Lasik

I have had many surgeries. Tracheotomy, heel-cord release, intracranial pressure monitor and the   Baclofen Pump, just to name several. So my friends and family definitely disapproved of my decision to go in for more surgery. Lasik, I felt would come in handy for driving and long distance vision.“  Lasik? You’ll go blind! Don’t you have enough on your plate” they said. Well I researched it and not one case caused blindness. l still thought twice about it, but I did it. I didn’t go blind, but I had a strange thing happen. I  never had problems reading before, but after a year (within that year my vision was perfect),  I had near sightedness which made it difficult to read .However, long distance was fine! So I went from sometimes using glasses to again sometimes using glasses. Ahhh it was so frustrating! In many cases the sight is fine, but I just want to warn you that something can go wrong.  So please think of whether you would prefer things being blurry when they’re close up or further away because if I had the option to do it again, I’m not sure that I would.

Lumosity

So I was feeling bored out of my mind one day  and I started to think, “What is there to  do?” I wasn’t employed at the time and I’m not the most mobile/coordinated person in the world so taking an afternoon jog was out of the question. Then it occurred to me, how about doing something a little less physically taxing and to focus more on challenging apps for my brain. So I searched on the internet to find apps that could benefit me.  There were several that improved my speech like Sound Meter and Xpiano. Then there was one reaction time app that made it easier to drive called Fastest Finger. Finally, I found one that intrigued me even more! It was created by a neuroscientist and composed of games / tools. Lumosity helps you exercise and train your brain. The scientists have taken scientific tests and come up with 40 games that are fun! These games help with memory, attention, speed, problem solving and flexibility. Now I will warn you when you first start training you will probably feel like you just started kindergarten.  In one game they have someone writing problems on a chalkboard. In another you are a server and you’re supposed to remember what type of food the customers ordered. However, the games have proven to be valuable and help people of all ages. It can help people that have sustained brain injury, like myself,  the elderly or someone who just wants some sprucing up.  Try playing 15 minutes a day 3-5 times a week for the biggest gain. I’d try it for several months. Don’t just do it one time;  that way you won’t see any progress. Go  ahead give it a try!

Spasticity

When there is damage to the pathways in the nerves that control movement in the muscle spasticity occurs. Brain injury is my reason, but they’re many other diagnoses in which spasticity can take place. For example, cerebral palsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Spasticity can cause some pain, increase in tone. or tightness in muscles, spasms, decreased in function and bone/ joint malformation. I have spasticity on my entire right side. I have used two medical procedures to try to make my life as “normal” as possible. The first is called Botox. It doesn’t just relieve you from wrinkles. It helps relax other parts of your body like your arm and hand. So I go from the appearance of a clenched fist to a loose hand. The next medical procedure is called the Baclofen Pump.  The Baclofen Pump  releases this medicine called Baclofen through a catheter to affected areas of the body. The medicine also relieves spasticity. So if you or anyone you know is suffering from spasticity, I recommend trying these. Hope this helps!

ADLs

So I went to this chiropractor to help improve my walking. I thought it was going great, but I soon realized it was having the opposite effect. Anyways, there was this form that all patients filled out and on it were Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). There were such things like putting on your socks, watching television and reading. So you had to mark if they were easy or hard. I put easy for all of the above. What I did not put easy for was running and climbing stairs. They forgot to mention some things that seem relatively simple but are not able to be completed by myself. Tying shoes and putting up my hair are two of them for right now. So here is what I would like you to do. Next time you are out with your friends, I want you to say "hey guess what!!  I tied my own shoes today." Just wait and see what their reaction is :)