It’s that time of year when the skies can get stormy. There was nothing in the weather app and it never did end up doing much of anything. We had a few sprinkles of rain to go with the longer days we’ve had that have filled the lake back to a more normal level. In supervision today my supervisor asked about the camp and doing a team building day in the summer. I told her I would absolutely love to do that and we also talked about having a day when staff could hike and get a tour.

I’m trying to get back into a walking routine but it’s still been tough. I just can’t get into it, either because of the weather or how I physically feel. Something I do when I start every session is check in with people emotionally, physically, and numerically. So each person uses words to describe their physical and emotional state, and then a number to describe overall where they are at in the moment. If it is a couple they each do themselves and use the number to describe the relationship.

I like it because it feels more therapy like than simply starting by asking how their week was or how they’re doing. They seem to like it too and go along with it. I asked the supervisor if it was okay if I only really planned to shoot for six sessions a day on the long days (instead of seven). Many other people do seven and she said not to compare yourself to certain others. There are older women here who will sometimes do up to eight people in a day and multiple days in a row. I couldn’t do it.

So that was a big relief. My contract says 15 hours, and if I do six two times plus five on the short day, that’s 17 sessions. That leaves some space for cancellations to still be able to meet their quota. She was concerned about me spreading myself too thin with the Thrive patients and the other Concordia job, which I understood and have been thinking about as well. I don’t know how it’s going to work but I’m open to shifting and trying to figure something out. I am talking to them as well.

Some of the people had me worked up today. In the first session I grabbed a Kleenex when they were telling me about their elderly, crippled dog who needed help walking with a sling while he was dying and going downhill. The dog stories get me, plus everything else they had going on at the time. A few times I almost blanked out during an assessment. They really struggle sometimes to stay on point with the questions and you’ll get half their life story. I do get plenty of time to talk too.

It’s just touching, all these people. I came home and went for a walk and still was thinking about a few of them. Ethan and Laura are coming back from Nebraska tonight and are supposed to be here sometime after 11. I’ve been working on cleaning the bathroom and finishing getting all their sheets and room ready. My mother-in-law’s surgery went well and she’s been up and walking with significantly less pain than she’s had in a long time. Tonight Dad, the boys, and I made and ate pizza.