11 February 2005
I slept in a little bit this morning - still feeling very tired though. I'm getting a bit worried because I was feeling very tired before my operation. Tim thinks it may be because my brain is recovering quite a bit these days and it's normal to feel tired. I guess I'll find out when I go for my next scan.
After the exercise bike (which has become part of my morning routine when I'm not going to the centre in the morning), I was tryingt to get ready for my session with Prema. When I was in the shower, the phone rang. I didn't bother getting out of the shower and rush to the phone. Given that I received so many sales calls these days, I rather miss the phone call. If it's important, I'm sure the person will call back later. I was complaining to Rosemary yesterday the number of annoying phone calls I recived from market researchers and sales people in the last couple of weeks. The most annoying phone call I received was from someone who tried to sell me some investment product when I was busy cooking. They had sent us some information in the mail earlier but we threw them away. When he asked me if I have read it, I told him that I didn't because I threw it away - thinking that maybe this will end the conversation. I didn't expect him to ask me why I threw it away. I told him that I used to be a financial planner and I hated the industry and I don't believe in those products they're selling. I shouldn't have told him that because he said he's glad to hear that I was a financial planner because I should know not to leave my money in the bank and only getting 5% return while their product will get me 20% return. I was trying to get off the phone so I told him that I have to get back to cooking. He asked me' is cooking more important than investment?' I couldn't believe this! I didn't think I had to continue this conversation so I told him that I didn't want to talk to him and don't call me again. Rosemary told me she usually just tell the caller that they don't like intrusive phone calls and just hang up. I think I'll do the same next time. I guess there were probably lots of phone calls like that in the past but I didn't actually receive them because I was at work. Now I'm home most of the time, I tend to answer those phone calls more!
I switched on my mobile after the shower to find messages from Prema. She's not feeling well today and was trying to call me. I got back to her and rescheduled our session to next week. My next appointment of the day is with Dale, the social worker, at 3 p.m. All of a sudden, I have some time to clear my 'to do list', apart from doing my exercises. The first task is to book for a driving lesson. My driving test is on 21 Febuary so I need some practice before that. I called RACV and tried to make a booking but was told that there is a two weeks wait for the first lesson. My test is in two weeks time so I told them not to worry and started searching on the internet. I found 'Sprint Driving School' and booked a lesson with them for next Monday. Tim doesn't think I need any but I haven't been driving for so long I think I'll be too scared to drive by myself.
I had another meeting with Dale this afternoon. This time, we walked to the church I used to go before my operation - St Carthages on Royal Parade. It took us about an hour to get there and back. Dale thinks I'm so much more confident in walking outdoors these days. He also reminded me that when he first met me (around September last year after I was discharged from MECRS) , I couldn't lift up my left foot when walking - I used to have a material over the tip of my shoe so I could slide/drag my foot along on the ground. I've almost forgotten that. I guess I have made a lot of progress since I came home last September. I asked him in his experience with patients who had brain injuries whether the fatigue situations have improved. He told me that fatigue will improve over time - usually takes about a year or so. I'm glad to hear that because I'm a bit concerned that it's something I have to deal with always. I also asked him to follow up on a neuropsychologist test. I told him that I'm worried that there are still things not quite right but the impairment could be so subtle and people can't really tell the difference. For example, a couple of weeks ago, I had forgotten that I told Judy that Fiona didn't think a Botox in my leg would stop my ankle inversion so I told Judy again. When Judy told me that I've told her already, I was quite shocked and worried - I didn't remember that at all!
Neil turned up after my meeting with Dale. He's really cracking the whip this time. He made me go up and down the stairs so many times. When I was practising the 'one ball juggling', I dropped the ball and unfortunately it felt down the stairs - Neil made me go down the stairs to get the ball and when I came back, he made me to do a few more laps. He is so impressed with Gavin's 'pushy' style so he asked me if he should have a crew cut as well (like Gavin's). He checked my 'Mt Everest' exercise and thought it looked a bit easy for me now so he went to the study and found more books to add to the pile - there are 18 books on that pile now. I tried to reach to the pile again - it's a bit harder but not unachievable. When Tim got home, we got him to measure the height of the pile plus the bench. Tim measured it with a tape measurer - it's 187.5 cm. I'm only 175 cm so this is well above my head. Thanks to Neil and Rosemary, I think we have proved the rehab specialist at MECRS wrong. She said I may never be able to lift my arm above my head - I think I just did it this afternoon!
After the exercise bike (which has become part of my morning routine when I'm not going to the centre in the morning), I was tryingt to get ready for my session with Prema. When I was in the shower, the phone rang. I didn't bother getting out of the shower and rush to the phone. Given that I received so many sales calls these days, I rather miss the phone call. If it's important, I'm sure the person will call back later. I was complaining to Rosemary yesterday the number of annoying phone calls I recived from market researchers and sales people in the last couple of weeks. The most annoying phone call I received was from someone who tried to sell me some investment product when I was busy cooking. They had sent us some information in the mail earlier but we threw them away. When he asked me if I have read it, I told him that I didn't because I threw it away - thinking that maybe this will end the conversation. I didn't expect him to ask me why I threw it away. I told him that I used to be a financial planner and I hated the industry and I don't believe in those products they're selling. I shouldn't have told him that because he said he's glad to hear that I was a financial planner because I should know not to leave my money in the bank and only getting 5% return while their product will get me 20% return. I was trying to get off the phone so I told him that I have to get back to cooking. He asked me' is cooking more important than investment?' I couldn't believe this! I didn't think I had to continue this conversation so I told him that I didn't want to talk to him and don't call me again. Rosemary told me she usually just tell the caller that they don't like intrusive phone calls and just hang up. I think I'll do the same next time. I guess there were probably lots of phone calls like that in the past but I didn't actually receive them because I was at work. Now I'm home most of the time, I tend to answer those phone calls more!
I switched on my mobile after the shower to find messages from Prema. She's not feeling well today and was trying to call me. I got back to her and rescheduled our session to next week. My next appointment of the day is with Dale, the social worker, at 3 p.m. All of a sudden, I have some time to clear my 'to do list', apart from doing my exercises. The first task is to book for a driving lesson. My driving test is on 21 Febuary so I need some practice before that. I called RACV and tried to make a booking but was told that there is a two weeks wait for the first lesson. My test is in two weeks time so I told them not to worry and started searching on the internet. I found 'Sprint Driving School' and booked a lesson with them for next Monday. Tim doesn't think I need any but I haven't been driving for so long I think I'll be too scared to drive by myself.
I had another meeting with Dale this afternoon. This time, we walked to the church I used to go before my operation - St Carthages on Royal Parade. It took us about an hour to get there and back. Dale thinks I'm so much more confident in walking outdoors these days. He also reminded me that when he first met me (around September last year after I was discharged from MECRS) , I couldn't lift up my left foot when walking - I used to have a material over the tip of my shoe so I could slide/drag my foot along on the ground. I've almost forgotten that. I guess I have made a lot of progress since I came home last September. I asked him in his experience with patients who had brain injuries whether the fatigue situations have improved. He told me that fatigue will improve over time - usually takes about a year or so. I'm glad to hear that because I'm a bit concerned that it's something I have to deal with always. I also asked him to follow up on a neuropsychologist test. I told him that I'm worried that there are still things not quite right but the impairment could be so subtle and people can't really tell the difference. For example, a couple of weeks ago, I had forgotten that I told Judy that Fiona didn't think a Botox in my leg would stop my ankle inversion so I told Judy again. When Judy told me that I've told her already, I was quite shocked and worried - I didn't remember that at all!
Neil turned up after my meeting with Dale. He's really cracking the whip this time. He made me go up and down the stairs so many times. When I was practising the 'one ball juggling', I dropped the ball and unfortunately it felt down the stairs - Neil made me go down the stairs to get the ball and when I came back, he made me to do a few more laps. He is so impressed with Gavin's 'pushy' style so he asked me if he should have a crew cut as well (like Gavin's). He checked my 'Mt Everest' exercise and thought it looked a bit easy for me now so he went to the study and found more books to add to the pile - there are 18 books on that pile now. I tried to reach to the pile again - it's a bit harder but not unachievable. When Tim got home, we got him to measure the height of the pile plus the bench. Tim measured it with a tape measurer - it's 187.5 cm. I'm only 175 cm so this is well above my head. Thanks to Neil and Rosemary, I think we have proved the rehab specialist at MECRS wrong. She said I may never be able to lift my arm above my head - I think I just did it this afternoon!
posted by Teresa Liu at 3:35 PM
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