DSP (Direct Support Perfection)

Photo Description: A large clock fack with a person wearing a white helmet is adjusting the minute hand.

This morning hit me like a hammer blow.

I think it's because my body has been through several differing time zones in just a few days. From being adapted to the time in Edmonton, switching to Eastern time was tough but then a couple days later going through the switch in time with turning back the clock. I woke up, after a decent sleep and just couldn't move. I was 'zoned' out.

Joe was up and doing fine so I asked him to let people know that I wouldn't be in to work today. I felt horrible. Just horrible.

I got up and sent out the newsletter, let this be the announcement that the November issue of Service, Support and Success has been released and you can get a subscription by emailing me at dhingsburger@vitacls.org, and answered a few emails. I wanted to be up to date.

But I had the luxury of making that decision. Of knowing that I wasn't well and that my mind was foggy and my body wasn't adjusting.

While doing emails, an 'all staff' email came through alerting, surprisingly, 'all staff' to the time change and reminding everyone that they may need to be a little more patient as everyone adjusts to it.

I was immediately struck at how kind the email was. We need to be reminded, on occasion, to be alert to, changes, large and small, and of the effect they can have on people.

Even though I was tired, and even though I was suffering from 'zone-itis' myself, I smiled when I saw the email.

Let me take a moment just to say that I think that direct support professionals can be some of the nicest people in the world!