What I Did During My Vacation (From This Blog).
Hello again readers. I hope everyone out there has been doing well and staying healthy.
Since I spent about a month and a half away from this blog, I thought that I would share what I was doing with you.
As you may know (if you are a regular reader), I got myself a new job. My job was suggested to me by my girlfriend who knew of openings at the company we both now work for. I now work in the mental health/mental retardation (MH/MR) field. My position is (officially) Family Living Provider (FLP). I am not an employee of the company I work for, but an independent contractor. Because of a shortage of people willing to do the work I do, the company has a very attractive setup to offer. What I mean is that to attract people, the company is currently offering the following company provided (at no cost to me) items: housing (in an actual house), food, all utilities (incl. cable or satellite tv), all household necessities (cleaners, toilet paper, furniture, etc.), a car, and a nice tax free income. Yes, you read it correctly, a tax free income. I don't want to bore you with the gory details, but suffice to say that because the family living program is funded by the federal, state, and local governments, the program has a tax exempt status.
Now all of this doesn't come without a catch. The catch is that I must provide a safe, healthy, and clean atmosphere for the MH/MR person (called a "consumer") and I must be with them at all times except when they are at work or at a "day program" (it usually means that I am with the person 16 hours a day during weekdays and 24 hours a day on the weekends). I (and the house) are subject to both regular and random state inspections. I (and the house) am also subject to random, unannounced company inspections (in which a company rep. just kind of walks in whenever they feel like it). I am also responsible for all of the cooking, all of the cleaning, minor maintenance, minor first aid, administering all doctor prescribed medications, and providing recreational/community integrational programs for the consumer.
All of that sounds like alot, but it isn't really. I will give you an example. During my temporary duty assignment, I was place with a male consumer. Due to certain confidentiality policies and laws, I cannot reveal the consumer's name or medical information, but suffice to say that the person was a MR male in his twenties with a few behavioral problems. For the purposes of this example, I will call this man "C" (for "consumer"). When I met "C", I had been given information (by the company) that caused me to be somewhat weary of him. As I got to know him, the information given to me proved to be mostly false. "C" is a caring, considerate individual. He is somewhat educated (although he cannot read, he can write his name, knows his "ABC's", and knows his numbers.) Despite a few outbursts, I would describe "C" as an all around nice guy. Some of C's behaviors were a little more annoying than others, but manageable nonetheless. For example, when C would see something he wanted, he would obsess about getting it to the point of driving me a little nuts. By obsess about getting it, I mean that he would ask me over and over again whether he could get the item. Usually I could redirect him, but sometimes I could not, and it was those times when he would drive me nuts. I usually cured my temporary insanity by going outside and smoking a cigarette. C is very high functioning and can do most things himself, such as toileting, bathing, cleaning his room, etc. I was pretty much there to cook, clean the rest of the house, and give meds.
A usual day with C would start around 6:30 or 7 am. I would get up, smoke a cig (or 5), then get him up around 7:15 or 7:30 am. By that time, the day programmer would be there (a day programmer is someone who takes a consumer out in the community for 8 hours[+,-] to improve the consumers social interaction skills). C would get up, get a shower, get dressed, and get himself breakfast (usually a bowl of cereal and some PopTarts). In the meantime, I would get C's medications, and fill the day programmer in on any troublesome behaviors or appointments that C had. Usually around 8-8:30 am, C and the day programmer would leave the house. This would allow me to do really important things like wash the dishes, do paperwork, or play GTA: San Andreas (I couldn't play this around C due to the game's violent and sexual content). Around 4 or 4:30 pm, C would return to the house. The day programmer would tell me what they had done, how C's behavior was, and fill out a daily progress report. The day programmer would then leave. After the day programmer left, C and I would sometimes go for a ride or take care of necessary household errands (that I thought C could benefit from) like going to the grocery store or pharmacy or the like. If we didn't go out, I would start supper. Sometimes C would assist me with a few of the simpler tasks in the preparation of the meal (like setting the table). After supper, the night usually consisted of either going to visit C's girlfriend (yes, he had a g/f [who was very sweet, giggled like a schoolgirl, and was madly in love with C]), going for a drive, or watching tv. At 9 pm I would give C his evening medications. Because the medications made him sleepy, the night would usually end by 10:30 pm. After C went to bed, I would fill out the required paperwork on how the day went and was usually in bed by 11:30 pm. On the weekends things were slightly different as there was no day programmer to take C out for 8 hours. Therefore, I was with him 24 hours a day on the weekends. During this time, we usually went on an outing. Most of the outings consisted of just going to the mall, or for a ride, but one was a bit special. C is an avid fisherman. Knowing this, I arranged to visit my place and pick up my paycheck (so we had a little money, C didn't receive much money during the month and what he did get was spent on necessities like soap and shampoo, etc). After picking up my check (my mom cashed it for me, yay mom!), I took C for a long ride in which I promised him that, if he had patience, we would go someplace special. That someplace special was a BassPro Shops store located in a (relatively) local mall (if you call 80 miles away local). Now in my time, I have seen alot of fishermen enter BassPro, but never have I seen someone's face light up like C's did when we walked in and he seen all the boats, rods, and other fishing equipment. He reminded me of the proverbial kid in a candy store. He literally ran through the entrance turnstiles (almost knocking them over) and was like a kid on Christmas morning who just got everything he asked for. Unfortunately, we could only stay for about an hour and a half. But in that hour and a half, we managed to see the entire store, and C managed to ask for roughly one of everything therein, including a Desert Eagle pistol! I had to laugh when he asked for that as he wasn't even allowed to have sharp scissors at home. I had to turn his request down, telling him that "I don't think the boss will consider purchasing a 50 caliber automatic pistol a good idea!" (When I told my boss about it, he laughed until he cried). C did manage to purchase a souvenir cup and a catalog while we were there. For the next week, C told everyone who came to the house (including the two Jehovah's Witnesses) about the trip.
People tell me that it takes a special person to work with the developmentally disabled. I don't think it takes someone special. I think that it takes someone who gives a damn about their fellow man and is willing to treat a person with a disability no differently than anyone else they encounter. If you care about money, or how you appear in public, or what people will say about you or your consumer, then you probably don't belong in the MH/MR field as a provider. The trials of working with a developmentally disabled person can be great (especially emotionally), but the rewards can be just as great, if not greater. I can tell you from personal experience, some of the things "C" did really got on my nerves, but to see his face light up on the BassPro outing, to have him hug me afterwards, tell me thank you, and know that he was really sincere in his sentiments, meant more to me than all of the money and amenities that any company could provide.
So when people ask me what I did while I was away from this blog, I tell them that I grew up and became a man.
As I always, I am Chuck, and this is what I did while I was away from my blog.
Since I spent about a month and a half away from this blog, I thought that I would share what I was doing with you.
As you may know (if you are a regular reader), I got myself a new job. My job was suggested to me by my girlfriend who knew of openings at the company we both now work for. I now work in the mental health/mental retardation (MH/MR) field. My position is (officially) Family Living Provider (FLP). I am not an employee of the company I work for, but an independent contractor. Because of a shortage of people willing to do the work I do, the company has a very attractive setup to offer. What I mean is that to attract people, the company is currently offering the following company provided (at no cost to me) items: housing (in an actual house), food, all utilities (incl. cable or satellite tv), all household necessities (cleaners, toilet paper, furniture, etc.), a car, and a nice tax free income. Yes, you read it correctly, a tax free income. I don't want to bore you with the gory details, but suffice to say that because the family living program is funded by the federal, state, and local governments, the program has a tax exempt status.
Now all of this doesn't come without a catch. The catch is that I must provide a safe, healthy, and clean atmosphere for the MH/MR person (called a "consumer") and I must be with them at all times except when they are at work or at a "day program" (it usually means that I am with the person 16 hours a day during weekdays and 24 hours a day on the weekends). I (and the house) are subject to both regular and random state inspections. I (and the house) am also subject to random, unannounced company inspections (in which a company rep. just kind of walks in whenever they feel like it). I am also responsible for all of the cooking, all of the cleaning, minor maintenance, minor first aid, administering all doctor prescribed medications, and providing recreational/community integrational programs for the consumer.
All of that sounds like alot, but it isn't really. I will give you an example. During my temporary duty assignment, I was place with a male consumer. Due to certain confidentiality policies and laws, I cannot reveal the consumer's name or medical information, but suffice to say that the person was a MR male in his twenties with a few behavioral problems. For the purposes of this example, I will call this man "C" (for "consumer"). When I met "C", I had been given information (by the company) that caused me to be somewhat weary of him. As I got to know him, the information given to me proved to be mostly false. "C" is a caring, considerate individual. He is somewhat educated (although he cannot read, he can write his name, knows his "ABC's", and knows his numbers.) Despite a few outbursts, I would describe "C" as an all around nice guy. Some of C's behaviors were a little more annoying than others, but manageable nonetheless. For example, when C would see something he wanted, he would obsess about getting it to the point of driving me a little nuts. By obsess about getting it, I mean that he would ask me over and over again whether he could get the item. Usually I could redirect him, but sometimes I could not, and it was those times when he would drive me nuts. I usually cured my temporary insanity by going outside and smoking a cigarette. C is very high functioning and can do most things himself, such as toileting, bathing, cleaning his room, etc. I was pretty much there to cook, clean the rest of the house, and give meds.
A usual day with C would start around 6:30 or 7 am. I would get up, smoke a cig (or 5), then get him up around 7:15 or 7:30 am. By that time, the day programmer would be there (a day programmer is someone who takes a consumer out in the community for 8 hours[+,-] to improve the consumers social interaction skills). C would get up, get a shower, get dressed, and get himself breakfast (usually a bowl of cereal and some PopTarts). In the meantime, I would get C's medications, and fill the day programmer in on any troublesome behaviors or appointments that C had. Usually around 8-8:30 am, C and the day programmer would leave the house. This would allow me to do really important things like wash the dishes, do paperwork, or play GTA: San Andreas (I couldn't play this around C due to the game's violent and sexual content). Around 4 or 4:30 pm, C would return to the house. The day programmer would tell me what they had done, how C's behavior was, and fill out a daily progress report. The day programmer would then leave. After the day programmer left, C and I would sometimes go for a ride or take care of necessary household errands (that I thought C could benefit from) like going to the grocery store or pharmacy or the like. If we didn't go out, I would start supper. Sometimes C would assist me with a few of the simpler tasks in the preparation of the meal (like setting the table). After supper, the night usually consisted of either going to visit C's girlfriend (yes, he had a g/f [who was very sweet, giggled like a schoolgirl, and was madly in love with C]), going for a drive, or watching tv. At 9 pm I would give C his evening medications. Because the medications made him sleepy, the night would usually end by 10:30 pm. After C went to bed, I would fill out the required paperwork on how the day went and was usually in bed by 11:30 pm. On the weekends things were slightly different as there was no day programmer to take C out for 8 hours. Therefore, I was with him 24 hours a day on the weekends. During this time, we usually went on an outing. Most of the outings consisted of just going to the mall, or for a ride, but one was a bit special. C is an avid fisherman. Knowing this, I arranged to visit my place and pick up my paycheck (so we had a little money, C didn't receive much money during the month and what he did get was spent on necessities like soap and shampoo, etc). After picking up my check (my mom cashed it for me, yay mom!), I took C for a long ride in which I promised him that, if he had patience, we would go someplace special. That someplace special was a BassPro Shops store located in a (relatively) local mall (if you call 80 miles away local). Now in my time, I have seen alot of fishermen enter BassPro, but never have I seen someone's face light up like C's did when we walked in and he seen all the boats, rods, and other fishing equipment. He reminded me of the proverbial kid in a candy store. He literally ran through the entrance turnstiles (almost knocking them over) and was like a kid on Christmas morning who just got everything he asked for. Unfortunately, we could only stay for about an hour and a half. But in that hour and a half, we managed to see the entire store, and C managed to ask for roughly one of everything therein, including a Desert Eagle pistol! I had to laugh when he asked for that as he wasn't even allowed to have sharp scissors at home. I had to turn his request down, telling him that "I don't think the boss will consider purchasing a 50 caliber automatic pistol a good idea!" (When I told my boss about it, he laughed until he cried). C did manage to purchase a souvenir cup and a catalog while we were there. For the next week, C told everyone who came to the house (including the two Jehovah's Witnesses) about the trip.
People tell me that it takes a special person to work with the developmentally disabled. I don't think it takes someone special. I think that it takes someone who gives a damn about their fellow man and is willing to treat a person with a disability no differently than anyone else they encounter. If you care about money, or how you appear in public, or what people will say about you or your consumer, then you probably don't belong in the MH/MR field as a provider. The trials of working with a developmentally disabled person can be great (especially emotionally), but the rewards can be just as great, if not greater. I can tell you from personal experience, some of the things "C" did really got on my nerves, but to see his face light up on the BassPro outing, to have him hug me afterwards, tell me thank you, and know that he was really sincere in his sentiments, meant more to me than all of the money and amenities that any company could provide.
So when people ask me what I did while I was away from this blog, I tell them that I grew up and became a man.
As I always, I am Chuck, and this is what I did while I was away from my blog.
posted by Chuck | 01:35
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