Anthony,
You are learning the reason why good OT (or a lot of determination in your
case)is so important.  Teaching skills, and being more independent (even if
it is just learning how to direct ones care)above all else improves a person
self-esteem and teaches them to get out of the learned helpless mode.  The
essence of therapeutic occupation is that we are healthy if engaged in
meaningful activities. Here's to more discovery.

Beth the OT
Tootin' her own horn and wishing everyone a Very Merry New Year!

-----Original Message-----
From: St. John's University Cerebral Palsy List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Anthony Arnold
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2002 5:04 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Folding clothes


Friends,

I know that I have driven some of my friends nuts with talking about my new
ability of washing clothes, but I'm doing things right now that I wouldn't
have guessed a year or even a month ago so I'm like a kid on Halloween.  I
have successfully learned how to wash and dry my clothes totally
independently.  However folding them was another story until just this
afternoon because I had myself believing I wouldn't ever master folding, but
however I made myself try like I usually do now days, and I got it in no
time at all.  I'm very pleased with my ability of teaching myself these
independent living skills because I'm not an occupational therapist or
physical therapist by a long ways, but however seeing my progress, I
definitely want to help others be independent mainly with the idea that we
can try to make people as independent as possible, and in the long run we
can have better attendant care because we could pay them more because they
would work less hours.

Thanks,
Anthony