Working in the school system is definitely a different experience. I don't know why I haven't journal ed about the kids I work with. Today I definitely felt impressed to write about some of them and share a little about what I do. It's incredibly easy to overlook these kids and what they go through while we deal with our own issues. We get so busy in our own mess it's difficult to think that any one's situation could be a whole lot worse that ours.
I walked into the classroom of my 5th and final school for the first time. It was Thursday. Time to get to know a whole new set of kids. Time to sort through the last OT's mess he left behind. "Here we go..." I thought as I stepped into the Special Day Class. About 12 happy faces stared at me. "Is Johnny here?" I asked the teacher. She smiled and pointed to a boy sitting at his desk reading a comic called "Captain Underpants..." He would loudly chuckle to himself as he turned each page.
"Johnny, the OT is here to see you!" his teacher exclaimed. "You can pull him anytime," she said to me. Johnny and I walked out to the auditorium together. He walked as fast as he could, his short legs stretching to keep up with my every step. As he walked he asked a series of questions: "Where's the old OT?"
"I don't know," I said. "He is not working in schools anymore," I explained.
"Why?" asked Johny
"I don't know," I replied.
"Why don't you know?" he inquired.
"I don't know why I don't know," I calmly stated.
"Do you know anything Ms. Sara?" he asked.
"Yes Johnny, I know some things."
"Do you know how to make me better?"
"Better?"
"Ya, like, will you help fix me?"
"Fix you?"
"Yes! You know, make me healthy!"
"I don't know if I can do THAT Johnny."
"Well, what can you do?" he asked imploringly.
"Well, I can try to make you happy," I replied.
"I'm good with happy. Make me happy Ms. Sara. Do you like Harry Potter?"
This was our first conversation. This conversation nestled this child firmly into my heart. Johnny is a very very sick boy. He was born with a tumor on his spine. Several surgeries later, and chemo...along with loss of bowl control and overall fitness this wonderful Filipino boy resumed the fight for health, wellness, life, and normalcy.
I really looked forward to working with Johnny every week. He would always be sitting in his classroom reading "Captain Underpants" and chuckling out loud. Then he would turn his bright face towards me and exclaim: "YES! OT! Ms. Sara did you watch Sponge Bob yesterday?" Then he would go on into these fantastic stories. I would eagerly listen while he performed the OT tasks on the table. We would talk about Harry Potter, Sponge Bob, what crabby patties would taste like if they were real, what our cartoons would be about if we made up some, or just about Johnny's life.
Johnny would never directly talk about what is going on with him. He would just talk about blissful things. He'd talk about his parents or the latest movie he was going to see.
I found myself going home and renting the movies he talked about or watching Sponge Bob, just so I could join in his blissful wonderland. It was when he started to talk about "Make a Wish Foundation" that my ears would really start to perk. "What does he mean, Make a Wish?" I thought to myself. "How serious is this?" I wondered.
A little research opened me up to the seriousness of Johnny's situation. Everyday IS a miracle for Johnny. I couldn't imagine being below 5th grade and facing death on a day to day basis. Johnny's great imagination is his great escape from reality.
I couldn't help but grow even more fond of what happened to this wonderful kiddo.. I was so determined to make every session of our meaningful, for the rest of the year. Towards the end of the year we had a conversation that broke my heart..
"Ms. Sara, I'm going to the Harry Potter theme park!" Johnny told me.
"WOW Johnny! Harry Potter!"
"Yup, and Ms. Sara, I would really like to get you something." "I want to get you a wand." "It will be hard though, because the wand chooses the person you know, so I may not be able to get you one."
I smiled. "It's okay Johnny, I don't need a wand." "Maybe you can show me yours when you come back." I replied.
"Well Ms. Sara. I don't think magic will help me, even though I wish it was real, but I may just come back with a pet owl. Then I will send you a message!" he smiled.
"See you next year my friend" I said. "Be careful, owls can bite!"
"Don't worry Ms. Sara. I'm very good with animals!" He exclaimed and walked towards his class.
Before he got to the door he turned and said: "I hope I get you as an OT next year!" and with one last smile closed the door.
I do have Johnny again this year! We have resumed our adventures and every time I see him he makes me smile like I have never smiled before.
Johnny has taught me that I have much bigger things to be concerned about other than myself and my own issues. Whatever difficulties I am currently dealing with, none of them are permanent. None of them threaten my day to day existence. Yet, there are individuals out there whose everyday existence is threatened. How are they so positive? What do they see and feel that so many of us cannot seem to grasp?
Johnny reminds me of God's love and existence everyday. Sometimes I think so minutely. Only about myself. "How am IIIII going to deal with this?" "Why is my life so difficult?" "When is this going to end?!"
When I start to narrow my life view point God checks me with Johnny. If HE can have such a hopeful and wonderful attitude, I have NO excuse.
