When I decided to change jobs in August 2013, I never would have imagined the experiences I would have as a traveling OT. I took a leap of faith, trusting that God knew what He was doing and would put me in the places He wants me at the right time. The analogy of an impala that Jon Stephens used in a message at church one day sticks in my head. Impalas can jump up to 10 feet high and 30 feet far. So why when we see them in a zoo do they not have a huge fencing around them? Because all that it takes to stop an impala is a 3 foot wall. If they can not see where their feet are going to land, an impala will not jump. Sometimes God calls us to go to a place and we may not know where our feet are going to land. We need to have faith and trust that God knows what He is doing. For so long I was at that wall unable to make the jump too scared of what might be on the other side however I felt God calling me to something new and different and traveling it is!

My first travel placement was to Wingate at Ulster in Highland, NY. This is what I wrote in my journal within my first two weeks there.
9/15/13
“The lift as a traveling OT…When I first decided to do this, I thought it would be great and I would love it. Maybe I will and sometimes right now I do, but I miss having my own apartment and my friends and my church and I miss the comfort of my previous job. Downsizing my life did not necessarily go as well as it could have but it’s hard to know what you may need! I am staying with L and J which is nice because I have a place to live but I do get tired of having a “mother” around telling me what I should and shouldn’t do even though I know that is just her hospitable personality.
God I have a question….why did you have to make fleas????? I can deal with the 6 cats, but seriously God, I can’t take these fleas any longer!!!
The new job has been quite the experience. With no real orientation or anything I felt like I was just thrown in and am trying to stay afloat. I think I am getting the hang of it and doing pretty well. I had one patient who said I have a lot of spunk and am a good OT and will be good for the facility. My supervisor actually complimented me the other day on how I never complained when she gave me a huge caseload. One patient told me not to touch the pimples on my chin because they will get infected and I will get a disease. The face of ‘A’ when she learned how to use a sock aide and zipped up her sweater was priceless. She always asks ‘Did I do good?’ Those are the things I try to remember over the negative experiences. I try to make therapy fun and individualized for each person which doesn’t always work well but I just do my best which is what I tell my patients to do.”

In November I had a patient tell me something that was really encouraging and reminded why I am doing what I am doing. She said that she remembered the first time I worked with her and she was my very first patient I treated at Wingate. During that first treatment she told me that I would do well as a therapist there. As I was treating her the last time, she reminded me of how timid I was and she said that I was doing a good job and had opened up a lot. Patients like that keep me going.

Fleas, stinkbugs, snow storms, crazy patients, home evals, co workers some easier to work with more than others, rail trail and walk way over the Hudson….all things that were part of adventure #1.