Amy Thiessen

Clinical Associate Professor, Oklahoma City University

  Follow Amy  #AtHomeWithAAA

 

My home office – UGH! I’m working from home with my two teenagers. I have a card table in my bedroom with a painful chair. I'm not able to retrieve anything from my office on campus, and new furniture is not in the budget.

New technology – I’m using Zoom, Teams, and Kahoot. It's all new for me, and I’ll continue using it.

I’ve come to appreciate – So many things!

  • Having a backyard to be outdoors whenever I want.
  • That, on Zoom calls, you can't see the holes in my favorite jeans.
  • AAA’s new Virtual Anatomy community.
  • Kim Topp’s PT group leadership.
  • Siesta hour. I take a 20-30 minute rest in bed after lunch. It's delightful!

My challenges & solutions – I'm on my own with 36 students and just four other faculty in our PT program, so deciding which resources are worthwhile is overwhelming. When I’m struggling, I call out for help to the AAA! I consult with my high-school sophomore about what things look good and work in the classroom. Her teachers are way ahead of me on lots of this. She is sometimes painfully honest about things that look bad or boring. Our program begins June 1, but we postponed anatomy to later in summer in hopes of having some type of live, in-person lab experience. We may be shifting some cadaveric experience to other places in the later curriculum as well.

My lifesaver – The American Physical Therapy Association Neurology Section gifted members a meditation app membership.

TV time – I’m enjoying several things: Masterpiece Mystery Baptiste; Never Have I Ever, romcom fun with my 16 year old; and The Expanse, simultaneous watching with my 13 year old and relatives in another state.

Things change – Rowing has been relegated to an indoor machine.

I really miss – My annual mammogram. I'm at high risk and the stress of not having it weighs on me.

Milestone – We finally had our first take-out or restaurant food in 7 weeks: a fantastic Thai feast!

My guilty pleasures – A Victoria Sandwich (it's really cake with strawberry jam) and a glass of wine after dinner during the week.

I’ve forgiven myself for – Siesta hour, not rowing enough, the Victoria sandwiches, blowing off homeschooling – the list is getting longer.