Talk about a fulfilling job!

In October, my ankle went wonky. Tendonitis and/or something called tarsal tunnel syndrome. (Think carpal tunnel syndrome, only in the ankle rather than the wrist.)

For a few days, I couldn't put any weight on my right foot, which meant dragging/hopping around. I had the weird foresight last summer to get myself a cane, which I actually used when I went hobbling back from MGH, where I went for an xray. (Ubered over: a 5 minute trip, if that; hobbled back home, taking my time to navigate the treacherous brick sidewalks.)

The ankle, thanks to rest, exercise, ice packs, and foot soaks, is about 95% back. Unfortunately, the limping I've been doing threw my gait so far off that I've developed some tendon strain behind my left knee.

My ankle problem is, of course, a minor nuisance at worst. I missed a couple of volunteer shifts, and I haven't been doing my 7 miles a day - so my Fitbit's been idled. 

The minor nuisance-y aspects did get me thinking of how terrible it must be to have substantial, permanent mobility issues. Not to mention if those mobility issues are compounded by developmental disabilities. 

So I was delighted to read about Massachusetts Assistive Technology Centers. 

At the Worcester facility profiled in The Boston Globe,  

...designers and technicians customize and adapt equipment, from shower chairs to iPads, to make them safer, more comfortable, or easier to use for people with developmental disabilities. The solutions can be as complicated as rebuilding a motorized chair, or as basic as laminating a cardboard box, as one of the adaptive equipment designers, Gabrielle Reis, discovered during weeks of trial and error as she attempted to build a tray for a wheelchair.

Massachusetts is one of a handful of states that provide these services, which are largely in support of residential facilities and group homes run by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS).  

The mother of one person helped by the Worcester  Assistive Technology Center spoke about her son's unique needs. The young man has cerebral palsy. He can't walk and "has hips so stiff it's impossible for him to sit." Making a bad situation worse, he's nonverbal. 

The Center is working on a motorized device that will better meet the fellow's need - as they've been doing for many years. A testimony to the importance of the Center in this family's life: they recently decided not to move to California, which lacks the sort of service the family relies on. 

“I could not live without them,” [the mother] said. “The whole reason I’m staying in Massachusetts is because we have this team.”

Across Massachusetts, there are:

...10 designers, five adaptive equipment technicians, one occupational therapist, and an adaptive clothing designer.

Chadwick Shrum, one of the Worcester designers, has an undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering, and a master's in mechanical engineering. Another Worcester designer, Nick Whitaker, studied mechanical engineering and has his degree in architecture. Both were drawn to their work by a shared "passion for tinkering and creative thinking."

 “All the ‘MacGyver’ and ‘Junkyard Wars’ I watched helped out,” Whitaker said.

Yes, if you're a creative tinkerer, having a job that prizes tinkering and creative thinking is important. But I'm guessing that having a job that helps those in dire need of help is also pretty rewarding. I'm also guessing that both of these fellows would be able to make more money in the private sector. 

Shrum and Whitaker are in the process of reworking a power chair so that its owner can stand upright for the first time in 10 years. Among other tasks that the souped up chair will enable is the ability to reach into cabinets.  

His job, Shrum said, gives him the opportunity to see firsthand the value of his work.

“To see the joy on her face, it makes all the work worthwhile,” he said.

We all want to be fulfilled by our work. Sounds like working at the Assistive Technology Center provides that fulfillment.