TENDER LOVING CARE

We rise by lifting others with a heart

[itschristiandimla]

“Gone from our sight, but never from our hearts.”

As the semester ends, this project will end as well. Letting go of something is really painful especially when you love it. But letting go of Buknoy, is a great opportunity for me to understand the profession that I chose for the future—Occupational Therapy. I now understand that simple care and services can really make a development to something we cater. I am very thank to this subject for giving us this kind of project. This really makes us to love our profession more. This challenges our efforts, our time, and our perseverance in taking good care of our plants.  Occupational Therapy is profession where it is a client-centered concerned with promoting health and well-being through occupations.  Occupational therapy is not just another health profession to treat the patients suffering from disorders, but it is much deeper than that. Professionals of this client-centered practice emphasize on enabling the clients to engage in their routine activities. I shouldn’t just focus on the specific problem. Instead, I must opt for a holistic approach that concentrates on acclimating the patient’s environment, adjusting the tasks, encouraging them to enhance the participation and performance in their daily living.

Occupational therapists need to listen and explain them the situations and tasks. If I will be working with a child patient, I must be capable of converting the complex terms into simpler ones so that the child can understand it. Besides this, I also need to communicate with other team members and doctors. So, it is necessary an OT to be clear, efficient, and confident while listening and speaking at the time of such discussions.

Most of the clients of occupational therapy are not only physically disabled but also, mentally and emotionally sensitive. In that phase of life, they need a genuinely warm-hearted and sympathetic occupational therapist who understands them and treats them accordingly. Being an future occupational therapist, my words must have the power to motivate my patients and ignite the passion in them to make their life normal once again. Motivation is very important for such depressed, frustrated and troubled people. An enthusiastic OT with great cheer-leading skills can make the patients do the things that seem impossible.

[itschristiandimla]

“We have the world to live in on the condition that we will take good care of it. And to take good care of it, we have to know it. And to know it and to be willing to take care of it, we have to love it.”

I realize that without someone taking good care of someone with condition or need maintenance, is really a hard time even having those good facilities and non-living things helping them.  It’s really a relieving feeling having someone touching not just the physical aspect but also the deepest part of someone’s feeling. We touch people mostly without touching them: We touch them with our words, with our smile, with our eyes, with our courage, with millions of different ways. What are we? We are contacting beings without direct contact. 

We must prove to the world that we are alive, let our words breathe life into the nostrils of the universe. This plant really made me realize that it’s what the thought that counts. No matter how great or less the act of goodness we’ve shown for others, what matters is that we give life to others and let them provide something for their surroundings which will give a big smile for them. 

This activity made me realize that giving a helping hand for people with special needs is the best I can do to prove that I’m a good and kind future Occupational Therapist. One of my professor in my class for this activity told me that I should become a “mabuting OT” in order to help others. In that case, it will surely touch my heart and will tell me, “A job well-done, continue being like that.” A good and kind OT knows and understands the needs of other people and help them to be productive even with their conditions.

[itschristiandimla]

Farewell to you, my friend.

[itschristiandimla]

[itschristiandimla]

#GOODBYEBuknoy “Don’t grieve. Anything we lose comes round in another form.”

During the middle part of the third shifting, Buknoy was slowly dying—its green color faded. The healthy and growing Buknoy was dead because of the weather. And sometimes, I can’t look for it because of workloads and most of the time I was sick.

Even with its situation, I still provided it the best care that I can give. I always water it. Few weeks ago, December 2, 2019, my plant died and I felt sad about it. I was sad because during the past shiftings, I managed to keep it alive and grew. I was sad not because of my efforts were wasted but because of losing something that I cared about. Anne Lamott once said, “You will lose someone you can’t live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly—that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp.” Every one of us is losing something precious to us. Lost opportunities, lost possibilities, feelings we can never get back again. That’s part of what it means to be alive. Life seems sometimes like nothing more than a series of losses, from beginning to end. That's given. How we respond to those losses, what we make of what's left, that's the part we have to make up as we go along our lives. As a future Occupational Therapist, I will make this nurture project as an opportunity of learning starting from taking good care of my plant up to its death and an avenue for improvements. From the start of the first shifting until now, I am really learning to understand the meaning of occupations in many different ways. Through this activity, the simple use of assessment and intervention to develop, recover, and maintain something meaningful in our lives is aligned with the meaning of what OT is. 

[itschristiandimla]

[itschristiandimla]

[itschristiandimla]

#Realizations

Plants exist in the weather and light rays that surround them - waving in the wind, shimmering in the sunlight. I realize that without someone taking good care of someone with condition or need maintenance, is really a hard time even having those good facilities and non-living things helping them.  It’s really a relieving feeling having someone touching not just the physical aspect but also the deepest part of someone’s feeling. We touch people mostly without touching them: We touch them with our words, with our smile, with our eyes, with our courage, with millions of different ways. What are we? We are contacting beings without direct contact. We must prove to the world that we are alive, let our words breathe life into the nostrils of the universe. This plant really made me realize that it’s what the thought that counts. No matter how great or less the act of goodness we’ve shown for others, what matters is that we give life to others and let them provide something for their surroundings which will give a big smile for them. I also realized that there would not always be a perfect timing for everything. One day I was not able to water my plant because I was also sick and unable to look after it. But what I did in order to water my plan still is I’ve communicate with my other classmates to water my plant. What I learn in class is that collaboration is really important. We need to communicate with other people especially when the time won’t permit to look after our responsibilities. I realize that when I become a health professional, an Occupational Therapist, I would really consider to collaborate with other health professional. It is because just like my plant, everybody needs a hand to work with. Being with a team is better than working alone. But what is important is to fully know by mind and by heart, “Who will I work with?”  Also, this activity made me realize that giving a helping hand for people with special needs is the best I can do to prove that I’m a good and kind future Occupational Therapist. One of my professor in my class for this activity told me that I should become a “mabuting OT” in order to help others. In that case, it will surely touch my heart and will tell me, “A job well-done, continue being like that.” A good and kind OT knows and understands the needs of other people and help them to be productive even with their conditions.

[itschristiandimla]

#MAbutingOT

[itschristiandimla]

#GARDENofWanOwtiEy

I really would not compare my plant with the plants of my classmates. Instead, I would love to compliment all the efforts and their persistence in taking good care of their plants in order to keep them alive up to present. Owning our own story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we’ll ever do. It’s because in reality, yes, we are all different in physical attributes, emotions or feelings, social life but what we must not do is to compare with others. We don’t live up for competitions with other people but with our own selves. If we want to have similarities with other people, then have the same goal. Collaborating with other people is a better idea as long as the whole part of the team is with the same track with the others in achieving the main goal of the group. Maybe the similarities we have are the way we give love and care to our very own plant and the result of our plants. Each plant of ours really means a lot to us because this is the start of our journey as future Occupational Therapists. These plants represent our techniques and values in looking after our own. Additionally, I’ve seen with all our plants a healthy and a fruitful garden. I don’t see our plants as an individual but as a whole garden with a lot of loving hands and heart who are persistently taking good care of their plants which made a beautiful and growing garden. What I feel about seeing all the plants grow together and the way we put the best effort we can for their development is just satisfying in a way all of us have the smile whenever we see our plant staying alive even in times of the inconsistent weather. I also feel confident that through this simple activity, I can be an Occupational Therapist someday. It is because being one is through a simple step up to the complex one which will surely be challenging yet interesting.

[itschristiandimla]

#PICwdBUKNOY

[itschristiandimla]

#TOTS about BUKNOY

“To the world, we may be a single human being, but to an individual we may be the world”

Buknoy, my plant, is really a healthy plant up to present. I make sure that its state will be more fruitful as time goes by. While I’m taking care of my plant, I realized that Buknoy really represent as my future patient when I become an Occupational Therapist. The feeling of being an Occupational Therapist, giving loving service my plant and sooner with my future client and putting my own feet in their shoes is such a heart-warming act of goodness to others. It is a great gift for me to see what the greatest thing of someone or something would have. As I’m taking care of Buknoy, a simple act of caring can really touch someone or something. Just like what parents would tell when they give their children a present, “Maging masinop ka lang sa mga bagay na binibigay sayo, hindi sila bibigay sayo.” We must take good care of the littlest things in the world with or without needs because everything in this world deserves to be loved and cared. As long as I’m seeing the progress of my plant and it’s a developing process, I’m very gratified to see it. What I feel in the first semester is similar to what I feel in the present time as I look after Buknoy. It’s because I was really happy in the first time I take good care of this plant, so what’s the point of being sad in the present, right? As long as I see that my plant is really proving myself  that I’m a green thumb person then it’s a tickle in my heart that I made that plant happy just like the other plants.

[itschristiandimla]

[itschristiandimla]

REFLECT!

Before this activity was said to us, I already had a plan in my mind: on how to take good care of my plant, what name will I give to it, and especially what will be the effect of this activity to me as a student at as a future professional — Occupational Therapist. I learned alot about this plant, Buknoy, and about myself. I discovered what are the positive characteristics that I can give and share with the plant and soon be applied to my patients.

First, I realize that I have the value of PATIENCE. In line with this value that I discover, I also learn how to manage my time and how to organize my things — when to prioritze things and not. This activity made me responsible of what I have and what I need to take good care. “Patience is also a form of action, just stay patient and trust the journey.” I now really trust the process of me in becoming an Occupation Therapist. In this profession, I need to become more patient with all the loads as a student up to all those whom I will provide care and loving service.

Second, I realize that we really need to appreciate the simplest thing in life or the value of CONTENTMENT. Most of the time in our future life, we will not get all the things we’ve wanted. There are things that will touch our lives even we don’t have something to do with it but we need to understand why. The value of contentment is in line with the value of MATURITY. We need to be mature in any decisions in life we’ll make, which will give us a positive outcome and outlook in life. As a future Occupational Therapist, I need to store this values: CONTENTMENT and MATURITY. These values will help me to give the right and proper choices that I will make to secure the safety of my future patients.

Lastly, what I realized is the value of SHARING. It is a vital life skill. It's something toddlers and children need to learn so they can make and keep friends, and play cooperatively. Having this value is having a good foundation of having interpersonal skills — communicate effectively to other people. Just imagine if we lack that skills, who are we gonna talk to? Sharing is a big factor not only in the field of being an Occupational Therapy but also in real life. If we share what we know, then it’s a life-changing for people to know more. If we share the love, it’s a life-touching for people to also give love. And if we share our hands to others, it’s a lifetime opportunity to spread our hands to other people, to serve them with the utmost responsibility we can give as a health professional.

[itschristiandimla]

[itschristiandimla]

FEELINGS DON’T FADE

HAPPY

As I take good care of Buknoy, I felt happy each time I check it and it is healthy as it is since the first day I bought it. It’s really true that if you give tender loving care to something or someone, it’s really meaningful for them. I also felt worries when the rain comes and I cannot visit my plant because of other priorities. It is because it is said that it will slowly die when it is overwatered. But we need to stay strong so that we can give more care to something important to us. Like what I said on my first post, there is a positive domino effect when we take good care those who are significant in our lives.

CHALLENGED

Managing our time is a great challenge especially when we have alot of priorities in life. We can’t just focus on one thing, we need to be flexible at all times. Challenging ourselves to become a better practioner or health professional is a great motivation to become one of the people who help and serve others. We must not rush thing, we should start from small beginnings. Just like this plant, Buknoy, this simple living thing needs alot. It needs care to grow and flourish. Small beginnings can turn into great endings just with right time management and discipline. Discipline starts from within. In order to take good care, we need to be diciplined at all times 😊

BLESSED

I feel blessed taking care Buknoy. The happiness and contentment within myself is unmeasurable. This time that I give significance to this plant, I realized that the simplest things in life teach us a lesson. The way I value Buknoy is a lesson for me to share what I learned to those who surround me. The way I water it upto the point the I worry about the heavy rain, and it is still growing is a great blessing for me. What we give to others is what we receive and what we receive should be share to others.

These feelings are helpful for me in the activity. These made me realize the beauty of having something representing my patient. It made me value it more. What more if it is in real situation, right? We need to put the best effort we can offer for the patient. Now, I appreciate things and look for what is good in it.

[itschristiandimla]