Before and After

I learned about an incredible woman today named Joni Eareckson Tada.  I had heard a few things about her before and her incredible organization called Joni and Friends.  Before her accident she was your average teenager getting ready to head off to college and now she is traveling the world for speaking engagements and advocating for people with disabilities.  Was the accident what caused this radical change in her life or was she always destined to be an advocate?

This is something that always comes to mind when I hear about people who develop new skills or become major advocates for things after experiencing some traumatic thing in their life. Would those new talents and skills have been discovered if they hadn't experienced that trauma? In the case of Joni, she is now using her faith in God and the major influence she has to make a huge change in the lives of those with disabilities. It is incredible to me the capacity we have as humans to adapt and change.  Joni may of never known her skill with art or public speaking if she had not had her injury. 

This does not always happen when people experience and injury or illness that radically changes their life.  Some people lose hope and can not find a reason to live.  I think this is where we have to step in as occupational therapist and help them try and find their new thing.  It may even be something they enjoyed before their injury that can now be adapted.  If we as the therapist never give up, then maybe our client will me more likely not to give up.

I say all of this without ever experience something as life altering as a spinal cord injury.  I have no idea how I would react to one minute being able to do everything I want with my body and mind and the next minute that radically changing.  Every person is different and it is our job in the field to recognize that and not discount how someone might truly feel their life is over after their injury or illness.  In the future, I hope I can help people "in their after" and help them overcome whatever they are facing and open up potentially a new world of opportunities for them.