Week 1 in Warm Springs, Georgia

A southern hello from Warm Springs, GA!





I had the most fabulous first week and I love the patients and the campus!

RSW ((Roosevelt Warm Springs Inst. for Rehab) is a 900-acre campus with Inpatient, Outpatient, VR, Driving services, Rec therapy gym, golf course, lake, cottages for living, etc. It has so many opportunities and possibilities, but is unfortunately state funded and many of the facilities have not been kept up. It is located in Warm Springs, a small quaint town in Georgia, with one traffic light. It is truly a southern town with the closest grocery store 35 miles away.

My first week was FUN and rewarding. I am on IRF (inpatient) where patients are brought to this amazing therapy gym where we provide our services. The gym has every assessment, resource, and equipment you could want for a patient. I evaluated my first two patients this week and will have them until discharge, which will be truly educational to progress along with them.

It has been so rewarding to observe the daily progress some patients make. One day I worked with a stroke patient through purposeful activities to increase neuromuscular re-education. This patient had no movement distally, but the next day came back with minimal flexion/extension in her fingers. It was a "feel good" moment to know that I was on the team that aided in that progress. I also saw her smile for the first time.

Thursday I evaluated a woman who suffered a stroke. She has some hypertonicity in her affected side and has decreased sitting balance. So next week I plan on cooking some Chicken Gumbo with her, make a bed, and do some laundry because she enjoys taking care of things around her house.

Yesterday I evaluated a boy who had suffered a stroke due to lack of monitoring his sickle cell anemia. He had a lot of function in his affected arm and is extremely motivated to regain full function. I am really excited to start treating him this week. I plan on using the Wii, having him bake some cookies (he loves baking cookies), and shooting basketball to increase his standing balance and functional use in his affected side.

I am so enthused about both of my patients--they are motivated, which makes all the difference in a rehab setting. I am also extremely blessed to have a great CI who is great at allowing me to take initiative and make decisions and then step in when I have questions.

Last night I went to free bowling on campus! They have a bowling alley right next to the gym in the Rec Center!

Today I am off to watch a wheelchair basketball game and fish! Then, later tonight, me and the other interns are going karaoking at the only restaurant/bar in town!

I am extremely blessed to be in such a wonderful place and have the opportunity to touch/help those around me. I do not know why I was so nervous about my skills and abilities that He has given me. The Lord really taught me this week... "You of little faith, why did you doubt me?" Mat. 14:23... "For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and of a sound mind." 2 Tim. 1:7.

Blessings from Georgia!

B