Hi ho hi ho its off to work I go!

It has been two months since my last my last entry and 9 months since my brain surgery.

Since my last post I have continued to make gradually improvements.  I am getting used to my prism glasses. At my last eye appointment we learned that my eyes can maintain single vision in a 8" x 10" area directly in front of me and a little bit below and to the right of me. Outside that area my vision remains a bit jumbled and doubled. The good news is that my sweet spot for vision is perfect for computer work. I continue to work with a Vision Therapist to try to further improve my vision and to learn strategies to navigate more independently.

A month ago I returned to work 4 hours per day at the Center for Teaching and Learning / University of Oregon. It is good to be back at work! My co-workers have been very supportive and helpful with my re-entry. My office is conducive to my recovery because it allows me to work in a quiet and calm setting. With time I will be increasing my work hours. But for now, I come home from work and head straight to bed for a long power nap in the afternoon. After my nap I am able to make dinner and work on my balance and vision therapies. Doing my therapies daily is my other regular job.

I do not drive but have become very adept at riding the local city bus. I continue to have difficulties being in the public or in large groups, because my eyes are have difficulty tracking motion and I am sensitive to loud and ambient noises. Yes, I still have supersonic hearing.  Last week I heard Rod’s cell phone vibrate upstairs in his office while I was downstairs napping. To help address my over-stimulation from sounds I hear, I am having special custom earplugs made. I will receive them in a couple weeks.

I am often asked how long will it take for you to get back to normal, or if my hearing and visual limitations are permanent?  Well, if I had a magic crystal ball I could answer that question. Unfortunately, we really don’t know how much more recovery to expect and when. My recovery is slow, but it is happening!  Compared to where I was last year at this time -- when I was in in extreme pain, using a cane and having rapidly deteriorating health -- my current health condition is a cakewalk. I firmly believe in neuroplasticity, which involves the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. Rod and I continue to see improvements and we remain optimistic about my future. We also accept that I might have some long-term limitations in life but that will present new life experiences for me.