SLP 101

I realized I forgot to post about my last day at the local geriatric rehabilitation center! :O How could I! Busy with finals, that’s right..that’s right..

I shadowed from 8:30am-12pm, so a little longer than usual.

The SLP and I revisited the woman I wrote about last time, who suffered horrendous cognitive deficits after her stroke. Thankfully, she was much better this time around - but still had a long road to recovery, such a thing hopefully being possible for her.

I also observed a patient who had mild cognitive issues as a result of Parkinson’s disease. Her tremors were quite bad this particular day and we could tell it was distracting her. At one point she was gazing off into the distance, and the SLP asked her, “What are you thinking right now?” She responded, “What did I do to deserve this?” It really broke my heart. The SLP calmly and neutrally stated that no one brings disease upon themselves, that it’s just something unfortunate that happens.

We revisited a very sweet, intelligent man who used humor to mask his cognitive deficits. He had one of his eyes sewn shut, and after the second or third time seeing him it wasn’t so disturbing. That may sound cruel, but the extent to which I have experience with the “ailing” is seeing geriatric patients at the dental office I work for pull their dentures out of their mouths in front of me, as if I have any sort of advanced prosthodontic knowledge. I could never be a dentist, and especially a not periodontist. I have nightmares about maggots swarming around in my gum pockets because of that place *shiver*. Take care of your teeth, people..!!

Off track. Anyway, it was a good last day and I profusely thanked the SLP for the invaluable opportunity. I’m fairly certain she’ll be glad to be rid of me…big-eyed and empty-brained and all.