It's been a hectic week - I met my Tues/Thurs morning client last week, for the first time. It took about five minutes for me to feel totally overwhelmed. He's unlike any autistic child I've ever worked with and I was at a loss as to what to do with him. I spent the majority of the session looking over his notebook and familiarizing myself with his programs, all the while trying to keep him from darting out of the room and disappearing. He's nonverbal for the most part and has a scream that could shatter glass when he doesnt get his way. We had a team meeting for him and I do feel better about future sessions, but he's going to be a tough one. He is, however, incredibly talented with play-doh and art supplies. He built things that amazed me - it would have been difficult for an adult to make these things, much less an 8-year-old autistic child. I have my first "real" session with him tomorrow morning and I'm going to attempt to begin his programs and am a little anxious about how it's going to go. Sometimes 3 hour sessions are just too much to be with one specific client, other times, it seems to fly by. My Tuesday afternoon child is precious - I've been with him for several months already and they kept me on his team when we changed schedules, as he and I have a strong bond already. He's very much verbal, as any of you who have met him will attest to. Verbal, and hilarious.
I got a phone call from a......friend/acquaintance/I'm-not-really-sure-what-we-are-anymore.....this morning on my way to work. She was "let go" from her job this morning, with no advance notice or pay - just "we no longer employ your position, goodbye" type of scenario. I haven't seen or really spoken to this person since my wedding and really am unsure where we stand. We were best friends for fifteen years and once we graduated, everything seemed to just ebb away - we got busy with separate lives and you know how that story goes. Anyway, she was interested in seeing if my workplace was hiring and I got her an application, as we are almost always hiring new therapists. I do not know that this type would be her cup of tea, however, but I'm more than happy to do what I can for her. I wish we could have the type of friendship we used to have, but we have grown apart in a lot of ways and no longer have the same values or morals that we were both raised to have. I disagree with a lot of decisions/choices she makes and I do not mind saying so when she asks, and that almost always causes a rift. I try to be conscientous of her feelings, but at the same time, I'm not going to lie. It makes me so sad to hear of some of the past choices she's made.
I took Baylee with me tonight to Petsmart to get some more goldfish for Lynyrd. He ate his last two this morning and has been thrashing around all evening.....usually an indicator that he's hungry. I tried a worm but he clearly did not want it. We graduated him from the feeder goldfish and have been getting him medium-size goldfish instead - he eats about 2 a day now. It's hilarious to watch him stalk them - he gets so antsy when I put their bag in the water to let them acclimate to the temperature, and he attacks the bag so many times its usually punctured and I have to let them out early. Then he starts this cat/mouse game - he lays still on one side of the tank and waits for one to venture his way, then he chases them back to the other side. He likes bullying them more than eating them most of the time. He could easily catch one but instead he nips its tail and swims away. Such a jerk fish, lol.
I'm really looking forward to our family cookout this Friday evening - for several reasons. I think I'm going to make blackberry cobbler and chip dip and anything else that's needed (Mom?). Three days away!
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