that we agreed on. I put the discs on the Proxtalker and then my lad pressed the discs so that the message was spoken by the machine. I then filmed the Proxtalker being used by using the iPad video camera and put the clip onto Facebook for Daddy to see.
Well, that message and video clip has caused tears...tears of happiness...but tears none the less. Daddy in Japan was thrilled to get the video clip and loved the message, Mummy was overwhelmed that her lad had proved that he can use the Proxtalker properly because various people had said that he couldn't do so and everyone who has seen the clip has been touched because my lad with no voice has been able to communicate in such a positive way.
I honestly had no idea that what we were doing was going to have such a positive impact on people and it has really made my day. To me, it's all part of my job. Enabling someone to communicate when they aren't able to do it for themselves, to make people smile. It's what I am there for. Don't get me wrong, I don't do these things all the time but my work as a carer is made worthwhile each time that I can do something like I did last night.
Care work can be challenging, can be heartbreaking, can be frustrating and can be life-changing. I have spent the majority of my working life in the care sector. I'm not a qualified nurse or anything like that but I know that I have a real empathy and understanding of the work that I do and I have come to realise that I am very good at my job. I used to think that everybody and anybody could do what I do but I now see that not everybody can do it like I can. I consider it a privilege that I am so often entrusted with the care of some very vulnerable people. I have made some great friends through my work and I have met some truly inspirational folk. I have been welcomed into peoples homes, into their families and into their lives and I feel truly blessed to have been so fortunate.
I have had to deal with some incredibly difficult situations and I have witnessed heartbreak and tragedy but I have also travelled to fantastic places and had some wonderful experiences through my work. I have worked in the community, at the local hospital, at a hospice for children and at several schools and almost everyday I will see or hear something that is almost miraculous or something that exceeds peoples expectations of the person that may have been written off.
Well, that's probably enough for now. I really just wanted to get my thoughts and feelings down before something else happens and I forget how good I am feeling right now.
Have a wonderful day everyone. Try to make someone smile today. It will make you feel good.
Much love.
xxxxx
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