Now that I've gotten my feet wet with my Introduction, I thought I'd share a bit more about myself. I majored in Commercial Art at U.S.C. in the 1950s when we drew with paper and utensils and not computers at the University of Southern California, USA. I designed the logos for Tishman Construction in Los Angeles, Ca. and Harbor UCLA Medical Center. I created Harbor's logo in June of 1981 when I was an O.T., and it won over hundreds of applicants. It is very gratifying to see the results of your work still in use today, almost thirty years later!
I was a Technical Illustrator for Gilfillan in L.A. and the first female draftswoman for the Wall Street Journal - Dow Jones & Company, Inc. in South Brunswick, New Jersey in the 1960s. Computers took over drafting and I returned to U.S.C. to become and Occupational Therapist in 1972. I was a therapist for 35 years, mainly as a hand therapist. I am now retired.
I have been oil painting for 6 years, and also volunteer with my husband as a docent at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA, which is one of the most respected zoos in the United States. This is such fun working with the public, educating them about the animals. My O.T. experience has been very helpful in my work at the zoo. For example, observing the children with autism react to animals, as it is very calming to them.
I have an adult developmentally disabled son who is 41 yrs old. I adopted him at 3 months of age, not knowing that he was disabled. Through my O.T. training I was the one who initiated the process of getting him diagnosed as being mentally retarded due to brain damage, around 3 yrs. of age. This was confirmed through an MRI evaluation. There is much with just that portion of the process which I would like to share here in the future if it will be of interest and help others. Tom was fortunate to be treated by Jean Ayres, OTR, PT, PhD for sensory motor integration therapy in her clinic in Torrance, CA. She developed SMIT, which is now being used for many diagnoses, such as autism, M.R./DD, etc.
I was told that my son would have to be in an institution when he grew up. His I.Q. was 59. I refused to believe this and fought for years. to get him funding for a special school for people with developmental disabilities in Santa Barbara, CA. He got years of specialized therapy and I also "therapised" him. Major problems occurred when he became an adult. Mardy and Karen both had worked with Tom when he was learning how to drive, as they both were specializing in Colorado Springs in driving rehabilitation at the time. Karen was the initial consultant and felt he was not yet mature enough, and later he came through the program Mardy, and later Karen, headed at a private, innovative driving school in Colorado Springs which utilized progressive stratigies to increase brain/body efficiency. However, the complexities involved with additional difficulties with focus and attention when life's challenges would have him emotionally upset lead to our deciding to have him stop driving. I didn't realize how important the emotional component to driving was until after he had a couple of incidents and we looked at the reasons for crashes, and Tom made that decision together with us. He and I both now notice many occurrences around us on the roads where people appear to not be in a good 'state of mind'. So his years as a driver have made him a much better passenger and contributed to his continued maturation in his middle life, as with most people, he continued to learn and grow.
After many years in host homes, Tom is now living independently in an apartment within short walking distance of my home with assistance from an agency along with my husband and I. Tom has worked for 2 yrs. at a nationwide 'big box discount store' as a cart pusher. I handle all of his shopping and banking. My biggest lesson of having a son who has DD is being his loving advocate and encouraging him to reach his goals.
Three yrs. ago, I learned that I am gluten intolerant and have had to completely change my eating habits. I have also learned that many mentally disabled and differently abled people have this condition, so I am starting to investigate this area for my son.
It is amazing to me how life throws you curves and the curves turn into opportunities for growth. I understand as of now you can find me on facebook at the following link: www.facebook.com/profile.php [1]
Links For Your Information: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo www.cmzoo.org/ [2] ; Colorado Springs Visitor Information: www.visitcos.com/ [3]
If you were interested in what I wrote here about driving, please find Karen's Korner, a Forum here in the Occupational Therapy/Function Forum area at Lumigrate. The link is:www.lumigrate.com/forums/integrative-medicine-parts-make-whole/therapy-occupationalfunctional/karens-korner-driving-th [4]
Those who read Petie's pieces at Lumigrate.com (found regularly in the forum related to therapies/functional and occupational -- link: http://www.lumigrate.com/forums/integrative-medicine-parts-m... [5]) learn she grew up in California with "Bobby" Redford and has had an interesting life from beginning to today. She graduated from USC in technical illustrating and drafting and was the first female draftsman for The Wall Street Journal in South Brunswick, New Jersey. She returned to USC to become an occupational therapist and enjoyed the 'heyday' of therapy in prestigious programs in California, and was an entrepreneur for many years. She had a daughter then adopted a son, Thomas, who she writes about regularly; they have been each others' greatest teachers, as it turns out he had developmental disabilities. Remarrying in middle age, she and her husband Bob moved to Colorado and now enjoy 'active retirement'. Petie appreciates the opportunities to continue teaching through sharing at Lumigrate and hopes those who read find as much enjoyment in reading as she does in writing.
Links:
[1] http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001120239031&ref=ts
[2] http://www.cmzoo.org/
[3] http://www.visitcos.com/
[4] http://www.lumigrate.com/forums/integrative-medicine-parts-make-whole/therapy-occupationalfunctional/karens-korner-driving-th
[5] http://www.lumigrate.com/forums/integrative-medicine-parts-make-whole/therapy-occupational/functional
[6] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/more-about-my-life-my-son-special-needs#comment-640
[7] http://twitter.com/lumigrate
[8] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/more-about-my-life-my-son-special-needs#top
[9] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/login?destination=node/499%23comment-form
[10] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/register?destination=node/499%23comment-form
[11] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/more-about-my-life-my-son-special-needs#comment-642
[12] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/more-about-my-life-my-son-special-needs#comment-648
Comments
Hey Jan -- Thanks for adding more about yourself and I find it interesting how 'driving' is brought up and without your really having had time to talk with Karen to my knowledge, you were bringing up what SHE has been writing about already in Karen's Korner. Yes, state of mind has so very much to do with driving ability and whenever people have extenuating circumstances it can make it harder for us to be in a 'good place' for driving. So when it comes to limiting things due to laws, that's basically been my whole 'point' with cell phones -- do we outlaw crying babies and bad moods?
Or focus on teaching people concepts and entrusting them to make good decisions. Lots to ponder and debate in there, I know!
I thought it was so very nice when I was at your house for dinner and he was over and initiated talking with me to say he wanted you to write about him if it would help people. I figured you had told him to do that and then found out you were just as surprised as I was! I guess I'm 50 now so I'd better keep growing myself, eh?
While I never have had the coordination to draw (I have some significant sensory integration issues myself, I found out in OT school while studying that in lab with a parner, which has come in handy in my assessing and understanding the sensitivities that happen for people with fibromyalgia (tactile sensitivity occurs a lot, and I always started my patients with fibromyalgia off learning to deep breathe so they could get calmed and centered also), I was very involved in what you see as the Lumigrate logo now, so it meant a lot to me when you said 'I really like your logo!'
So what are you going to do when you get old?
I tease, I tease.... you are such a young 70-something, it's impressive!
Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [7] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!
Petie, it is so good to see you online. One day we will have to get together again. A part of me is very sad that Tom is no longer driving as I remember his eagerness to drive when I first saw him in the clinic. But a greater part of me is thrilled that he is insightful enough to realize that his lack of focus is a huge detriment to SAFE driving. Too bad the general public is so much less aware of their own abilities.
Karen Richardson, OTR,CDRS
Karen Richardson, OTR/CDRS
Registered Occupational Therapist, Certified Driving Rehabilitation SpecialistFind all the topics I've contributed here at Lumigrate at http://www.lumigrate.com/forums/integrative-medicine-parts-m... [4] We encourage questions and comments, just use the Contact Us here at Lumigrate.com!
I know I personally got to tell Tom, because he volunteered when I was there for dinner that he gave permission to talk about him in the Lumigrate areas as he wanted people to learn. So here we are not a month into this OT collaboration and we have quite a nice story and networking going on here in the different forum areas related to this subject which we will only know some of the ways it impacts people. But it sure sounds to me like something he might want to see that you've said there, Karen ... appears to be a BIG 'right on' for him from a driving expert! ~~ Mardy
Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [7] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!