Hi AJ,

It would be great if you shared with us some of the tools you and AC come up with to help you. Rob and I were chuckling the other day, we determined since his stroke it is very hard for him to make appointments at all, much less make them on time. He has to work really hard at that. I'd love to see the tools you use that will help with cognitive issues.

-Karen

AJ,

I wish you well in learning to use tools to overcome the cognitive issues. I'll let you in a secret that I found worked for me. I am very much like you, I get distracted and fragmented easily and many days I didn't accomplish a thing. So my answer to that problem was to look at my life as one big vacation. I thought I didn't have to accomplish anything anymore, I basically took the pressure off of myself to be "productive" on a daily basis. I thought that living my life according to conditioning was for the birds. But I was also single and living alone, I doubt Awesome chick would be thrilled wityh my suggestion. Besides I've found that the downside of living my life footloose and fancy free of housework and on perpetual vacation catches up to one. It has to be done at some point especially when the dust bunnies grow to the size of tumbleweed. I guess you need to find your fine line of what you can handle and do. Maybe make the same day each and every week for the same thing(one day for dusting, one day for vacuming, one day for laundry) I break the jobs up over a period of days to make it more manageable and do-able.

Pam

I thinks its super you're doing this. Like I said AJ you are really on the ball this early in your recovery to be this cognizant to even think like this-you're doing great because you're interested in recovery. :Clap-Hands: :Clap-Hands: :Clap-Hands:

If you want something to give you a sense of accomplishment at the

end of the day, I can ship you some more teens. (everyday I make it thru with them I'm grateful!lol) I know

its been a while since you were dealing with the really challenging kind of teen- age-"age".

One of the things that you can do

is go to a teacher supply store and find materials that are the basis of math and some computer stuff. Then

maybe make lists each night with your wife of the things you two would like to accomplished for the next

day.

I never feel like I ever finish my list each day, so I'm still trying to figure out if I'm a slowpoke or there's

just too much to my day and I need to pare down. Its weird sometimes if I have almost total freedom of the day I don't accomplish

as much as when I have a set amount of time in between working at school, I think I get more

accomplished.

Do you happen to live within walking distance of a hosp. or a nursing kind of facility or

something that you're interested in that you could volunteer? I really think wanting to help helps the

person to feel more connected to people/society-beware of feeling isolated-not good. I know I'm grateful

to be at home and doing stuff that helps my

family but I don't get the sense of appreciation or accomplishment doing it I get from working or

volunteering at my kid's school.

I really needed to feel more confident I was capable of doing a good job for them and just yesterday the

school secretary/friend called and inquired to my still being interested in interviewing for a teaching

assistant's position. I had briefly mentioned this to the director when we were in the throws of the last crazy

month of school and the woman remembered I had said this-in passing- while we were working on a project.

Because I handled their mail I just didn't bother handing in a resume cause I felt like they shouldn't be put on

the spot with me handing in my job/resume stuff when I saw all the resumes coming in for these positions. I

figured there were

alot much more qualified than little ole me. But that made me feel good that they called yesterday and

asked me if I wanted an interview! So I figured they must have liked my work ethic enough (I worked till

6pm enough times!). But as my

DH pointed out last night-this is for 9 months not 1 month. So I will go in and see what they have to say.

Already I'm thinking I may do it if and only if its a 3 day a week position-no more than that. When I was

doing the five day a week thing, I was only lasting cause I was counting down the weeks. I'd be pulp if that

was 5 days a week x 9 mons. I think one day at work then one day at home is enough when you're taking

care of a family and having a husband who runs his own business and works endless hours is enough and

being a stroker, I need to guage my energy levels.... I interview @2:00:) today Hope some of these ideas help.

First, sorry for your loss, but congrats on all the effort you are making to regain your loss -

Perhaps, when you have time, you can share with us some of your secrets in adapting

Thank you

June

Wanted to comment on your statement that you and your wife worked on a schedule. I know a schedule was what kept me going for the first few years after my stroke. Having a daily routine was very important to knowing I was getting things done. Without it I would have forgotten a lot of things.

Now I am not as tied to a schedule, but keep one in order to continue to get things done. I have a daily schedule, but also have things I do on specific days -- like wash my hair, clean the kitty litter, water the plants, and so on. Also monthly, quarterly, yearly.

I actually think schedules are important for those who are not disabled as well. A friend of mine complained that they were buying their third (I believe) vacuum with no bag in four years. They could never remember to empty, so killed the old ones. I mentioned to him that maybe he could schedule emptying it. He had never thought of it. Duh. :big_grin: