Two Weeks Since Brain Surgery

FYI - It takes me hours to type each post and it is a collection of random thoughts that I want to share. Fay spends time each night helping me edit into what you see here....

Still trying to figure out which therapy is the worst...

Occupational Therapy assessment today - Just over two weeks since surgery, I've gone from not being able to use my right hand completely to now being able to actually use utensils while eating. I think it's an improvement however, I still find my right hand laying limp and I've started using my left hand instead. So, I need to remember to challenge the right side.

They tested me on pinch strength and hand strength. As I expected, my right hand was a little less than half of what is normal. So I have a lot of work to do. They also timed me on a  peg game (place 10 pegs in holes and then remove them as fast as I can). My right hand took twice as long as my left. We also practiced opening and closing different sized jars. It turns out that I have already started automatically using my left hand to do these tasks. The therapist told me to make sure I do not do this because the brain can get lazy and then my right hand won't improve. For example, during the test, I held the jar in my hands but used my left hand to twist the jar rather than turn the lid with my right hand. I also took a typing test test. The homework that she gave me was to move a ball (size of a golf ball) from my palm to the tips of the fingertips and back - over and over again.
See below 

Speech Therapy:  My therapists compare it to going to the "Brain Gym".  Fay calls it Mind Therapy. It's still very difficult and probably more frustrating than anything else that I am dealing with. While holding a conversation is generally OK, my ability to picture scenes, describe items or even form a sentence using three related words (and then recall the words) is so difficult. Speech Therapy isn't what you might think. It is not correcting my speech, it is meant to help me formulate thoughts, find words, recall information and communicate what I might be thinking but cannot articulate. For example, they ask me to name 5 things that I would find at a park. I could only come up with slide and swing. Another exercise is when I'm given 3 words and I have to use them in a sentence and then repeat the original 3 words. It may seem easy, but I am really struggling with it. So, I'm given trees, trails and hill. I have to make a sentence and then give them the 3 words.
It will take me quite some time to get my speech back but I think I am on track. Especially after such a short time since surgery and considering all the seizure meds I'm taking.

Physical Therapy: When I was finally up and able to walk, it was so unbelievably painful that it was worse than the pain in my head. I wish someone would have told me that this would happen and I would have known what to expect upon release from the hospital. I only found out today when the therapist told us that the impact of a typical hospital bed stay on muscle loss is typically 3% of muscle mass per day. I was strapped down and unable to move for eleven days. My legs are stiff but with light stretches, so much better.
The other issue that we are working on is my right side drift. I was told that my core strength has weakened and that my entire body is leaning or drooping right. So, besides concentrating on balancing while walking, I'm told to concentrate on straightening up.

Science Daily --> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027162011.htm

As of today, I'm off of all pain medication and have worked up to about 5 miles a day which is great recovery.

Follow up and staple removal with Dr. Chang at Stanford is tomorrow.