I Just Called to Say "I Love You"

I'm surprised every Thursday night at how fast the week has gone. It's Friday already and only 2 more weeks until I will be in Cincinnati to visit T. I guess the whole "keeping busy" thing really works.

I have had a relatively uneventful week. Teri, Inc. yesterday was tons of fun. I am getting to know the kids' personalities, behaviors, and musical preferences. Music truly does amazing things. One client, S, was singing the entire time (the past two weeks she wouldn't participate and would just do self-stimming behaviors); however, yesterday she tried everything...strummed my guitar, picked an instrument, played it, danced, and really benefited from music. I always wonder what is going on in their heads??? S's favorite song is Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say 'I Love You'"..her face lights up when we sing it! :)

We had Polster last night-week 3 out of 6. I led 2 interventions! It was great...we did music making (drumming with djembes, dumbeks, shakers, paddle drums, buffalo drum, agogo, and lots of other toys..we also did 3 chants). Even though I started leading things this week, I definitely benefit from making music.

Today we went to Glenbrook (Hospice) and then my co-intern and I went back to Scripps for hospital floors. We saw three patients, and got in 3.5 hours on the floors. Tomorrow I will follow up with the patients we didn't get to...My favorite floor so far is 6West. This is because I have a favorite nurse there. She is great! N gives GREAT referrals, knows what the patient will benefit from, and is just very easy-going. One of her referrals we saw was C. She was referred because she was angry and agitated. My co-intern and I thought it would be appropriate to do relaxation and deep breathing exercises. Nurse N thought that would be a great idea...so in we went. C talked about all her pain, told us everything she could to complain, but said she liked her nurse..haha. We introduced the idea of relaxation and she said "sure". Her pain was at an 8 (on a scale of 1-10) and after our 15 minute relaxation exercise, her pain lessened and she rated it at a 6. Amazing. Our pre and post tests are very important...we definitely put that data into the patient's chart and keep it for our own MusicWorx records.


Hope you enjoyed my stories for the time being. I'm off to bed. I'm on my own tomorrow at the office. My co-intern will be at Teri, Inc, 1 senior is in Seattle doing concerts (she is a Tar player!!! amazing!!), and my other senior intern is taking the day off because her long distance boyfriend came into town!! Fun stuff.

xoxo