Grateful

I have to get used to this post a day thing… definitely a shift from once a week or so. Today I want to share briefly about two clients I worked with this afternoon at my nonprofit job. They were both under 30.

I did an in-person intake with the first one, who had a stroke five years ago due to a blood clot. She's recovered remarkably but still has balance issues, tremors, and difficulty speaking clearly and becoming emotionally overwhelmed. I'm really excited for her to get started with our therapeutic program next week. She said she's been feeling really depressed and anxious, being home alone all day while her boyfriend is at work. I think being engaged and doing therapeutic activities in a group will be really good for her.

The second woman isn't really a client, I guess, but she called in for support and resources. The problem is she didn't really have specific requests. She wanted rehabilitation  and support to recover from three brain injuries - two in 2011 and one a couple months ago - but as we talked it became clear she really needed to stabilize with her mental health before anything else. She was speaking in a manic way, without filters and very rapidly. I was gradually able to draw out quite a few details, and ended up sending her information on our programs and recommending she request a referral from her neurologist for a therapist or neuropsychologist.  She said she was moving to the city in about three weeks to live with her cousin, and I gave her the contact information for the UCSF neurology department, which accepts Medi-cal land has a great reputation. It's tough when I'm limited with what referral resources I can share with people, often based on their insurance and income level (though I'm glad to say our agencies programs are sliding scale), but at least I'm becoming more knowledgeable about what IS available and where to guide people.

Feeling lucky to be healthy and stable today,  relatively secure and self-possessed. I'm reminded every day I'm at this job how quickly that can change.