Change of scenery

the kitchen at Chesham House

This week I had a bit of a change of pace at work. The clinic owner asked if I would be willing to work "next door" for a few weeks while they are filling staffing gaps as they await background checks to go through for staff that were just hired.

"Next door" is a transitional house for patients 18 & over. They still have 24 hour support, however the personal responsibility about food starts to be handed back to them. They are prepping all of their own food (supervised) and doing their own grocery shopping (with staff). They still have staff eat with them at the table for meals and snacks but there isn't a set period of supervision following the meals. If they want to vomit after eating it's not that they "can't" anymore because they aren't allowed in the bathroom an hour after meal time (like they were in inpatient treatment), it's that now they need to reach out to staff to support them through the yuck brain stretch. It's excellent preparation for "doing it on their own" because it can be a rude awakening to be thrown from inpatient treatment where you are stripped of responsibility and control back into the big bad world again where the freedom you have is wrought with temptation.

You can check out a video of each of the houses at http://www.newmarket-house.co.uk/pages/video_tour.php . I'm actually in the Baskerville House one with Sarah, the Occupational Therapist I work with.

I've been dropping next door to don the girls with hugs and "how are you doing?"s thoughout the week (hugs were good because the response to the second question was usually not a great one this last week). After my shift was done yesterday, I went back to Baskerville House to hang out awhile before I bid my farewell on the weekend. I've MISSED them (patients and staff alike!). The girls were asking, "how much LONGER before you are back here?" I told them it'd be a few more weeks. They made my week. Upon hearing this news, they moaned and asked if it would be shorter if they started a petition for me to come back sooner. "It's too quiet. . ." they said. :) Go figure. I love my job. I love these girls.

Philip has been in class each night this week and all weekend - US Foreign Policy w/ Africa.