Date: Fri 01-Sep-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: AMYD

Quick Words:

Stephanie-Licht-AIDS-England

Full Text:

Trip To England Sparks An Interest In A Career

B Y A MY D'O RIO

Stephanie Licht went to England looking for a career and found one, just not

where she expected.

The psychology/government major at Lafayette College spent the spring semester

in England involved in a Boston University program that offered classes and

internships. Stephanie, a junior, was assigned to learn about speech,

occupational and physical therapies at the North Middlesex Hospital.

She thought she would like physical therapy the least, but quickly found out,

she liked it the most.

Stephanie, daughter of Peter and Susan Licht of Georges Hill Road, arranged to

spend most of her internship exploring different areas of physical therapy.

She was assigned to work two weeks in an AIDS ward.

The physical therapies for AIDS patients are uncommon due to the numerous

opportunistic diseases that afflict AIDS patients, Stephanie said.

The first day at the AIDS ward, Stephanie wrote in her journal: We got back to

the ward, and she showed me how to induce sputum. This is done to get a sample

from a patient who is thought to have PCP. Apparently, it collects sputum from

deep in the lungs where PCP would reveal itself, rather than a sample gotten

from a regular cough, which comes from the upper lungs. It was the first time

I had ever really been in contact with AIDS patients (and known it), and these

were sick patients. It was a very strange feeling.

Stephanie said she found the work fascinating, but also demoralizing because

no matter what one did, no matter the improvement, the patient would

eventually die.

She wrote: Jenny (the therapist) and I then went to a patient's home to do

treatment because he is too ill to come to the hospital or clinic. His

treatment was basically just walking to the couch from his wheelchair. He

couldn't do much else. It was very sad to see his flat and meet his wife and

see all the pictures of him when he was healthy. It makes you realize what it

must be like to live with AIDS in the family.

During her time on the AIDS ward, Stephanie watched a woman get treated for a

stroke and subsequently find out she was HIV positive and that the virus had

already started to affect the brain.

One day, Stephanie worked with a patient, and thought he was improving. The

next day, she learned the man - no more than 40 - died during the night.

The Newtown High School graduate did not spend all her time with AIDS

patients. She said she was allowed to watch a knee being replaced. She

observed that surgery is not as delicate as she thought. They used equipment

that looked like hammers and saws, she said, noting she had to leave the

operating room twice.

On another day, she worked in the intensive care unit and was recruited to

squeeze a bag that pumped breath into a woman who was temporarily removed from

a respirator.

"For insurance purposes, that would never happen here. You would have to be

certified in bagging or something," she said.

Providing air to this patient was a highlight of her trip, as was watching the

knee surgery.

Stephanie said she went abroad with the worry of finding a career for herself.

She has returned with her answer. Physical therapy, especially the work done

with AIDS patients, has caught her interest.