Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Taking the Plunge

I have been asked now for the second year in a row by a member or two of the SBU DPT contingent taking the plunge to pledge in support of the Special Olympics. I am both honored and happy to give to this wonderful cause. I think sometimes it is difficult for us as individuals to ask others to give money, but we must remember if we don't ask, then people certainly won't give. Giving of ourselves is a professional trait I hope pray that you will all aspire to! And we also must remember that the Good Lord works in many ways. People can give in many ways. They can give of their time. They can support in prayer. And many like to give money to support others doing good works. So, I am honored to give and I am proud that SBU was once again represented at the Lake taking the Polar Bear Plunge in support of the Missouri Special Olympics. It seems that the "bowling pin" theme was well received and earned the team from SBU a third place finish! If you are not aware of this cause, please look at Mandy's website.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Lobbying in Jefferson City

Entering the chartered coach behind the Wheeler building on SBU campus, sixty DPT students joined the world of political activism for the physical therapy profession. Students running for name tags and coffee and iPods at the last minute was the norm as the bus readied to leave. Once we arrived on the Capitol grounds, a quick unloading was immediately followed by visits to legislator's offices. Representative Mike Parsons (R-133) from Bolvar, MO introduced the SBU delegation from the floor of the house chambers. Pizza was eaten at lunch on the steps under the rotunda and the history and splendor of the Missouri Capitol was taken in by all. While the stairs were a challenge and many students discussed the growing fatigue, a meeting in Committee Hearing Room #4 led by Rep. Mike Parsons, Rep. Shane Schoeller (R-139), and Senator Delbert Scott (R-28) found a well deserved respite and educational lesson. Topics were discussed from protecting the physical therapy practice act, to participating in the political process, to the role of lobbyists in the political information chain, and ending with how quality staffers support the legislators. After a quick picture with Thomas Jefferson, as promised, the bus squeezed into a nook besides the Highland Dairy permitting access to tasty refreshments of the chocolate, vanilla, and cookie-dough variety. One student brought back a sugar cone topped with three scoops of a colored ice cream that matched her shirt.

I am most proud of how the SBU delegation represented the University, the Department, and the profession. I am looking forward to the bus arriving behind the Wheeler building once more in the Spring of 2009.

Together with you in His service,

slesh

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Wheelchair User Rights

Hey PT Community,

As a professional physical therapist, I couldn't help but get upset when I saw this news story on NBC yesterday. Turns out the story is now posted online as is the video that is so disturbing. It seems that the police did not believe that this gentleman, who was under arrest, was really disabled and in a wheelchair for a reason. Please read the story and watch the video if you have a chance.

Together with you in His service,

slesh

Monday, February 11, 2008

The Long Ride Home...

Well SBU DPT community, I made it home safely from Nashville. I enjoyed the ride through TN, KY, IL and MO. Along the way I listened to CDs of C. S. Lewis The Chronicles of Narnia including Prince Caspian, The Voyages of the Dawn Treader, and parts of The Magician's Nephew. I found a great chapter that I want to play for my research class next year out of the first book in the series where Digory's uncle talks about the importance and ethics of his research to find the lost world of Atlantis. If you have never read (or heard) the series, it is a wonderful read. Disney will be releasing Prince Caspian this coming spring.

Now it is time to go back to work and for you the students to return to the classroom. Of course, the ice is falling from the sky, Bolivar schools are closed, and many parts of my body ache from the combination of lots of walking at CSM and long rides in the truck. Keep working hard in class and as always, please let me know if there is anything I can do for you.

Together with you in His service,

slesh

BTW... saw this story this a.m. online related to our current culture of lying, cheating and stealing. Seems that Kevin Hart wanted so bad to play college football that he lied to everyone, including the police to achieve his end. It is great to know and remember that as PT professionals, the two things that we have that separate us from all the rest of the contemporary culture include our skillful and accurate documentation and our integrity.

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Food in Nashville...

Wow! As I am packing to head home to see my wife and kids, I can't help but think about the food that I witnessed and tasted her at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. Being on the program committee that puts this event together, I had access to several meetings that provided a wonderful array of delicacies and delights. Across the property there were eateries from an Irish pub to a sports bar to Italian to steak to ice cream and even a Godiva chocolate shop. The Health Policy and Administration section, in which I chair, had a breakfast spread on Friday morning with eggs, country ham, a potato casserole and assorted pastries. Soups, salads, wraps, and pastas were the norm. I even had an excursion early in the week to the Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Nashville. The deserts were wonderful from huge chocolate chip cookies to dark chocolate brownies to a wonderful tiramisu.

As tradition has it, students are hosted by active professionals at these wonderfully tasty and filling events. Members from HPA sponsored (i.e. treated) students to these breakfasts and lunches and diners. Many PT students from Belmont, UT-Memphis, UT -Chattanooga, East Tennessee State and Tennessee State University were treated. I hosted four students from Virginia Commonwealth University to a wonderful dinner. I had hoped to host delegates from SBU, but only saw one in passing as she was putting up her poster and then I saw a second late on Saturday at one our our sessions on Landing a Job. I had heard rumors that more of you were around, but our paths did not cross. Sorry! Hope I get to treat you to this tradition at the next national meeting, perhaps Las Vegas 2009?

Together with you in His service!

slesh

Live to Laugh!

At CSM 2008 in Nashville, a new thing happened: A closing session that traversed all sections and all facets of physical therapy. Joanne Watchie, and her alter ego Crayola the Clown, took 500 conference goers through the stages of humor and laughter and encouraged all of us to laugh more and live longer. She presented a great deal of evidence to support her claim and worked us through some series of "exercises" to find our inner 5 year old! I think there is something here. Her advice is to find what humors you and then enjoy it for at least 30 minutes a day! Here is the link to a presentation she did at CSM 2006 in San Diego.

Together with you in His service!

slesh

Friday, February 8, 2008

Something Amazing by a New Graduate...

Hello SBU DPT,

I witnessed something that instilled great pride in me this evening. At the HPA business meeting, a young therapist named Sandy from New York City, stood up and articulated a vision for the profession, the disabled, and for society. With only a passion for what she believed, she introduced a motion that we adopt a position statement that declares all people with disabilities have the right to health care. This is more than a right to have a ramp (accommodation) in order to efficiently enter a physical therapy clinic for treatment (access), but rather that it is a right of all people with disabilities to have physical therapy to restore lost function, improve their standard of living, and level the playing field of life. The motion passed.

This is an element of a much greater debate in our society. Is health care a right? or is it a privilege? HPA hosted a session at CSM 2008 on Thursday discussing this topic. It was so full that we had to close the session and turn people away. With the upcoming election for President of the United States, this debate will only continue.

Most of all, on this evening, I was proud. I was proud that a recent graduate felt empowered to act to better society. I was proud that a young professional was passionate about the profession of physical therapy. Stay tuned. It appears that HPA will now work to champion this position statement and send it through channels to the APTA House of Delegates.

Together with you in His service!

slesh

Learning in Nashville

I arrived safely in Nashville on Monday and settled into a week a meetings as the Section Program Chair for the Section on Health Policy and Administration. In this role, I am lead the committee that plans all of the programming for the section at the Combined Sections Meeting. It keeps me very busy during the year, but it is also a very important role to fill for the profession. At this meeting we have topics being presented from the "right to health care" to "tapping the entrepreneurial spirit." Ultimately it will be a gathering of over 6000 physical therapy professionals coming together in Music City to learn, share, network, and grow as professionals.

What I did not expect were the devastating storms that came through on Tuesday. We were evacuated to safe areas twice during the evening as a supercell came directly over the Opryland hotel. It turns out it was the same supercell that caused havoc across the region and now appears to have claimed 50 lives. Included in the devastation was Union University in Jackson, TN, one of our sister schools. Please keep all of those people who lost their lives and their families and those who lost possessions in your thoughts and prayers.

Together with you in His service,

slesh