Catastrophes can occur with unexpected swiftness and in an instant change our lives forever. Illnesses and other misfortunes may develop slowly over time and they too may change our lives forever. But the story does not have to end there. With the help of some very special people - occupational therapists - there is hope, and miracles do happen.
If you do not know what occupational therapy is or what an occupational therapist does, don't worry! Read on and find out how people have learned to cope with their troubles and have become stronger by the very act of overcoming obstacles and surviving catastrophes. These are their stories - written by the people who lived them, their families, or those who helped them save the day.
"This book peers into the heart of OT. It considers how we have helped people and how they have persevered through adversity."
"In these times of managed care and high productivity, this book provides a wonderful and much deserved ego boost for OTs."
"It would be a thoughtful gift for someone considering occupational therapy as a profession."
"In academia, this collection of case studies might provide useful illustrations of clinical reasoning. I recommend Ordinary Miracles without reservation."
— Deborah E. Budash, OTR//L, Advance for Occupational Practitioners
Each of these stories illustrates the way someone was helped to overcome and defy the odds and shows how people have redesigned their lives to be meaningful and fulfilling following what could have been a life-shattering event. Their stories are tributes to the ability of people to triumph over adversity and to succeed when life is at its hardest. You will be amazed at their courage, energized by their achievements, and awed at the miracles they managed to accomplish. Some of these stories will bring a tear, some a smile, but all will inspire you with the knowledge and confidence that Ordinary Miracles do happen.
| Part One: The Journey Through Life |
| Section One Infants and Toddlers: Getting Off to a Good Start |
| Chapter 1 | Fayda Sits in the Corner
Patricia Petersen, MA, OTR |
| Chapter 2 | Sam Gets a Halo
Cindy Wright, MA, OTR |
| Chapter 3 | Jack’s Hands
Beth Cooper, OTR |
| Chapter 4 | Cecilia Gets Unglued
Lisa E. Cyzner, PhD, OTR/L |
| Chapter 5 | I Can Do It
Toby Black, MA, OTR/L |
| Chapter 6 | When He Smiles, the Room Lights Up
Judi Hoggatt, MA, OTR |
| Chapter 7 | Just Say No
Jane C. Chamberlain Olsasky, OTR/L |
| Chapter 8 | Jeff Wipes His "Ticky" Hands
Jean M. Kassnel
Submitted by Leslie Larsen Kountz, COTA |
| Chapter 9 | Close to My Heart
Denise E. Williams, OTR/L, CHTP |
| Chapter 10 | A Healing Transformation
Elizabeth A. Haluska Ankney, OTR/L, PC |
Chapter 11 | Therapeutic Paws: A Tail of Success
Rhona Feldt-Stein, BSc OT, OT Reg (Ont) |
|
Chapter 12 |
A Doll for Wendy
Fred Sammons, PhD,
OTR |
|
Section Two Children: Keeping on the
Right Track |
|
Chapter 13 |
Meet Gabriella: An OT Success
Story
Barbara E. Joe |
|
Chapter 14 |
Jacob’s Declaration of
Independence
Donna Langmead, COTA |
|
Chapter 15 |
Four Steps to Freedom
Leslie Rubman,
MPH, OTR |
|
Chapter 16 |
John Goes on a Diet
Margaret D. Rerek,
MS, OTR/L (Retired) |
|
Chapter 17 |
Snazzy Gets Her Driver’s
License
Janet Christhilf O’Flynn, OTR/L, BCP |
|
Chapter 18 |
Silence Is Not Always Golden
Elizabeth
J. Healey, OTR |
|
Chapter 19 |
Working with What We Have
Kathy
Swoboda, COTA/L |
|
Chapter 20 |
Louie Talks with His Nose
Amy B.
Westerman, OTR/L |
|
Chapter 21 |
Let Your Switch Do the Walking
Jan
Johnson, OTR |
|
Chapter 22 |
A Penny Saves the Day
Rhona
Feldt-Stein, BSc OT, OT Reg (Ont) |
|
Section Three Teens: Avoiding Hazards
on the Path |
|
Chapter 23 |
Steven’s Box
Ronda Christopher,
OTR/L, MEd, LNHA and Rebecca Rogers, MEd, OTR/L |
|
Chapter 24 |
Struggling to Get By
Joshua M.
Eisenstein, MA, BS |
|
Chapter 25 |
Can You Stick Out Your Tongue?
Anitta
Boyko Fox, BS, MA, OTR |
|
Chapter 26 |
A Debt Repaid
Laura Faye Clubok,
OTR/L |
|
Chapter 27 |
Soon to Be a Butterfly
Beth Larson,
PhD, OTR |
|
Chapter 28 |
Jessica’s Dream
Peggy Lee Gurock,
OTR |
|
Chapter 29 |
Think Right Hand
Irene Phillips, MPA,
MA, OTR/L |
|
Chapter 30 |
Ten Finger Exercise
Nina Paris,
OT/L |
|
Chapter 31 |
A Letter to Remember
Bethany S. Walls,
MA and Rhona Gorsky Reiss, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA |
|
Section Four Adults: Navigating the
Perils of Illness and Injury |
|
Chapter 32 |
An Apple a Day
Ann Burkhardt, MA,
OTR/L, BCN, FAOTA |
|
Chapter 33 |
What Are You Going to Do Next? Go to Disney
World
Michelle Anne Blackburn, OTR/L and Bobbie
Andrews |
|
Chapter 34 |
Clumsy Bob
Mary V. Donohue, PhD, OT,
FAOTA |
|
Chapter 35 |
Find It at the Mall
Paula D. Carey,
MS, OTR/L |
|
Chapter 36 |
Let’s Do Lunch
Susan Bachner,
MA, OTR/L, FAOTA, CEAC |
|
Chapter 37 |
Life, Liberty, and Power Mobility
Linda Lorentzen, OTR/L |
|
Chapter 38 |
A Well-Dressed Woman
Valnere McLean,
OTR |
|
Chapter 39 |
The Magical Mr. T
Richard J. Russ, MA,
OTR/L |
|
Chapter 40 |
Yes, There Are Angels
Wayne
Pusatero
Submitted by Deborah Morawski, OTR/L |
|
Chapter 41 |
Traveling Light
Richard J. Russ, MA,
OTR/L |
|
Chapter 42 |
Do It My Way
Anne Gaier, OTR/L,
CHT |
|
Chapter 43 |
Reflections on Rehabilitation
Peggy
Prince Wittman, EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA |
|
Chapter 44 |
The Closet: A "Clothes" Encounter
Gwen Weinstock, MA, OTR/L |
|
Chapter 45 |
Close to the Edge
Edith
Newhall |
|
Section Five Senior Citizens: Enjoying
the Rewards of a Race Well Run |
|
Chapter 46 |
Potato Pancakes
Vera Cohen, BS, OTR/L
and Ellen L. Kolodner, MSS, OTR/L, FAOTA |
|
Chapter 47 |
More Scared Than Mean
Constance
Martinez-de la Vega, OTR/L |
|
Chapter 48 |
You Could End Up Anywhere, Even Meeting a Woman
Deborah Mandel, MA, OTR |
|
Chapter 49 |
For St. Patrick’s Day, Grow a
Potato
Mimi Wolak, MA, OTR |
|
Chapter 50 |
A Real New Yorker
Donna Conley,
OTR/L |
|
Chapter 51 |
Going AWOL—You Can Go Home Again
Mimi Wolak, MA, OTR |
|
Chapter 52 |
Chicken and Black-Eyed Peas
Vera
Cohen,BS, OTR/L and Ellen L. Kolodner, MSS, OTR/L, FAOTA |
|
Chapter 53 |
Operation Vaudeville
Laurie E. Nelson,
MA, OTR |
|
Chapter 54 |
A Man and His Dog: The Story of Barney and
Bob
Patricia H. Findlay, OT |
|
Part Two: Life’s Unpredictable Events |
|
Section Six Not Always a Safe Haven:
Accidents at Home, Work, and Play |
|
Chapter 55 |
Doctor, Will I Be Able to Play the
Piano?
Denise McCormick |
|
Chapter 56 |
The Return of My Ring Finger
Jill E.
Van Dyke, OTR |
|
Chapter 57 |
Socks or No Socks? That Is the Question
Margret I. Kingrey, MA, OTR |
|
Chapter 58 |
Believe in Me
Jan Keith, COTA/L,
AP |
|
Chapter 59 |
Grandmother Ora Goes Home
Donna Holt,
BS |
|
Chapter 60 |
Stand Up and Be Counted
Vera Cohen,
BS, OTR/L and Ellen L. Kolodner, MSS, OTR/L, FAOTA |
|
Chapter 61 |
The Power of Encouragement
Barbara
Schroeder, COTA |
|
Chapter 62 |
A Friend in Need Is a Friend Indeed
Mary-Kay Webster, BS |
|
Chapter 63 |
Someday Soup
Kimberly Eberhardt, MS,
OTR/L |
|
Chapter 64 |
Commuter Nightmare
Bhavisha H.
Patel |
|
Section Seven On the Road: Automobile
Accidents |
|
Chapter 65 |
Twin Therapy
Deborah Goldberg, MA,
OTR/L |
|
Chapter 66 |
Hi Ho Beanie
Elizabeth J. Healey,
OTR |
|
Chapter 67 |
Best Seat in the House
Cindy Martin,
COTA/L
Submitted by Valerie B. Whiting, OTR/L, LMT |
|
Chapter 68 |
My Ugly Duckling
Michelle
Ponsolle-Mays, MS, OTR/L |
|
Chapter 69 |
A Beautiful Flower Blossoms
Slowly
Julia Waggoner Santini, OTR/L |
|
Chapter 70 |
A Message from T.J.
Stephanie M.
Milazzo, MA, OTR, CHT |
|
Chapter 71 |
Allison's Road to Recovery
Allison
Brown Mann, OTR/L |
|
Chapter 72 |
Still Climbing High
Karen Crane
Macdonald, PhD, OTR/L |
|
Section Eight Brain Attack: Stroke and
Other Head Injuries |
|
Chapter 73 |
The Father of the Bride
Josephine
Cohen, MA, OTR/L |
|
Chapter 74 |
Never Give Up
Linda Carver Morse,
OTR |
|
Chapter 75 |
Baby Talk
Jacqueline Davis Templin,
OTR/L |
|
Chapter 76 |
You Are My Sunshine
Julie Chelte,
OTR/L |
|
Chapter 77 |
Mr. Zip-Zap
Anne Gaier, OTR/L,
CHT |
|
Chapter 78 |
A Spiritual Nature
Peggy Dawson,
OTR/L |
|
Chapter 79 |
Discovering the Good in Bad Times
(In
Memory of Emily Marie)
Laura Rutherford Renner, OTR/L |
|
Chapter 80 |
Julia Speaks with Her Eyes
Joyce
Sabari, PhD, OTR, BCN, FAOTA |
|
Section Nine Good People, Bad Things:
Violent Crimes, Wars, and Catastrophes |
|
Chapter 81 |
Their Bullet, My Life
Zoe McGrath,
COTA |
|
Chapter 82 |
Teens Hear It from One of Their Own |
|
Chapter 82 |
Teens Hear It from One of Their Own
Ron Carson, MHS, OTR/L |
|
Chapter 83 |
Rambo
Lt. Col. Len Cancio, MPH,
OTR/L |
|
Chapter 84 |
Getting Back to Life
Wendy
Elliman |
|
Chapter 85 |
After the Explosion
Michal Magnes
Raveh, MA, OTR |
|
Chapter 86 |
Fire Fall and Therapy Ball
Christine
Gaspar, OTR |
|
Chapter 87 |
My 12-Story Plunge
Brett T. Duffey,
OTR/L |
|
Chapter 88 |
September 11, 2001: Ambiguous Loss
Judy Grossman, DrPH, OTR, FAOTA |
|
Chapter 89 |
September 11, 2001: Getting Through Trying Times
Elisabeth Refn, MA, OTR |
|
Part Three: Retrospectives |
|
Section Ten Reflections of the Journey:
Review of Lives Well Lived |
|
Chapter 90 |
Therapy Begins at Home
Anitta Boyko
Fox, BS, MA, OTR |
|
Chapter 91 |
Chris Leaves a Legacy
Mary LeChene
Bennett, OTR/L Retired |
|
Chapter 92 |
The Music Lady
Anitta Boyko Fox, BS,
MA, OTR |
|
Chapter 93 |
Hello, Can I Help You?
Jacqueline
Goldberg |
|
Chapter 94 |
The First Two Clowns in Iceland
Diane
J. Jones, RN |
|
Chapter 95 |
The Power of Joy
Judith E. Bowen,
MPA, OTR |
|
Chapter 96 |
Back to Life, Work, and Happiness
Anitta Boyko Fox, BS, MA, OTR |
|
Epilogue |
|
|
Acknowledgments |
|
|
About the Editor |
|
|
About the Contributors |
|
"It is a useful book, too, for students and for those merely curious regarding our role to gain an understanding of what we do and why. All in all, this book is well worth the price, either for oneself or as a gift."
"…this compilation provides a refreshingly new prospective on everyday occupational therapy practice. It is a useful book for students and for those merely curious regarding our role to gain an understanding of what we do and why."
Deborah R. Labovitz, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Deborah R. Labovitz, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, an occupational therapist for 40 years and chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy at New York University, New York, New York from 1980 to 2000, is currently a professor at NYU and an avid collector of stories about people who have had the kind of miraculous experiences found in this book. She earned her undergraduate degree in occupational therapy and her master’s degree and doctorate in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania and is a fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association.
As a wife, mother of three, mother-in-law of three, and grandmother of six, she has seen ordinary miracles of coping and courage in both her professional and personal life. She continues to be amazed, energized, and awed by the achievements of the ordinary people in this book who have accomplished so much and by the occupational therapists who have helped them to do so. At this time in our society, when hope and optimism are so necessary, she hopes that this book of triumphs over adversity will provide you with both.