Friday, August 26, 2011

what a difference time makes.

Tonight I did something kind of epic for me.  I am not overly excited about this but it is something I honestly never thought I had in me or would be able to do.

Physical therapy in the a.m.  Came home, did 2 loads of laundry, napped, went to work 3-11.  At work I impulsively thought "I should go to Wal-Mart after work"  Impulsive, yes.  But I did have a grocery list at home and I didnt really want to deal with grocery shopping on a saturday.  I want to sleep in for once.  At wal-mart on late friday night I should be able to do that.  Less of a crowd, less stimulation.  So, I went to Wal-Mart right from work after I got off at 11:30 and I went WITHOUT a list!  YIKES, this is asking for trouble.

Driving there I had to keep reminding myself where I was going.   I got there and took a few deep breathes, and tried to think of what I had on my list at home.

Shop shop shop!  Oooh...I want THAT!!!  No, I don't need that.   Oooooohh...look at that cool thing, I should get it.  NO!!!!!

So I bought what I thought was on my list.  Saw some things I was not thinking of in the store, but pretty sure I had on my list.

Did I impulse buy???  Of course I did!  I bought breakfast bowls, bananas, rice bowls, and tropical trail mix.  Hey at least I didn't buy a watch, pair of shoes, a giant steak because it looked good, a roasted chicken, and any other random item that Wal-mart could possibly want this impulse shopper to buy  And then I went home and put everything away and looked at my list.  HOLY CRAP, I bought everything I had on my list.  

What a difference time makes.  The first time I went to Wal-Mart after my brain scramble I could not handle it.  My friend had to drive because I still could not really drive all that well, especially if it was a high traffic area and it was somewhere I did not go to all that often in my before life.  So my friend and I were in WallyWorld and I just wanted to hide under a pile of clothes.  It was so loud, so bright, so much to look at, so many people. YIKES...it was a mess.  I hated it, i swear my heart was going to pump right out of my chest.  I don't think we lasted that long there.  And I have slowly gotten better with being there with all of the stimulation, but I have also been there with one friend or another.   Tonight was the first time I have driven there and tackled Wally by myself.

Progress!!!!

So, tired, hungry, out of my norm, after a long day, after work, I tackled Wal-Mart and WON!  See Charlie Sheen, that is WINNING!!


Sunday, August 21, 2011

driving long distances with my tbi

Driving driving driving.  I have gotten better, but driving long distances is tiring.  From Pittsburgh to my dads house is 316 miles.  It goes a lil something like this in my mind.
 
  Get in car, check gas.  get gas.  Get on road and go balls to the wall.  Turnpike, Turnpike, Turnpike, you are getting on the turnpike.  Go go go.

  Get to turnpike gates, pick a lane, what lane do I choose? What heads east the easiest, check all traffic, cars cars cars, pick a lane, get in line.  Get to gate..push for ticket.

   Go go go.   Merge on turnpike, car in front of me, car behind me, traffic coming my way, wait wait wait wait, focus look behind....cars cars cars, is it safe to go is there enough space....Eh, I guess its ok now...car behind me honks.  Shit, I guess I should go.

    Speed limit sign check, check my speed...is this ok?  Processing.
    Am I going too slow? Am I going too fast?  Processing.
    Car behind me getting closer..hope they switch lanes.  Processing.
   Speed limit sign check, check my speed.  Processing
    Construction signs, read read read, Processing,.
   What is the contstruction coming up?  Do I switch lanes?  Processing.
   What does that advertisement sign say?  read Processing.
   OOOh...look at that pretty car...stare stare stare...Shit Hoban focus on driving.  Processing
   Crap was that a cop?  Check my speed, do I hit brakes?  Am I going to get pulled over?  Was I going an ok Speed?  Processing!
   Ker-thump!  What was that sound?  What did I do?  Did i hit something?  Look around look around, Processing.  A big bug splattered on window.  Processing.  Put on winshield wipers.  Back and forth back and forth back and forth.  Processing.  Shit Hoban focus on driving.  Processing.
  Check gas do I have enough?  Processing
   Cars zooming by on left.  Am I going to slow?  Check speed.  Processing.
   OOOh..what does that sign say??  Read, Processing.

  See,  this is just a snippet of what it is like driving a long distance. This is just about the first 70 miles. This does not even begin to cover it, but I bet your are tired just reading this.  It's interesting experience for sure.
 

Friday, August 12, 2011

Rocking this thing called a job!

So today was PHENOMENAL!  I was on my favorite TBI unit.

Patient is a 31 year old male with a shunt, had multiple brain bleeds.  And well, he and I were partners in crime.  I was LOVING IT!!!  The doctor came into the room this a.m. and he saw me and was like "Kara, I can only care for one patient in a room at a time, get out!!"  This doctor was my doctor until he finally discharged me from his care in May of 2010.  He gets a kick out of the fact that I am a survivor and working at the hospital where I did my rehab.  He is so kind and always worried about me.
So the patient and I were chilling.  He kept trying to pull his tubes out and I would just tell him to chill and after a while he caught onto the prompt and would stop.  And then he kept trying to get out of his wheel chair even though he was strapped in and I would tell him to chillax and then he would stop.  See, I spoke his language!   And he always had to have music on so he and I rocked out!  Music has helped me since my injury so I understood him having to keep it on.  He was working on balance and walking today and was giving the Physical therapists a hard time about it so me and my genius broken brain was like "Hey Jay, lets show the therapists the Dougie"  (for all y'all that don't know, the Dougie is a dance that is out and kinda cool and to a hip hop song"

 So i bust out my phone and start playing The Dougie and low and behold, he started trying to do it.  Was by no means perfect, but who cares, he was TRYING and standing and keeping his balance.  The PT looked at me and said Holy Shit Kara!!!!  And the patient kept saying I am the coolest girl ever!  The PT then brought the one doc in to show him me and the patient doing the Dougie.  The doc just smiled and gave me a High 5!

  When the patients sister came to visit, we showed he how he Dougies.  She is a nurse at the hospital and told me she was going down to the nurses information center and requesting that I be with her brother every day since I am so good with him and I am what he needs!  :)

  At the end of the day on the bus to parking lot one of the aides from the unit that was an aide when I was a patient asked if I was a nursing assistant yet.  Told him no,but I wanted to be.  Said I originally applied for aide positions but was told that I was not qualified.  He said I should totally do it now that I have proved I can work as a brain injured person!  EEEK!!!!!

  So, I have the aide saying I should do that.  Have the one nurse on the detox unit that wants me to be a detox RN and always asks me if I started classes yet.  So basically I have the whole hospital egging me on with a good chunk of them knowing I am a brain scrambler!