Posts
Anyway, I was browsing back through last year's blog posts and found this post. I thought it might help 'splain the whole "LOSTie" thing to my newer blog readers....
What is a LOSTie?
And I found this post from last summer and found it interesting. Rather than send you to another post, I thought I'd just copy and paste it here and add some updates (in red)...
One week shy of six months
Next week will be the six month "anniversary" of my head injury. Am I better? Yes. Am I fully recovered? No. Will I ever be fully recovered? Probably not. Well, we're 18 months into recover now....What is better? What has improved?
- My handwriting is pretty consistent these days, and back to my normal writing. I only write in "3rd grade style" when I'm overtired, stressed, and after a seizure. This is still true. Most days I can write quite nicely, but I have found that bad handwriting is usually a sign of an approaching seizure.
- My love for music has returned!!!!! This is one of my biggest praises! I can listen to music for hours once again, and I can sing along without any problems. Great for me, not so great for the dogs since they have to listen to me! :) I still can't sing in a group, like at church. I'm fine if I'm singing along with my iPod or the radio, or just singing a silly song to the dogs. But singing hymns in church? Not happening!
- I'm driving! I'm perfectly capable of driving myself anywhere I need to go in town. I can even go to Walmart or the grocery store alone and not have any problems! I can drive to the next town over now without any trouble (that's about 20 miles one way). I can even go to our tiny mall or go to several different places in one trip. I haven't ventured out to the new shopping center in another town (about 25-27 miles) yet, but I'll get there! I have to learn to drive that far - there is a huge new Target and a Barnes & Noble opening there soon!
- I'm cooking our meals and keeping the house clean and the laundry done. Cooking was a really big obstacle to overcome. I'm still preparing really simple meals, but I can do it without assistance. I've conquered cooking for the most part. On a bad day I still can't handle more than one pot on the stove at a time, but that's rare these days. Cleaning and laundry? All good!
- I'm stamping again. For a couple of months after my injury, I couldn't plan and put together a card. I'm back at my stamping desk and creating up a storm. I challenged myself to make 100 cards this summer, and so far I've made over 60. Well, I challenged myself to make 200 cards this summer, and I'll be lucky to make 100. That's not from lack of ability, just lack of creativity and inspiration! LOL!
- My planning and organizing skills are coming back slowly, but surely. I'm making to do lists not just for today, but planning out my entire week ahead of time. I still have moments of frustration in planning the little stuff, but Ed's always there to help me out. I don't need to plan my entire week anymore, which is great. I can handle stretching a "to do" list over two days if need be. Still gotta' have that list, though, but that's not a head injury thing. I've always been a list girl!
What problems am I still having?
- My memory stinks! February, and March are pretty much a big black blob in my memory. I have very little recollection what happened during those months other than doctor's appointments, seizures, and frustration. My short term memory isn't much better. I forget things constantly, even after I've written them down. I can look at what I've written and not have any clue what it refers to. VERY frustrating! Still true for the most part. My short term memory is better, though. And if I write something down, I usually remember what it means.
- Money/budgeting skills. The concept of saving and spending and budgeting escapes my completely. I know I need to save money to pay bills, but the details involved just don't compute. Thankfully Ed takes care of our household account and he also helps me with my business expenses. I'm better about being aware of what I spend, but it's still a tough concept for me. Before my head injury I didn't have any trouble at all with money management. I took care of the check book for the first 7 years of our marriage. I've learned to ask Ed about what I can spend or how much I can spend if I'm not sure. He's very understanding and is such a huge help!
- Stamina. I still have problems judging my energy level and how much I can do before I hit "the wall" as I call it. When I hit "the wall" I'm done. Totally and completely DONE! The only thing I can do at that point is to rest/sleep. Usually about a half day in town wipes me out both physically and mentally for the rest of the day. I still don't have much stamina, but I can now tell when I'm going to hit "the wall." I've learned my limits and can see the signs that I'm getting overtired. Do I like having limits? Heck, no! But I'm learning to deal with them. What other choice do I have, really?
*********************************************************************************
I found it interesting to see where I was a year ago and what progress I've made in that year. It certainly hasn't been the progress I had hoped for, but at least I'm moving in the right direction. It's really hard to think that I may never be the me I was before I hit my head. Ed says I'm a completely different person than I used to be. That makes me sad. I think the fun and spontaneity will return in time, but for now I am much more cautious. I'm very wary of doing things and going places that might overwhelm me and/or trigger a seizure. But I can do more and more, and I've found that if I push myself to do more things I'll eventually conquer the challenges. I can now shop by myself, drive myself to appointments, take care of the house, work (even if it is only 4 hour each week), and go to school (just not graduate school). I can't do it all to the level I once could, but do I really NEED to by Superwoman? No. I just need to be me.
Oh! And on a totally different topic - we got 2 1/2 inches of rain in about 30 minutes yesterday evening! It was wonderful! And afterwards there was a GORGEOUS rainbow - a complete one - behind our house. God is so good!
1 comments:
I'm a LOSTie! ;) I know it's slow going and at times frustrating for you and Ed, Suz, but you really have come a long way, and the progress will continue! You are so fortunate to have such a wonderful and supportive husband. I wish the best for you both!
Post a Comment