Anne Tchappi
I have a nursing background and I have worked at Suburban Hospital, Shady Grove Hospital, and other hospitals. I lost my job, so I decided to apply to CSS and this was my first time working with people with disabilities. Once I got started, I started showing the individual I was supporting love, and then they started showing me love, and then this job became easier. When I started I was working at a sleep house and my husband didn’t like it. We kept talking about me taking another shift, but I ended up staying at that house in that position supporting the same individual for 5 years! I have now switched to a day position and am an EIA, and I have worked with lots of individuals.
Besides needing income for my family, the individuals need all of us to take care of them. Some don't have parents, and they are like family to me. If everyone stayed in quarantine, who will take care of them? In the beginning it was very scary and I had a lot of fear. I was the only one in my house going out to work and if I got COVID, I would bring it home to everyone else. It was scary before but now I have a lot of courage and it became easier.
I have love for them. You have to respect the individual, PPE, wash hands, wear masks. I don't have fear now because I know what to do. I tell the individuals to wash their hands, make sure the food they eat is fresh, and everything is clean. For me, it's no longer scary and there's no fear anymore like there was in the beginning. When you pray to God, everything is done for his glory. And nothing is done without him.