Child Psychiatry Cont'd 6/22/2002
OK, towards the end of my shift, Ronald usually holds a group therapy session for the kids. Basically, they play games with us if they have enough points. (Their behavior is measured on a point system). That night, he would play a Disney song and the kids would have to guess it. Screamer was somehow allowed to be in the session that night. He kept yelling out answers and stomping his feet when he wasn't picked. Ron told him to "Shhh" just to get Screamer to quiet down, but the kid went crazy. Apparently he goes bonkers when anyone makes the Shhh sound. I mean, he went absolutely nuts. He starts crying and yelling. Ron apologized for making the "Shhh" sound, and the kid yelled "You're not trying hard enough!" Staff led him out of the room.
When I left that night, for the first time, I regretted signing up for the psychiatric ward. I do love some of the kids; three boys in particular. Two of them, MHL and MTW are just sweethearts. MHL is new to the ward, he's been there for about a week, and MTW has been there for as long as I've been going there. Both are SUCH dolls. They are great athletes, very smart, polite, well-behaved, and such little cuties. I like them both a lot. MHL really kind of shys (shies?) away from me, Danielle, and Darla, but gets along really well with Ronald and the other boys. MTW is just very open and just overall awesome. The other MHL has a certain condition, but is the gentlest boy you could ever hope to meet.
I don't know if its just on that particular ward, but the number of boys there outnumber the amount of girls. There are only two girls in the ward. JNTE kicks my ass at checkers, and BRNE and I talk occasionally. Never had any problems with them. If I had to take a guess, two of the three boys and the two girls I mentioned were there because of broken homes. One of the girls once boasted that she was getting a new foster family. Screamer has some sort of illness or mental problem. You could just see it, even though he looks like a normal kid, except for his size. Little One either had an abusive mother or he's a liar and has some sort of illness. I dunno.
I know I'm not making damned bit of difference in these kids' lives, and I know it. When I'm there though, I feel like I'm doing something that means something. If that makes any sense...I'm honestly looking at psychiatry as a possible job for me. That is, if I ever get into medical school...
As a side note, I have the application to one of Bingahmton's hospitals sitting on my bed. It's a Catholic hospital, but I don't think they'd have issues having a Jewish volunteer. It's not like I'm going to convert anyone. Since they don't have a pediatric psych ward, and I want to do something different anyway, I'm thinking of working in the medical oncology ward. I won't volunteer until second semester though. I already e-mailed one of the professors at Binghamton, who's also the director at one of BU's research institutes. I asked him if I could work there, and he said he could set up a meeting with me. When I get my schedule, we're going to figure out an appointment. I figured between taking organic chemistry, doing research (hopefully), and possibly pledging (I'm a legacy at one of the sororities in BU), I won't have enough time for volunteer work.
Phobia of the Day: Aphenphosmphobia or Haphephobia- Fear of being touched (one of the kids in the ward actually has this...it's part of his medical condition)
Until my next ramble:
Artist
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