Travels to Chicago...

Bob and I are in the middle of traveling from Oregon to Chicago. Going through the airport checkpoint was quite interesting. I've been through the process before; however, new regulations started yesterday.

This time I had to take my shoes off, and my belt. Now, can't they see that in order to take my belt off, I have to stand up, as well as have some sort of balance. They don't care. "Take it off!" We had to take coats off too.

Bob got away with not having to take his shoes off. I told them that he couldn't do that. It is way too difficult.

My wheelchair needed disassembled and checked for explosives. I could have told them I shipped my last supply by mail yesterday. :-)

Next time we fly, I'm going to go to the airport in my pjs and then get dressed before boarding the plane.

Paranoia abound...

I am so paranoid. Tonight, while Bob and I were out to dinner, His eyes looked like he had red eyeliner on his bottom eye lid. When he pulled his bottom eye lid down, it looked to me like blood ran down his eye and pooled at the bottom. Now, with MS, even though I have bifocals, my eyes don't focus well up close. I asked the waiter to look; he didn't see anything. We went to a friend's house. They looked with a flashlight; nothing.

I know I saw something. I know I'm going to stay awake all night. Bob says he feels fine. I'm very paranoid. geesh...

The brain is funny....

You've heard me say this hundreds of times, "The brain's a funny thing." When it works; it works. When it doesn't work; it sucks.

Bob reminded me to do three things today. YES, HE REMINDED ME! However...one of the things he reminded me to do was to take Zachay to band class, but, 15 minutes later while driving him to the school, Bob didn't know where we were going. See...the brain sucks when it's not working well.

We leave for Chicago this weekend. We are staying in Portland, Oregon on Friday, so I can leave the car at the hotel for a week, and we can take the shuttle from the hotel to the airport. That way we get curbside service for lifting the luggage and wheelchair. Over the years, I've also become and "old bitty"; I hate crowds. I want everyone out of my way. I tend to get snippy.

The light bulb burns brighter...

I can't wait for the day that the light bulb lights up in Bob's head and stays lit. Every time he remembers things, I let my guard down and relax, then I start a conversation like nothing is wrong, and Bob forgets where he's at, argues with me about how long he's been in Oregon, and whose house we live in. :-(

But...but....but....he knows each of his client's account numbers frontwards and backwards. So, I can't wait for that one section of his brain that got zapped extra hard, recovers.

You know though, when I look back at how far Bob has come just since he's been home from May until now, just five months, he's a whole different person. He had a memory that lasted only minutes after learning something new, and talking to him was like talking to a blank wall. Now, he talks back and doesn't have a blank look on his face. :-) If you didn't know any better, you'd never guess anything happened so devastating.

Bob was judge...

We had our annual pumpkin carving contest last night. I've been doing it for twenty years (I think). Families are teams. They bring a pumpkin that is not carved nor does it have any tracing on it. Stencils or electrical tools are not allowed. Freehand only. All at the same time, each team finds a place to carve their pumpkin. They have one hour. After the hour, the pumpkins are placed side-by-side with a cover over them. When it gets dark, the pumpkins are uncovered and an unbiased person is chosen as a judge. Usually the judge is a neighbor that we knock on the door to ask them to judge.

Last night Bob was the judge. Even though he may have seen whose pumpkin was whose, he would have forgotten within five minutes, so he couldn't have been biased.

There is a traveling trophy that has been rotated for ten years. The first place team gets to claim the trophy and bragging rights for one year. The trophy is handed over to the first place team the next year by the previous year's winner.

Other memory issues with Bob that baffles me is still his memory of events we recently did. We went to see Asleep At The Wheel Friday. He doesn't remember if he has to come up with the event. But when I tell him, he knows all of the details. He doesn't remember the "title" of the pumpkin carving contest; but when I tell him we had the Pumpkin Carving Contest last night, he knows all of the details. This reminds me of last year, when I showed him objects, he couldn't name them, but he could give details about it.

Bob gets so frustrated and angry when he's talking and can't come up with words to identify the object he's talking about.

Arguing can be simple...

What a day! Today was Bob's (and my) first day back to work as a commodities broker. We only had one massive argument. I think that is a first for us. But you know...I was right and I wasn't backing down! typical woman

Bob apologized when he knew I was right. Arguing could be a simple thing if Bob would have just agreed with me from the beginning. That would have saved a lot of grief. I've heard that's not an instinct that the male human species possesses.

I'm ready for bed. Looks like exercising is a "no go" for today.

Downloading files...

Bob and I worked our fingers to the bone today. Bob finally starts back with his clients tomorrow, and we had so much to do to get ready. We were at the computer from 6AM to 9:30PM. Bob took a choir practice break, but I kept rolling along. Amazingly, I didn't have to tell Bob to stay focused. He stay intent on getting things done all day.

I have a new tidbit about how Bob's brain is working. Yesterday, he got a new email address from the new firm he will be working with. I don't believe I mentioned it more than two times yesterday. This morning, he remembered it with no clues from me. So, that tells me the brain definitely has a "high priority" folder in its filing cabinet somewhere.

Bob always forgets our wedding day by a day or two; so, of course I had to joke about that not being in the"high priority" file. I told him, "You've been caught! We now know that his memory works. No more forgetting." :-) The files in the "maybe remember" file are being transferred to the "always remember" file, just like you see the document being transferred on your computer when you download something.

I see I see...

Bob just had a light bulb turn on above his head! He thought we had to go to downtown Chicago to pick Zachary up at band practice. When I told him we were in Roseburg, Oregon on the west coast, his eyes widened like the light bulb went on in his head. :-)

That's an everyday conversation with us. It can get frustrating at times. It's frustrating because one minute my t knows everything, and then the next minute he's off in tim-buck-too. Go figure.

I wrote the neuro-research at OHSU to see if they could use Bob as a case study. I'll keep you updated with the response.

Frustration sets in...

OK, frustration is finally starting to "rear" its ugly head. I'm getting frustrated with Bob's lack of immediate short-term memory. All day long yesterday, my t didn't remember that we went to Zachary's marching band competition. He forgot as soon as we walked out of the gates. A fellow pulled up beside us as we got in our car to ask us what was going on at the school. Bob said there was a horse show going on. I asked Bob at least ten times within the next several hours what we attended. He didn't remember once. However, today, he remembers. Ugh...

So, immediate short-term memoery sucks, but next day memory is OK. Frustrating? Yes, it is !

By-the-way, Zachary's school took 3rd place.

Brain tricks...

hahaha...Last night, Bob and I were watching TV in bed. Well, I was watching TV, Bob was falling asleep. My t woke up and said, "Is she talking to me?" referring to the actress on TV. I started laughing, she was asking another actor if he wanted tea. Bob is so used to my kids and me calling him t, he thought the lady on the TV was talking to him by saying tea.

Doesn't the brain do funny things?

We are getting good about going for walks everyday. The weird things, though, Bob says his feet fall asleep, which makes it hard for him to walk.

I deserve a D for failing to post...

Sorry for not posting for a few days. I've been tired by the end of the day. Bob and I have been trying to get into some sort of routine. It's not working.

I read today on the Brain aneurysm foundation website that the brain IS a muscle and memory will come back if the survivor exercises it. The amount of time it takes depends on where the aneurysm broke in the brain. Frontal lobe breaks take a longer time to heal, which is where Bob's was, than other parts of the brain. How much longer? No one knows. So, that bit of information (that I already knew, but needed reinforced) refreshed my faith today.

Bob is recovering so well. He's walking better. His eyes are coordinated. His memory is coming back. Short-term memory still needs work. All in all, I'll give things one thumbs up.

My invention was approved for partnership with a company in California. That was exciting news.

Here's to the history buffs...

I knew someone who reads this blog would know history. I took "power" naps during History class in high school and college. Bob was half right on the question about when the two main political parties came about. The Democratic party started in 1743 and the Republican Party started in 1854. Bob thought they started around the same time. Thanks Roger for your email.

I won't tell you which party Bob and I belong to; however, I will say, I see the Republican Party started 100 years after the Democrats. The Republicans were tired of whining about the policies of the Democrats and had to form a group of their own. It hasn't stopped yet. (Don't throw things at the computer! Opinions are what make the world go around.)

Bob's memory is still baffling, but getting better. He remembered his answer that he gave me about the political parties 24 hours after our discussion, but he couldn't remember we were going to church five minutes after we got in the car this morning. I can tell some synapses are reconnecting; others, still need time.

Lararus...

Good news. My patented invention has been resurrected. A new company in California is looking to take my invention to manufacturers to be licensed and marketed. I'm a bit leery since my last agent "fell by the wayside" and was sued by some "big-wig".

I told Bob today that he's going to get a new nickname...Lazarus. God brought him back from the dead.

Bob did lots of walking today. He was sweating "like a pig", as he put it. To test his memory, I asked him when the two political parties started, Rep and Dem. I don't have a clue, but what he told me sounded good. He said, "Pretty much from the beginning, after the war of Independence." Does anyone know? Email me jiachini@msn.com

Reality check...

I had a reality check yesterday. I was so sick; I needed to stay in bed. Well, Bob couldn't find the things needed to make coffee (they've been in the same place for four years), he took the wrong medicine (even though his medicine is in a pill box with the days of the week printed on each section), and he couldn't find the programs he needed on his computer (email was one). Zachary didn't get up for school (his classes are online, so he didn't even need to shower!). Even though my t is recover well, there are some things that need retrained. Get this though, he has every client's account number memorized. The simple task part of the brain must have been zapped.

So, I got up to make coffee, and I screwed it up. I was so nauseous and "out of it", I put the filter in the coffee maker without the holder-thingy. There was coffee everywhere. :-(

I guess it goes to prove, males can't function without females. Sorry guys. ;-p

Success...

WE DID IT! Bob and I finally exercised. I gathered up all of my small pieces of exercise equipment that I've accumulated over the years and we exercised. Woo-hoo! Bob even did aerobics by walking about a quarter of a mile while pushing me in a wheelchair. I'm motivated. Maybe I'll be lean and trim for our wedding. Bob too.

We've decided to have a pig roast for our wedding reception. It is going to be in a park in Pluver. I hope the weather will be good. I've been in warm weather too long. I know I;ll be freezing.

Be prepared for an emergency. Get your Personal Medical Information Book at www.travel-mobility.com.

Exercise? What's that?...

What is so hard about exercising while sitting in a chair? Rather, I should say, "What is so hard about fitting strength training exercises into a daily routine while sitting in a chair all day?" IT'S NOT, BUT I DON'T.

Dag-nabbit, I have full intentions the night before to incorporate exercise into my day starting the following day. Before you know it, the day in done, I'm pooped, and ready for bed saying the same thing..."Tomorrow, I WILL exercise!"

Bob says the same thing. I can easily be swayed by his decision to not exercise when he says, "Later" or "Not right now".

I had my spirits lifted again a few days ago. I read an article about a girl who fell from a barn loft and was in a coma with a brain injury. After regaining consciousness. she had to reteach herself everything, just like Bob. She had short-term memory, just like Bob. She retrained her brain just like all the rest of her muscles. It took a few years, but she is back to 100%. The medical staff didn't think she would regain much. She surprised the heck out of them, just like Bob is doing.

Exercise conversation again...

Bob and I talk about exercising and eating healthy every day. We went to Costco yesterday and purchased everything healthy. We even passed up pumpkin pie. We got strawberries instead, but I suggested ice cream for on top of the strawberries. No we didn't get any. dang it.

We did good eating healthy for 24 hours, until Bob wanted dessert after dinner. Of course he said, "Let's go to Dairy Queen." You guessed it! I couldn't say no. Bob walked his calories off by pushing me to the football field to watch Zachary's marching band practice for a competition. (I could feel the calories burning right off. hahaha) Tomorrow's another day.