For the last two ASD Steering Committee elections, I have developed a good bit of friendships and professional relationships with majority of the candidates.  I chose to do it because I felt that these folks can very well be the future leaders of the OT profession and I went through what they would be going through (albeit unsuccessfully).  Sure, some may say I am "checking out the competition".  But considering my own OT career trajectory and knowing the nature of the OT community, there will be opportunities I will collaborate with these very people, as I think I will be a mainstay in the leadership arena in OT for years to come.

Sure, I am doing this in an informal way these two years.  I also looked at my almost three years in OT.  What I find is- I have achieved a lot, but I also failed a lot (and I think I failed more than my share).  The triumphs gave me votes of confidence that I have a place in OT.  The setbacks (there are some tough ones) made me appreciative of the opportunities that I am given and helped me relate to those who come up short.  In all, I only showed glimpses of what I am capable of so far. 

Why did mentoring come to my mind?  There are several factors that led me to think that way.

1. I have a love for the OT profession.  Without love of the profession, I believe I would not have done what I did in the first place in the last two years.

2. I have the personality to be a mentor.  I am friendly and personable.  I am not afraid to give people a pep talk (although my introverted nature may suggest otherwise) if I feel they need it.  I have a positive attitude that is contagious.

3. I have a mix of successes and setbacks.  My experience of setbacks can let the person I am mentoring know that I had been where he/she is.  My experience of successes can provide a great example of bouncing back from setbacks.

4. I have emerged from being a nobody to a somebody.  Even though that's not my intention, the fact that I am a notable in the OT world does give me some "credibility".  Of course, if a person like me can be a somebody, anybody can.

5. Reflections are my strong point.  I believe reflections can help both the mentor and the apprentice in becoming better in what they are at.

6. Last but not least, I am beating the odds in my process of being an OT, on top of enduring a tough transition to the field.

Will I consider this as my primary niche in OT?  Probably not.  Will I consider this as my secondary niche in OT?  Absolutely.  Of course, I continue need to knock on doors and hopefully have them open wide for me first.  The more doors I open, the more I believe I will be that much better of a mentor for somebody.

Finally I can take a big weight of my shoulders.  I no longer have to keep my lips sealed on who I am voting for. 

Throughout this journey, I got to know a good bit of future leaders of our profession.  (In Dr. Clark terms, you can say I am "checking out my future competition"... lol!)  Like last year, I have the pleasure to develop some friendships and professional relationships with a good bit of the candidates.  But because I didn't go to the Student Conclave this school year, the Internet has become a medium where I get to know almost all the candidates.  Overall, I have enjoyed the experience and I can't wait to meet some of you in AOTA this year.

To my friends who won- Great job!  Congratulations!  May this be an opportunity for you to showcase your OT leadership talents.  You all will do great.

To my friends who missed the cut- Don't give up.  Don't view this as a detour.  Keep knocking on doors and there will be some that will be wide open for you.

To go or not to go, that's the question.  Even though my mom suggests that I should not go to AOTA this year, I had some sleepless nights about the decision.  After all, my mom has no idea why I go for the things I am going for in my state association as well as AOTA.  My mom also thinks that a lot of the things I am going for are not as important as my current fieldwork.  To a degree, that is true.  But, I also don't want to ruin my career trajectory.  Deep down, I know it will be much better to start as a student, particularly since I disagree with my mom in that it may not be as feasible to go to AOTA in my future job as she thinks.  Also, considering my mom is the type who is on the sidelines a lot, I think she will hardly get what I am doing anyway or the true dilemma I am feeling.

On my birthday yesterday, I still have people call me an OT superstar.  Considering the hype is now over almost a year and a half, I know I am becoming a more serious presence in the OT community.  In my mind, I also have a host of people I want to meet or see again.  So, I have a valid argument on the social standpoint.

Meanwhile, I recalled my own speaking experience in Autism West.  I think I got it because it stemmed from the proposals I have submitted presentation proposals at the AOTA and/or my state association, on top of the fact that I am local.  So, I know opportunities don't fall from trees.  On that standpoint, I think it's important to continue to pursue opportunities.

Next, after I spent a year to get to know what the conference environment feels like, I have gotten more and more out of the OT conferences I go to.  Moreover, I got a huge morale boost.  This was evident in my two most recent OT conferences where I spoke.  I came back to my fieldwork more confident.  Of course, I will never forget what happened in AOTA Student Conclave in 2010, which literally was my turning point of my OT journey.  So, the impact on my OT journey can't be underestimated.

Lastly, not to criticize my church friends, but I have considered a cheaper alternative in form of a church retreat two months after AOTA conference.  The camaraderie is about same, except in a much much smaller scale.  Also, I also will be spending 3 days with them at a retreat center.  However, I had a very bad experience the day after the conclusion of the retreat I went with them 2 years ago while I was attempting my first level 2.  The retreat experience was great.  However, I simply couldn't transition back to my work the next day because I felt everything was going at light speed.  Considering where I will be in my current level 2 fieldwork in this year's edition of the retreat when I return, I think this alternative will not be as good a choice.

Yes, it does take a good bit of money to attend AOTA conference, and I know my mom won't be happy if I choose to go from a financial standpoint (especially since my dad is now out of a job).  But considering the positive intangible factors (aside from the knowledge that I will gain), I have a pretty valid argument.  As someone who used to study a bit of Microeconmics, I think the question of going to AOTA conference is not about recommended versus mandatory, like my mom said.  Rather, I believe I also need to consider all the tangible and intangible things that I may get out of the experience versus the money I will spend.

I have proven my mom wrong before.  I am going to prove her wrong again!

For today's OT Global Day of Service, I have tweeted with a few OT students and professionals about social media for professional use.  I feel it's a good topic because a lot of members of the OT community uses social media of some form- Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

It was per the usual crowd who participated in this Twitter chat.  As probably the only American in the crowd, it was another wonderful opportunity to chat with my UK colleagues.  During the 1+ hours on the chat, we talked about the pros and cons of using social media as well as professionalism on them.  Apparently, one interesting conversation we talked about was professionalism on social media.  For some people like me, I am rather open on my social media usage.  However, for some people, they are more close to the vest and are more particular about what they say or share online.  So, the discussion became the following-

1. What is considered professional behavior?

2. What is considered unprofessional behavior?

3. What are some gray areas, if any?

For the first two questions, apparently each person has his/her own definition.  Hence, when we moved on to the third question, there were some debates.  Back in the days of me as an OT student (which is not so long ago), I remembered I vented a few times on Facebook.  Moreover, I saw a good bit of my classmates vented, too.  I brought the question up to my UK colleagues.  One of the instructors in the audience was surprised by that, as it became an ethical dilemma question.  On one hand, we all agree that the behavior is not very good on a professional standpoint.  However, the "gray area" comes from the consequences and the context of the situation.  After all, OT is a close knit community.  If we are very nit picky about professionalism, it is not a way to win many friends in our OT or OTA programs.  However, if the action is considered as a serious breach of professionalism, we have to be the whistle blower (or support the whistle blower) in such situations.  So, we have to be the judge, even though the action should not be done rashly.

However, as the participants agree, more and more OT professionals are using social media- whether it's connecting with one another, or looking for some pointers.  There are some unwritten rules about social media.  But, there are some that are open for interpretation.

This caps my summary for my OT Global Day of Service Activity.

I apologize this video is in Cantonese.  But anyway, what the clip was saying that people can develop something called "initially old syndrome", where the origin of this diagnosis is from usage of iPhone and/or iPad (or other similar devices) for a prolonged period of time on a regular basis.  This term was developed in Taiwan after a study about usage of these devices over there.

Now, why do I bring this topic?  Well, part of this diagnosis is related to stress from the day to day lives in modern society.  So, OT's are actually capable in addressing this area because part of health and wellness does deal with stress management.  Then, there's also the ergonomics element, since I bet almost everyone in OT would have an idea of the posture required in using these devices.  Next, how about self esteem?  As the clip mentioned, people who got this syndrome are more prone to get wrinkles at an earlier age (from constant muscle contractions with the face).  Finally, with the way technology is going nowadays, using a smart phone and/or other smart devices for multiple purposes is becoming a more and more common occupation for people.  (Heck, the bishop who came to my church last Sunday for a bishop visit presented her sermon via an iPad!)  Simply put, our profession is very capable to help a lot of people in "slowing their lives down" and be aware of the potential consequences of using it for a period longer than they are supposed to.  I believe that once the name of this diagnosis become more well known, our profession could be in high demand if we truly advocate for it.

Today it's my first time leading a Tweeter chat (now I know how Tina Champagne might have felt with her sensory chat the other day).  Good thing is I simply imagined that I am a sports expert (though the topic is in autism) as people are just firing away their questions and comments.  I faced numerous good questions from the audience, from little things about me personally, to my POV on improvements in regards to OT practice.  To my surprise, one hour went super quickly!  Good thing is that because I am in Pacific time, so I can easily handle another 30-45 minutes beyond the allotted time.

Overall, I think it's a very good experience because I love to speak OT to people... and this chat definitely demonstrated my competency in the OT world!  Fortunately, through two years of "practice", I am now very efficient in analyzing what I see into concepts that the OT community will understand in often around 100-120 characters (since that is what Twitter allows usually after you put on the hash tags and stuff).  Since I am a relative Twitter beginner, though, I still exceed my allotted characters over half the time.  So, I quickly read the post over to see if there is any way I can shorten the message.  Through my "OT creativity", I am able to do that.

Will it be the wave of the future?  Absolutely.  Does it completely take the place of teleconference?  However, no.  Overall, I think in regards to using Twitter, I think it will be good for discussions that won't spark too much debate and/or something that people can easily chime in.  Also, I think Twitter is more inclusive, as one OT student invited someone from nursing over to join in the chat today. If there are things that needs to be discussed privately and/or issues that could spark debates, good o' teleconference is still the best.  Also, continuing ed courses most likely can't be taught through Twitter because of the character limitations.

Check out this guy's AMAZING fine motor skills.  Believe it or not, this is actually one of this guy's occupations!

Since I still have a few weeks before FW resumes, I decided to take an opportunity to go on #OTalk/#Occhat to take a look and see what they are all about.  What I found was very fascinating!  I got a chance to talk about OT to some students and practitioners in the UK.  Simply put, you can say I did a little "cultural exchange" with the OT enthusiasts from the UK for the most part.

As I found out, it is a weekly chat on Tweeter on different topics of OT.  I was like, "This is another opportunity to expand my horizons in OT."  However, pretty much most of Tweeters in the audience (maybe except me) were from the UK.  This means that a lot of OT enthusiasts who want to participate in the U.S. were not able to make it.  So, what I am wondering is, will this be a good idea to be organized in the U.S.?  If so, by whom?

1st question- After having been on the chat myself, it's a wonderful idea!  Of course, it does mean that some people need to know how to get on Twitter and use it properly.

2nd question- It could be done a variety of ways.  For one, it could be done for each time zone (eastern time, central time, mountain time, and pacific time, for example).  Of course, the other way could be like how last night's advocacy call was setup, where people try to tweet in whenever they can.  Then, perhaps it could be done within each state.  Moreover, maybe there could be a chat specifically for OT and OTA students, and one strictly for OT professionals.  Simply put, this chat can be done in a multitude of different ways.  In terms of who should be organizing this, perhaps it could be by AOTA (if it's a national level thing), state OT associations (if it's within a state), or simply a few passionate OT enthusiasts (in any of the ways), to name a few.

Why do I think is good?  As I experienced in OT conference, some people can just go on and on about OT all day!  So, why not give them a medium to do so aside from OT conferences every year?  I believe it could be another way to cultivate and garner the OT community's interest in the profession.

Thoughts?

To my ASD Steering Committee candidate friends on OTConnections, this is a favor I did for you guys to encourage people at USC to vote.  Like it or hate it, this is my email to the USC OT student body to spread the word about voting for the upcoming elections. 

"Hey everyone,

This is Bill Wong again.  As promised, I am writing to you about voting for the Assembly of Student Delegates Elections.  After all, the voting starts tomorrow and the last day for you to vote is February 28th at 11:59 p.m. EST, or 8:59 p.m. our time.  So, I am going to give you a brief overview on why you should vote and a some information you should pay attention to.

1. As I have mentioned in my first email through the OTSC email, there is a Google Spreadsheet going around with the candidates' names and whatever information I am able to find about their campaigns.  This includes links to YouTube videos, OTConnections pages, and Facebook group/fan pages.  The link for the spreadsheet once again is https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AocwZQQRoAM0dE9ia2FsVnVsd0RKTzZfdE5EQ2ZjRVE#gid=0

2. On the AOTA website, there is some information on the candidates themselves, including where they are from and their position statements.  The link for that is http://www.aota.org/Governance/Elections-2012/ASD%20Steering%20Committee/ASD-Candidates.aspx

3. Having been to the last 2 AOTA conferences, many people I talked to from different OT and OTA programs marveled at how big our OT program is.  In the election context, this means that if we all vote, we could make a difference on the outcome of the election.

4. In case you want to know what's happening on the inside of the Assembly of Student Delegates Steering Committee, there is now a blog on OTConnections by the current vice-OT chair in the Steering Committee explaining what is happening on the inside.  The link for that is- http://otconnections.aota.org/groups/assembly_of_student_delegates/blog/archive/2012/01/15/inside-the-assembly-of-student-delegates-steering-committee-what-it-s-really-like-dun-dun-dun.aspx

5. Last but not least, you have to be an AOTA member to vote.

On a side note, there is also a blog going on (where I have been commenting a lot also) for the candidates specifically for the AOTA general elections.  The ongoing blog can be found here.  http://otconnections.aota.org/blogs/aota_general_election/archive/2012/01/02/questions-to-the-candidates-from-the-membership-let-the-blogging-begin.aspx

Now onto a little FAQ about why voting is important.

Q: I only have one vote.  Also, I might not have met them in person before.  Why does it matter?

A: The people you are electing now could very well be the next AOTA president a decade or two from now.  Your decision matters because you could be the one who give these people a key building block for their OT journeys.  So, it is important to know their campaign platform and make an informed decision for each position.

Q: Why do you say that we are giving a key building block for the winning candidates' OT journeys?

A: I personally got to know the two recent Assembly of Student Delegates Steering Committee chairpersons.  They are both able to use their experiences in the Steering Committee in ASD (along with other things they are already doing) and "translate" that into making the cut to the AOTA Emerging Leaders program.  I can foresee they will make a difference for our profession in years to come.  So, right now you can say you are potentially giving the candidates you vote for in this election the same opportunities.

Q: How long does it take to get to know who you are voting for?

A: I did my homework way before this election starts.  Of course, that's because I did the extra work so that I can make it easier for you to get to know every candidate that I am able to find information for.  So, I would say combined it took me about 3-4 hours.  This includes reading position statements on AOTA website, reading blog entries on OTConnections and commenting on them, and sometimes even have some informal conversations with them online.  If you devote a little bit of time each day starting now, it is a doable task.

Q: What were your experiences like as someone who was on the campaign trail two years ago?

A: It was actually a very fun experience.  The experience alone allowed me to "mentor" other candidates who are aspiring to serve in the committee last year and this year.  So, I am able to use that as a springboard to build friendships and professional relationships with the future leaders of our profession.  These relationships are invaluable to my own OT journey because getting to know these people challenged me to do some things I would never have imagined prior to me starting OT school.  If you are going to the Symposium, I will be doing one of the Student Track presentations.  Part of the motivation for me to do this presentation comes from me "trying to keep up" with these "overachievers".

Q: If I am going to AOTA conference, will I meet those people?

A: Absolutely.  You will get to know who the new Steering Committee members are, particularly if you go to the Student UnConference event, or the so-called Student Mixer event at AOTA conference.

That's all I have for you guys.  Good luck in the upcoming semester.  See you at the OTAC Symposium and/or AOTA conference.

Thanks,

Bill Wong"

I forgot when I blogged this on the other blog of mine, but I remembered I mentioned about an Aspie who doesn't seem to have a very positive outlook of his diagnosis of Asperger's nor does he have a good quality of life.  Well, a few days ago, he shared on that same Facebook page that his Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score was 35.  Having learned a little bit about the GAF in my medical lectures class in OT school, that raised some eyebrows (that other caregivers on the site might not have been aware of).  On one hand, I was wondering if that person was a hoax (as I remembered that some of the clients I encountered in my first level 2 FW scored between the mid to high 20's to low 40's on the GAF).  On the other hand, if what he says was true, this is a SERIOUS issue, as people like him should be placed (or at least spend a good bit of time) in an inpatient mental health facility, or at least somewhere in the mental health system for the a good portion of his life!

Yes, the fact that he attempted to seek support on his own is great.  But, now that he mentioned his GAF score on the Internet for the public to see, I could tell that maybe a communication problem right off the bat.  Yes, it is important to mention some information about oneself in support group settings- such as diagnosis and common life problems one is dealing with.  But, stuff like the GAF score is another matter.  For those who doesn't know what the GAF is, they may just see it as a number.  But for someone like me, that screams a big problem, as I was wondering how he could be missed by the mental health system (assuming what he says is accurate)!  Did the person who performed the GAF not do a good job in making recommendations?  Did his family not understand/buying what the person who performed the GAF says?  Was he in denial (obviously he might not have the cognitive ability to understand his GAF score)?

Of course, computer skills is becoming a more and more essential occupation in a technology driven world.  So, what I am wondering is, what can OT do for those who are on the low end of the GAF?  I thought of several things.

1. General orientation to computers- from basic skills such as word processing to how to navigate the web (search engines, reading the news, job sites, etc.)

2. For those with communication deficits, it will be about functional communication skills, especially on the Internet context.

3. Internet etiquette- the lower the GAF score, the more these have to be taught.

4. Support groups- they are great for anyone who might have psychosocial and/or physical disabilities.  But, how to use them is another matter.  (This is related to the functional communication skills on point #2.)  I believe that would be good tool, especially for clients who are discharged from a higher level of care to lower level of care.

Whether this person is a hoax is one thing, but I think it might raise a good question for OT who work in mental health settings, particularly in inpatient mental health.

This year will be the third year in a row that I am involved in ASD Elections in some way.  For my first year of OT school, I ran for an ASD Steering Committee position.  Last year, I was doing what I can to provide my classmates information at USC as well as providing advice for people who might need it.  After some feedback from folks who were running last year, I decided to do the same in regards to providing advice.  But, I will now be the person who will collect all the campaign related information from all candidates so that I can relay the information to the student body at USC.  This includes emails, Facebook fan and group pages, OTConnection profiles, as well as any campaign related videos.  After all, my intention is for every candidate to be playing at a level playing field in USC, which is one of the bigger OT or OTA programs around.  I am also hoping that I would set a model for other OT or OTA programs to follow in the upcoming years.  Yes, my way might sound like a little invasive (since I am sending friend requests on OTConnections and Facebook out of nowhere).  But, I hope you candidates (whom most of you don't know me that well, if at all) understand my intent.  My intent here is to best help you in a friendly, personable, but fair way. 

Best of luck to the candidates who are running for an ASD position this year.  Hope I get to as many of you soon one way or another- whether it's Facebook, email, or on here.

Back when I first started OT school, I never would have imagined that I will speak at conference.  As a shy and introverted guy, speaking 10 minutes in a presentation for school was actually already quite a lot for me.  So, if you tell me I would be part of a 3 hour presentation and speak for about an hour and a half (since I am co-presenting with another person) at an OT conference then, I would have said you were kidding.  Of course, this goes to show how far I have come to be a competent speaker... like some of my OT peers in leadership have done.

Preparing for the presentation was not easy work.  Although I have a a clear area, it took me about a month or so to narrow down the list of potential sources.  Aside from the articles and books that I have read from my classes, I also had to keep myself up to date with the latest literature in OT and other disciplines on the subject.  Then, after I learned that my proposal was approved, I still wanted to keep myself up to date in case more relevant articles come up between then and when I had to present, which was two days ago.  Of course, with the fact that I was busy with school and now fieldwork, I now have a new appreciation of the presenters who regularly present at conferences to help their peers to improve OT practice.

Back to my presentation, I was a little bit of nervous.  It is very different from being part of the audience facing the speaker versus being a speaker and facing the audience.  I originally thought about standing up.  But, I then decided against it... as I realized that sitting down gives me some comfort as well.  Sure, I occasionally have some word finding issues... which is typical of me because I always think in Cantonese first before I translate what I think into English.  But, I just waited for the words to come back and continue rather than panicked for wondering when the words would come back.

After the presentation ended, I was glad to hear raved reviews for my presentation.  Sure, there might only be 30-40 people for my first presentation.  But, I think that's a good turnout for a rookie speaker.  Also, I felt good that I formally did something that my OT peers in leadership will be proud of.  After all, I am not doing for fame or recognition.  I am doing this for three things.  One, I want to let those who are not as involved in OT to know that if a person like me can do this, anybody can!  Two, I am doing my best to keep up with my OT peers in leadership, as I will compete hard and give them a run for their money.  Three, as much as I love to be known to be someone in the OT community who loves math, I want to be known as someone who has something to offer to the OT profession.  Doing this presentation has validated the latter.

That's the end of my entry of how a sleeping giant coming into OT school emerging into a somebody (even though I still deny it).

Prior to OT school, I have not heard of dyslexia or other learning disabilities.  After all, my parents always have a misconception that students with disabilities such as dyslexia as lazy.  Then, I learned the other side of it when I overheard my first CI that she has dyslexia.  Later, one of my non-OT friends I made on Facebook during my OT journey told me that she also has dyslexia.  So, slowly but surely, I became aware of what dyslexia is and what it could manifest.

Of course, because I grew up in Hong Kong, I know one of the things I have to learn when I was a student there was to not only have a nice spoken vocabulary in Chinese, but writing also.  I also know that if I have kids some day, I would love them to read, speak, and write a little Chinese, too.  So, what I have been wondering is, how would a person with a learning disability know not only how to speak, but also write in a complex language like Chinese.

Well, a news clip I saw yesterday provided the answer.  (Unfortunately, because it's a video clip on Yahoo! News, I don't think it will be convenient for me to attach it as a link on here because I think the link will expire soon.)  But, about 15-20 seconds of this clip had shown some images from an exercise book that was made by a Christian non-profit organization designed to help dyslexic students to learn to write Chinese... as it will be distributed to all elementary school (and maybe some high schools) in the country.

Unlike spelling out words in English, writing each Chinese characters can be a complex multi-step task, particularly if the character has a lot of strokes.  Also, it's hard to guess if you only know the sound of a word, as more likely you would write a homonym or have no idea of how to write the word.  Lastly, the more complex the character, the more precise the strokes has to be.  Unfortunately in Hong Kong, writing Chinese is an essential occupation for most (if not all) students who are enrolled in schools... and that is on top of learning some basic English.  Hence, for children with dyslexia, it's very likely that they fail miserably in the language subjects there despite their efforts if they don't receive appropriate help and accommodations.

So, how do people with dyslexia deal with their problems in writing Chinese?  Well, according to the exercise book released by the non-profit organization, rather than a stroke by stroke demonstration (which is how most people learn to write Chinese, including me), they would "break down" each character and use everyday/common objects as symbols to try to "piece the character together".  In the video clip, they used a pair of eyes, mustache, three bananas, a boomerang, and a 3 leaf clover to piece together a character.  When I saw it, I was shocked.  It was a fun innovative way to learn the Chinese characters.  But, I am sure it might not be as fun for those with dyslexia because it is quite troublesome to learn but also remember each Chinese character through this way.

Through watching the news video, it actually makes me more appreciative of those who are able to overcome their dyslexia and other learning disabilities to pursue secondary education.  As my Facebook friend told me, she asked for people's understanding if she misspells any words, as they are not intentional.  Also, she told me that this is a disability that is hard to hide, as it is a relatively obvious disability (which I have as I noticed in her wall posts and messages to me on Facebook).  My take home point- Seeing things that people with disabilities do in their attempts to "blend in" with society is something that should be celebrated, as they have to do a lot of extra work in order to be "closer" to their counterparts without their disabilities.  The thing we have to do in the OT community is to celebrate progress and educate those who set the expectations too high or too low.

When I woke up this morning, I saw a lot of positive statuses about the first days in my fellow OT peers' Facebook accounts- whether it's first day of work or start of a new semester in OT school.  However, at this time last year, I simply was like a zombie trying to go through the motions with a heavy heart from just learning something devastating that would change my life forever.  I was venturing into some unchartered emotional territory, as I never been in a depressed state for more than one day.  In fact, I actually was depressed for the 4th consecutive day.  That day was probably arguably the most difficult day in my illness experience, as I simply was "stuck" in school for the entire day.  It was very difficult to tell my joyous classmates that I was extremely sad- particularly I didn't want to act like a buzzkill.

As my OT peers, faculty, and myself have seen over the past 12 months, I have come a very long way to be where I am at now.  It's not where I want to be yet.  But, I have seen consistent progress that will put me where I want to be eventually.  Aside from my never say die attitude, I owe a lot to my OT peers who have given me support and understanding during this trying period.  As I have learned from the posts I read on some Asperger's support groups online, emotional and moral support (let alone services) are not necessarily a given (though it should be) for consumers.  So, I am extremely fortunate to be where I am.

But, I would say the most important thing I have experienced is going through the phases of the recovery model.  In contrary to what I believe in prior to my diagnosis, it is actually very difficult to be persistent to progress through recovery.  Sometimes I can get discouraged after setbacks.  Sometimes I might question why people point to things that seem to be impossible for me at the moment.  Last but not least, I had to fight against myself just to continue things that I should be doing during the days I didn't feel as cheerful as I usually am.  Fortunately, because of the support I received and what I have studied in OT school, I never questioned why I need to continue to get better.  In the OT context, this also include continuous learning of things that might sound counter-intuitive to me so that I could be a competent future occupational therapist.  That said, it is also a very hard thing for a mental health consumer to NOT question why he/she should continue to get better.  A strong willed consumer might have this thought for a while.  But, it is very hard to sustain it if he/she doesn't receive enough support.  So, I need to scale back my expectations whenever I come across clients in different stages of recovery.  After all, last thing I would like to hear during my OT practice is, "That's easy for YOU to say.  How about me?"

Of course, the thing I have to learn is make sure I have a smooth transition between my OT and Aspie self.  Some of the time, I must be technical because I am a member of the OT community.  Some of the times, I have to be empathetic because I am also a member of the Aspie community.  Some of the time, I have to stand between the two and be the mediator.  The last one is very difficult at times because if I need to craft my words extremely carefully.  But even if I did, there would be times where I could make consumers and/or their caregivers angry.  But as people say, I got to lump the good with the bad... as I understand both points of view, but could come at a cost of making people angry.  I can't be too upset about that because this "give and take" is very hard and each situation is different.  This will be something I have to continue to work on for the rest of my life.

Even though I am technically not in school physically this school year, I am continuing to learn- particularly in my duo identity as an OT and an Aspie.  After all, my mission is to help people through my adventures- my OT peers and Aspies alike.