My job reflections

I've been working at being a speech-language pathologist coming up on 20 years this summer. WOW!! I know I can't believe it either. That makes me just feel old (half empty)...wiser (half full).

You know I've really experienced alot in all of these years. I've lost track of the number of students I have worked with (some for 4-5 years), families I have met, team meetings attended, IEP paperwork, hours spent billind medicaid, arguments, frustrations, AH-HA moments, graduations, hugs, valentines, smiles, tears, teaching, supervising, professional development trainings, bad lunches, number of fast food stops, number of lunches never eaten or eaten in the car, staff names recalled and staff names forgotten, amount of chalk dust inhaled, the number of fire drills, hours on the phone, the number of hours home at night working until 1 and 2 o'clock in the morning, miles driven...

Many lessons learned, experiences filed for the future and moments completely forgotten, but some days are just meant to help me reflect on my career, my life and my family and to give thanks:

Today started with a home visit to a mom with 3 small children (all under 4 - infant is 2 months). She had tried calling to cancel but the message never got to me so I arrived at 8:30 am to find her 4 year old happy as a clam boppin' around, but the 2 year old and baby were both sick with RSV. Needless to say I didn't stay, but asked if there was anything I could help out, but she said they were all set. As I left I thought ~Thank you God for giving me strength to get me through those years when my babies were little.

Lunchtime was met with a meeting where I had done independent observations of a student with Autism. I was asked to report what I had observed and make suggestions about what the team working with the student might try differently to get increased results and work through behavior problems. Well, we all know how it goes when an "outsider" comes in and makes suggestions...but much to my surprise the ideas were met with positive comments. Little did I know the team would begin implementation immediately following the meeting. 2 hours later one of the therapists came bouncing down the hallway, elated because the student had demonstrated a new, positive behavior skills based on the recommendations I had made. She hugged me and literally jumped 2 feet in the air. ~Thank you God for giving me knowledge and the ability to effectively communicate with other people.

The end of the day: a home visit with a 2 1/2 year old angel of a girl, unfortunately with a deteriorating metabolic genetic disorder that will eventually take her life. Her parents are wonderful, positive, strong people - very young, I'd say late 20's. First child, only child. She made the most wonderful squeals and giggles today - even made one of those deep belly giggles - smiles to light up a room. Talking, walking, eating ~ they are not part of her day, but love is. ~Thank you God for empathy and giving me the opportunity to be near those with such daily struggles and uncertainty. It is a reminder of all you have given me and my family.

Amen