Checker Mate

Danny and I had another appointment in Seattle today, for speech therapy at the UW. Each time (once a week) we wake up at the crack of dawn, drive over, attend the therapy, and then head back home. It's about 3 hours (on average) each direction.

It's worth it though. Rehab therapy at the UW is third in the nation, and for many reasons, I know that the bills are worth it. I'm learning all kinds of tricks. They know how to challenge me. In fact, the other day, Danny and I were playing Dominoes at home, a ritual that we used to enjoy and finally, I won for the first time since the surgeries. We've been playing at least once a week, and since the brain trauma, I could never calculate the math. After discussing it with the therapist, she mentioned writing the math down. It completely cut my half of the game, which was probably 90% of the duration of the game. I know it sounds like a simple change, but it's nice to know that it's ok to count on my fingers; that it's acceptable to write down my thoughts, and calculations. My short term memory is pretty disgusting, but with little tricks, I'm making things work. In fact, with simple changes they're making my life much more successful. Little things make my life easier, and I don't think that there's a price on that (actually, there IS a price on that, but let's not go there). I can't seem to solve my own problems, but I'm learning how to manage them. It makes all the difference.

After the therapy, Danny and I went for a walk along Lake Washington and ran into a checker board. It was too rainy (note my rain boots in the photo) for a game, but I love the idea!

I'm loving my therapy, and I'm excited for my psych test in the neuro dept. It's going to be continued over three days, Monday the 11th, the 12th, and the 13th of October. It surrounds by my MRI. Lots of doctor's appointments that week. It's big time.