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As an occupational therapist, Jennifer Saul has seen rather a lot in her nearly 28-year profession at Texas Well being Sources, however there’s one specific affected person that she is going to at all times bear in mind.
Saul is one in all 6,000 licensed hand therapists in the US and she or he practices proper out of Texas Well being Harris Methodist Hospital Cleburne. She additionally serves because the Rehabilitation Division Supervisor.
“It actually is an honor to have that designation,” Saul stated. “When you’ve a hand harm, hand surgeons need to work with a CHT and we we love with the ability to specialise in that and with the ability to join with sufferers for that so superior.”
Saul stated she works with a dynamic staff at THC.
“It’s a privilege working for Texas Well being Cleburne in the truth that I can see my sufferers one-on-one,” she stated. “Anyone that’s needed to have remedy most likely is aware of that they’re in a clinic with lots of totally different different therapists. Generally you’re not seeing simply that therapist solely and also you’re seeing a large number of clinicians and also you’re form of tossed round.
“It’s a privilege I acknowledge that isn’t trade normal, that I get to work with my sufferers one-on-one. I’m the one one which will get to work with them, in addition to our staff. We’re those that sit proper right here with the sufferers and so I feel that could be a true blessing. As a result of that’s undoubtedly not the trade normal.”
Hand accidents are rather more extreme than most individuals notice, Saul stated.
“I feel lots of people — until you’ve actually skilled a hand harm — I feel it’s extremely misunderstood, feeling undervalued and minimized as to the affect it has on an individual’s life till they begin to expertise it,” Saul stated. “Everyone thinks so simply squeeze the ball and we’ll be higher in a minute.”
In a single case specific, Saul noticed an unimaginable restoration journey.
Brittany Braswell was concerned in an ATV accident in January 2021 that induced extreme injury to her arm and she or he suffered a traumatic mind harm concussion.
Braswell stated she doesn’t bear in mind something that occurred after the accident. She was airlifted to Waco and spent 4 days within the ICU.
“Docs advised my mother and pop that they weren’t certain if I used to be ever going to have using my hand,” Braswell stated. “And that was their solely aim, at the moment throughout surgical procedure, was to attempt to save my hand and didn’t know what to anticipate.”
She has two plates and screws on her proper wrist, which is her dominant hand.
The accident left her unable to work for over two months — she was a authorized secretary — and was unable to make use of her arm very properly at first.
“No person may have a look at me my hand,” as a result of she was in a lot ache, Braswell stated. “No person can contact my hand besides the physician.”
When somebody really useful she go to Saul, Braswell stated she felt an instantaneous connection along with her.
“She made me snigger and made me really feel snug,” she stated. “She helped me get extra motion out of my hand and vary of movement. She completely went above and past.”
Along with serving to Braswell by way of remedy, Saul additionally helped with the non-public side of restoration.
“She was simply struggling emotionally with rather a lot,” Saul stated. “Not with the ability to do her job, not with the ability to take care of herself, having her mother and father come into her dwelling to assist her. You study in a short time as to what you’re not in a position to do and all of that’s taken away.”
Braswell stated she was depressed and noticed no hope, however that Saul gave her that hope again.
“I knew she believed in me,” she stated. “And each time I used to be like, ‘I can’t do this. I can’t do this.’ She was like, ‘Don’t you say that Brittany. You are able to do it. Come on, come on.’
Saul stated attending to work with sufferers like Braswell is her favourite factor about being an occupational therapist.
“Seeing her reap the rewards of her onerous work and our partnership collectively,” she stated. “It’s definitely not you come right here and also you simply do issues. It’s actually, I want you to go dwelling and take a look at to do that after which she did and she or he’s like, this didn’t work. We strategize collectively and I feel that’s my favourite a part of my job is while you get to accomplice with different individuals and then you definitely get to see them simply blossom from it. As a result of it’s their onerous work as a result of it’s solely see for a really brief period of time. So what you’re doing exterior of the clinic is all the pieces.”
Braswell stated she by no means would have recovered the best way she did — each bodily and emotionally — if not for Saul’s onerous work.
“I do know she’s so devoted to her occupation,” Braswell stated. “She’s so devoted to the affected person care and simply with all the pieces — her experience, her phrases, encouragement, no matter it might be — she made my restoration one million instances higher. I can simply let you know, anyone who meets her and goes by way of bodily remedy will really feel the identical approach. and I assure that little question about it. Little doubt.”