21 March 2005
A very big day for me - I have my driving test in the morning and an appointment with the neurosurgeon in the afternoon. I'm nervous about both appointments.
I had my driving lesson at 10.45 a.m. as scheduled. I didn't tell the instructor that I was practising my parallel parking on the weekend. He was trying to get me to do exactly what he tells me to do - e.g. when to start turning the wheel and which way to turn. I didn't want to tell him to shut up and just let me try it for myself. In the end, he told me to watch for his signals - when he close his hand, it means I should start turning the wheel. I always knew there's something about the OT driver assessor and the driving instructor - talking about collusion. On the way, he told me exactly the way they will ask me to go for the test - we even decided on the spot where they'll get me to do the parallel parking - he got me to try a few spots until I found one that's big enough that I can definitely do it. After the lesson, I was still a bit unsure about doing the test. I didn't want to throw away $165 for nothing. He assured me that I should pass this time. We stopped outside the Medical Centre and he told me to wait at the centre because he and the OT driver assessor need to do a driving test for someone else first. I was feeling a bit anxious since it was already 11.30 a.m. and mine is booked at 12 pm. I was worried that I won't have enough time to get home, have some lunch and then walk to my neurosurgeon's appointment.
I went into the centre and sat down on a couch. The OT came out and directed this elderly man to go to the car. He looks quite old and was shuffling along with a stick. I suspect he had a stroke. I waited for about half an hour and was getting quite hungry. Finally, they came back. I could see the old man trying to do parallel parking from where I was sitting. He didn't quite make it - after a few attempts, still couldn't do it. In the end, the OT got out of the car. I had a feeling that the old man didn't pass. When the OT collected me to go to his office, I complained to him that I've been waiting for ages and was getting more and more hungry and I still have another appointment to go after the test. I wondered the reason to go to his office and then I realised - he could collect money from me - cash, of course. I didn't get a receipt from him and I wonder if I should report him to the tax office. I noticed that on the ATO website there's a new link to 'How to report tax evasion'.
When I got in the car, I had to adjust the seat a little bit which is a bit annoying - it took me a while to adjust it to a comfortable position for me before. I realised the position of the steering wheel is important for me - it makes it harder for me to turn the steering wheel fast when I'm too far away from it but then I don't want it to be too close so I have no room to turn it.
The test started when they told me to get on the main road when I'm ready. I did exactly what the instructor told me - check the mirror, put my indicator on and then a head check and then pull out. Both of them said this is really good - I guess that's a good start. We went by the route the instructor took me around earlier. They took me to the spot where the instructor told me I'll be doing the parallel parking and asked me to park. I didn't have to follow his signals and I was able to park ok. The test didn't go for very long and the OT directed me to head back. There was one final parallel parking to do in front of the medical centre. I thought I could do it but didn't do it very well so I asked them if I could try again. The OT was a bit nervous that I might hit his car so the instructor told me to go to a spot where I could just pull straight in. That was it. The OT told me that he'll write a report to VicRoads for me. I have my license back! I probably won't go on the roads on my own yet but it's a relief to know that if I have to drive somewhere, I can.
The instructor gave me a lift back - I suppose if I didn't have a test, that's what he would do anyway. It was already 1 pm. I had to have some lunch and get ready to see Prof Kaye. I've been really nervous about this appointment because I'll find out the MRI result. Tim was kind enough to accompany me to the appointment. He meant to have a business meeting with someone from interstate but I was too scared to go to the appointment on my own so he agreed to come with me while his business partner, Paul, meets with this person. I asked Tim to help me put on my AFO because I know I'll be doing quite a bit of walking. We went through the back alley because I think I can save a bit of time taking the short cut. I don't think I'd take the back alley if I was going by myself because it's a bit hard for me to balance in the cobblestone laneway - I had to hold on to Tim's arm for balance from time to time.
I looked at my watch when we got there, it was just 2 pm - it only took us about 20 minutes to get there. The receptionist told us there're still 4 other people before me - the appointments are running a bit late. I felt really bad because Tim took time out from work and now he had to waste more time waiting. Tim said it's not my fault. I didn't look at the time when it was finally my turn. I was just so anxious to find out the results. Prof Kaye was very pleased to see me walking in without a stick. He thinks I'm way over my schedule - it hasn't been a year yet and I've been making a lot of progress. He mentioned that I may find that the progress will slow down or plateau as the brain has recovered bruising from the operation. He said the recovery will continue for a couple of years. Tim told him that he actually thinks I'm making more rapid progress recently. Prof Kaye said he thinks my recovery in the beginning has been quite rapid because I had intensive rehabilitation. It would not have been the same without intensive rehab. I felt like telling him but I don't think I had nearly as much rehab when I was at MECRS. I think Neil and Rosemary did a lot more than MECRS had. In fact, I was very tempted to ask him if my recovery would have progressed more if I went to Epworth in the first place. I didn't ask him that because I was afraid of the answer being yes. The same reason I never ask Gavin if he thinks I can have a full recovery. He then mentioned the MRI - the answer I've been waiting for anxiously. He said the scans are fine. No changes from last time. I asked him if there is still some left in there and he told me there is a little bit left in there but it's most likely to be very slow growing - something that needs to be monitored but not to worry at this stage. He said I may find having a scan and then see him every 6 months is boring but boring is good. I must say I felt so much better after finding out the result. I'm going to have another MRI in 6 months time.
On the way back, Tim left me to go to his meeting so I had to make my own way home. It's the first time I'm walking from Royal Melbourne Private to my house on my own (without a stick). I was a bit scared at first because I had to cross a couple of pedestrian crossings and I was worried that I wouldn't have enough time to make it across. I was surprised to find that I managed ok.
I'm going to the Bobath course again tomorrow. I went there yesterday and found it quite interesting. I'm not familiar with the Bobath technique but I think a lot of it relates to posture and movement. I was just telling Neil yesterday that I found it fascinating that by manipulating my posture and trunk control, the physios there were able to stop the wavering in my left arm. One of the exercises Neil gets me to do is to pat my head with my left hand but I always had problem stablising my hand so I don't actually have to do anything, the hand just pats the head automatically. It's a pity I had to miss out today's session due to medical appointment because I think I have a lot to learn attending the course.
I had my driving lesson at 10.45 a.m. as scheduled. I didn't tell the instructor that I was practising my parallel parking on the weekend. He was trying to get me to do exactly what he tells me to do - e.g. when to start turning the wheel and which way to turn. I didn't want to tell him to shut up and just let me try it for myself. In the end, he told me to watch for his signals - when he close his hand, it means I should start turning the wheel. I always knew there's something about the OT driver assessor and the driving instructor - talking about collusion. On the way, he told me exactly the way they will ask me to go for the test - we even decided on the spot where they'll get me to do the parallel parking - he got me to try a few spots until I found one that's big enough that I can definitely do it. After the lesson, I was still a bit unsure about doing the test. I didn't want to throw away $165 for nothing. He assured me that I should pass this time. We stopped outside the Medical Centre and he told me to wait at the centre because he and the OT driver assessor need to do a driving test for someone else first. I was feeling a bit anxious since it was already 11.30 a.m. and mine is booked at 12 pm. I was worried that I won't have enough time to get home, have some lunch and then walk to my neurosurgeon's appointment.
I went into the centre and sat down on a couch. The OT came out and directed this elderly man to go to the car. He looks quite old and was shuffling along with a stick. I suspect he had a stroke. I waited for about half an hour and was getting quite hungry. Finally, they came back. I could see the old man trying to do parallel parking from where I was sitting. He didn't quite make it - after a few attempts, still couldn't do it. In the end, the OT got out of the car. I had a feeling that the old man didn't pass. When the OT collected me to go to his office, I complained to him that I've been waiting for ages and was getting more and more hungry and I still have another appointment to go after the test. I wondered the reason to go to his office and then I realised - he could collect money from me - cash, of course. I didn't get a receipt from him and I wonder if I should report him to the tax office. I noticed that on the ATO website there's a new link to 'How to report tax evasion'.
When I got in the car, I had to adjust the seat a little bit which is a bit annoying - it took me a while to adjust it to a comfortable position for me before. I realised the position of the steering wheel is important for me - it makes it harder for me to turn the steering wheel fast when I'm too far away from it but then I don't want it to be too close so I have no room to turn it.
The test started when they told me to get on the main road when I'm ready. I did exactly what the instructor told me - check the mirror, put my indicator on and then a head check and then pull out. Both of them said this is really good - I guess that's a good start. We went by the route the instructor took me around earlier. They took me to the spot where the instructor told me I'll be doing the parallel parking and asked me to park. I didn't have to follow his signals and I was able to park ok. The test didn't go for very long and the OT directed me to head back. There was one final parallel parking to do in front of the medical centre. I thought I could do it but didn't do it very well so I asked them if I could try again. The OT was a bit nervous that I might hit his car so the instructor told me to go to a spot where I could just pull straight in. That was it. The OT told me that he'll write a report to VicRoads for me. I have my license back! I probably won't go on the roads on my own yet but it's a relief to know that if I have to drive somewhere, I can.
The instructor gave me a lift back - I suppose if I didn't have a test, that's what he would do anyway. It was already 1 pm. I had to have some lunch and get ready to see Prof Kaye. I've been really nervous about this appointment because I'll find out the MRI result. Tim was kind enough to accompany me to the appointment. He meant to have a business meeting with someone from interstate but I was too scared to go to the appointment on my own so he agreed to come with me while his business partner, Paul, meets with this person. I asked Tim to help me put on my AFO because I know I'll be doing quite a bit of walking. We went through the back alley because I think I can save a bit of time taking the short cut. I don't think I'd take the back alley if I was going by myself because it's a bit hard for me to balance in the cobblestone laneway - I had to hold on to Tim's arm for balance from time to time.
I looked at my watch when we got there, it was just 2 pm - it only took us about 20 minutes to get there. The receptionist told us there're still 4 other people before me - the appointments are running a bit late. I felt really bad because Tim took time out from work and now he had to waste more time waiting. Tim said it's not my fault. I didn't look at the time when it was finally my turn. I was just so anxious to find out the results. Prof Kaye was very pleased to see me walking in without a stick. He thinks I'm way over my schedule - it hasn't been a year yet and I've been making a lot of progress. He mentioned that I may find that the progress will slow down or plateau as the brain has recovered bruising from the operation. He said the recovery will continue for a couple of years. Tim told him that he actually thinks I'm making more rapid progress recently. Prof Kaye said he thinks my recovery in the beginning has been quite rapid because I had intensive rehabilitation. It would not have been the same without intensive rehab. I felt like telling him but I don't think I had nearly as much rehab when I was at MECRS. I think Neil and Rosemary did a lot more than MECRS had. In fact, I was very tempted to ask him if my recovery would have progressed more if I went to Epworth in the first place. I didn't ask him that because I was afraid of the answer being yes. The same reason I never ask Gavin if he thinks I can have a full recovery. He then mentioned the MRI - the answer I've been waiting for anxiously. He said the scans are fine. No changes from last time. I asked him if there is still some left in there and he told me there is a little bit left in there but it's most likely to be very slow growing - something that needs to be monitored but not to worry at this stage. He said I may find having a scan and then see him every 6 months is boring but boring is good. I must say I felt so much better after finding out the result. I'm going to have another MRI in 6 months time.
On the way back, Tim left me to go to his meeting so I had to make my own way home. It's the first time I'm walking from Royal Melbourne Private to my house on my own (without a stick). I was a bit scared at first because I had to cross a couple of pedestrian crossings and I was worried that I wouldn't have enough time to make it across. I was surprised to find that I managed ok.
I'm going to the Bobath course again tomorrow. I went there yesterday and found it quite interesting. I'm not familiar with the Bobath technique but I think a lot of it relates to posture and movement. I was just telling Neil yesterday that I found it fascinating that by manipulating my posture and trunk control, the physios there were able to stop the wavering in my left arm. One of the exercises Neil gets me to do is to pat my head with my left hand but I always had problem stablising my hand so I don't actually have to do anything, the hand just pats the head automatically. It's a pity I had to miss out today's session due to medical appointment because I think I have a lot to learn attending the course.
posted by Teresa Liu at 8:28 PM
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