Echoes of the Mind's Eye

Most days, my job is not work. I enjoy spending time with the kids and the challenge of solving the puzzles each day brings. Today was NOT one of those days.

The day started with my visit to see Y, an 8 year old with autism that I have been working with since 2005. He has been one of the most challenging clients in my last 10 years of work. Starting last October, he finally started showing improved behaviors. He has been on the upswing until last week. His TSS (one of the direct therapy workers that I supervise) quit. Y forms strong attachments to staff that works with him and TSS works closest for the longest amount of time. This TSS started last fall by telling Y that, "I'm not planning on going away for a long time."  (HAH!) Since she left, he has regressed to the point he was at over a year ago. In this career, one should be more responsible. We are working with Children's lives and when you abruptly leave after forming a trusting relationship, it hurts. Here is the whiny part: The people that care for the children, the people that are left behind, are hurt as well. We have to work through with the kids the damage that was done. Days like this...I end up with an extra lump on my head from banging it against cement block walls.

This pretty much set the tone for the remainder of the day. Monday always has me bogged down in the administrative part of my job--paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork. Plus, tonight, I am developing a training for the staff I work with. Autism, of course.  Hoping tomorrow will be more enjoyable (and hoping that the snow/ice holds off)