17 Dec
17 December
I had an appointment with Dale (social worker) this morning. We went up to Lygon Street again. Unfortunately, we couldn't get the disabled parking spot outside Browns so we parked in the next street around the corner. I told Dale that I have to take it easy today because I have another outing scheduled with Jacqui (OT) this afternoon. We stopped at Browns for coffee and then walked around the other way back to the car. Dale said it was about 500m walk but for some reason I felt quite tired after that - maybe it's the heat - it's quite warm today.
In the afternoon, Jacqui and I went to Lygon Court. I told her that I had a really bad experience at a shopping mall in Manuka, Canberra with the escalator and she thought it'd be good to add that to my goal list. Originally, she suggested we taking the tram into the city and to Myers to practice getting on and off the escalator. I was glad that I was able to talk her out of doing that - I don't think I'm ready to go into the most crowded department store on a Friday afternoon a week before Christmas. Besides, the escalator there has steps - too tricky for me at this stage.
When we got to the Lygon Court carpark, it was full so we had to wait for a while to get in. We finally got in about 15 minutes later. I was surprised to find the disabled parking spot empty. Jacqui didn't have the disabled parking permit so we had to park somewhere else. We managed to find a spot not too far from the supermarket except it was on a big slope. I found it very hard to walk on a slope - my ankle didn't like it much and kept inverting. When we finally got to the entrace of Lygon Court (just outside the supermarket), there was a table set up by the Salvation Army. I didn't really look what they were doing. I presume it's some kind of collection for Christmas. The guys at the table looked at me and appeared to be quite sympathetic but were also curious about what happened to me. When they asked me what happened (something I didn't really want to explain in details), I told them that I'm recovering from a brain surgery - didn't expect to continue the conversation. They couldn't help their curiosity and asked me what sort of brain surgery. I was quite annoyed at their persistence and just replied 'a neurosurgery' and walked away.
Jacqui then took me to try out the escalator ahead of us. After about 4-5 times, I was getting a bit more comfortable with it and decided it's time to go. I thought since I was there, I might as well pick up some grocery from safe so we don't have to go on the weekend. Tim hates grocery shopping so this should save him the angony of having to accompany me to the supermarket on the weekend.
Alessia, a friend of mine, came to visit later in the afternoon. She mentioned that in my diary, I wrote quite a bit about going for a coffee with the social worker. She thought that was a bit strange and asked me why we always go to cafes. Good question! A lot of people must wonder why. It's not that the social worker has such an easy job and that's what he does. I think the reason is one of my rehab outcome is that I can live an independent normal life and MECRS think it's important for me to get back to the community. Going to cafes is just of one the 'normalisation' processes. I know it sounds silly but when I was first discharged from the rehab hospital, I was quite afraid to go out (even with Tim). Even now, 3 months after my discharge, I still don't feel perfectly comfortable when I go out. The only place I feel comfortable and normal (apart from at home or my parents' place) is MECRS. It's the only place I don't feel like a freak. It's definitely not normal when I feel like this. This is exactly what the social worker and OT are trying to help me to overcome - I need to feel comfortable going out and back in the community again.
I had an appointment with Dale (social worker) this morning. We went up to Lygon Street again. Unfortunately, we couldn't get the disabled parking spot outside Browns so we parked in the next street around the corner. I told Dale that I have to take it easy today because I have another outing scheduled with Jacqui (OT) this afternoon. We stopped at Browns for coffee and then walked around the other way back to the car. Dale said it was about 500m walk but for some reason I felt quite tired after that - maybe it's the heat - it's quite warm today.
In the afternoon, Jacqui and I went to Lygon Court. I told her that I had a really bad experience at a shopping mall in Manuka, Canberra with the escalator and she thought it'd be good to add that to my goal list. Originally, she suggested we taking the tram into the city and to Myers to practice getting on and off the escalator. I was glad that I was able to talk her out of doing that - I don't think I'm ready to go into the most crowded department store on a Friday afternoon a week before Christmas. Besides, the escalator there has steps - too tricky for me at this stage.
When we got to the Lygon Court carpark, it was full so we had to wait for a while to get in. We finally got in about 15 minutes later. I was surprised to find the disabled parking spot empty. Jacqui didn't have the disabled parking permit so we had to park somewhere else. We managed to find a spot not too far from the supermarket except it was on a big slope. I found it very hard to walk on a slope - my ankle didn't like it much and kept inverting. When we finally got to the entrace of Lygon Court (just outside the supermarket), there was a table set up by the Salvation Army. I didn't really look what they were doing. I presume it's some kind of collection for Christmas. The guys at the table looked at me and appeared to be quite sympathetic but were also curious about what happened to me. When they asked me what happened (something I didn't really want to explain in details), I told them that I'm recovering from a brain surgery - didn't expect to continue the conversation. They couldn't help their curiosity and asked me what sort of brain surgery. I was quite annoyed at their persistence and just replied 'a neurosurgery' and walked away.
Jacqui then took me to try out the escalator ahead of us. After about 4-5 times, I was getting a bit more comfortable with it and decided it's time to go. I thought since I was there, I might as well pick up some grocery from safe so we don't have to go on the weekend. Tim hates grocery shopping so this should save him the angony of having to accompany me to the supermarket on the weekend.
Alessia, a friend of mine, came to visit later in the afternoon. She mentioned that in my diary, I wrote quite a bit about going for a coffee with the social worker. She thought that was a bit strange and asked me why we always go to cafes. Good question! A lot of people must wonder why. It's not that the social worker has such an easy job and that's what he does. I think the reason is one of my rehab outcome is that I can live an independent normal life and MECRS think it's important for me to get back to the community. Going to cafes is just of one the 'normalisation' processes. I know it sounds silly but when I was first discharged from the rehab hospital, I was quite afraid to go out (even with Tim). Even now, 3 months after my discharge, I still don't feel perfectly comfortable when I go out. The only place I feel comfortable and normal (apart from at home or my parents' place) is MECRS. It's the only place I don't feel like a freak. It's definitely not normal when I feel like this. This is exactly what the social worker and OT are trying to help me to overcome - I need to feel comfortable going out and back in the community again.
posted by Teresa Liu at 9:15 PM
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