Houstyn Hodson

Prior to starting OT school here at UTHSC, I shadowed a few different therapists in several different settings. Its so interesting to look back on my experiences prior to knowing anything really technical about what occupational therapists do and prior to having any knowledge at all on preparatory methods and interventions, etc. Now that I have almost three months of didactic experience completed, I understand a little more about what these therapists were doing and the reasons behind their therapy sessions. What is more interesting is that I can now even question some of the therapy sessions I shadowed and was an observer to.  For the most part, the therapists I shadowed were wonderful and even before I knew what I know now, it is pretty easy to pick out the outstanding therapists. If it wasn't obvious in their own demeanor and rapport with their clients, the clients and other practitioners would say, "you're in good hands," or "she's one of the best....

There were a lot of different options to choose from to listen to/watch for this blog post and that is so amazing. The options are literally endless and we can be wherever we are needed, which is the major takeaway I learned from this assignment. I wanted to focus specifically on the cancer-related cognitive dysfunction as this is something I have personal experience with in the past and present. I have heard of chemo brain before. My grandfather experienced serious hospital psychosis and probably related cognitive dysfunction due to his brain cancer, chemotherapy, and radiation. One thing that I learned that I did not know before is that research has found that other therapies can cause these impairments and cognitive delay, not just chemotherapy as originally thought. Radiation, hormonal therapies, and other drugs can cause this phenomenon. What I also learned is that the effects of the chemotherapy or other therapy might not be known for a while after treatment has ended, or it mi...