I walked into my moms the other day and she told me about a show she had watched on Strokes and thought it would be something I would like to read or hear about being that Brandon had a stroke in the utreus that caused his brain damage. So today I looked up some information on this and found teh 40 steps to helping recover form a storke very intresting.
No they are not all for Brandon but alot of them are for him in so many ways.
On the oprah show this DR talked about how she felt inside her body when she was recoverying. It was amazing to listen to her and see that she was truly helping other understand disabled people. She said " Hello I am in there I just cant get out" That is how I have felt Brandon has been all this time. I know he knows I am there.....just his body cant make the right nureons fire to make me aware of this.
I have been doing alot of soul searching to help me find the right choices for him... as for what kind of equipment, clothes, foods, even how to cut his hair to help better his life. I see now that yes it is important to think of these things but dont dwell on them. I know he will do what he wants when his body is ready...he will communicate with me just like he does now. He knows if he crys a certain way when his feet get hung in the crib I will come running ( he likes to turn sideways lol) He knows that when I see him stick his tongue out like he is tasteing something that he is hungry and wants something. He can tell me when he is awake, when he is happy, when he is hurting, or when he just wants some loving. Sometimes its hard for me to recongize all the diffrent things so when I do it wrong he lets me know. So in my mind Brandon is there he is alive in his body menatally as well as health wise. By that I mean he has a mind of his own, which can be translated with some help.
We are receving all the therpays we can get as of now and if I can not do what I need for him I will just try my best to enjoy with him what he can have. As far as life Brandon is great and he is my great escape from reality. When he is on the floor while I am cooking and is crying I get done sit down with him just the touch of me close he calms down. Just to know that I make him happy and safe makes me happy and safe. I can not ask for something more peaceful than that.
So the next time you are around someone who is disabled just think about what life is for them when all they have is inner peace they know nothing else. It will make you enjoy all the greater things in life like the smell of a flower, the taste of your favorite food, or even that touch from someone special that makes you feel safe. They might look like they are unhappy or struggling but they are not. Just remember they are in there they just cant get out! Also being disabled is not a downfall they arent disabled they are just diffrent. Whos is not to say we arent the disabled ones right.
http://www.truveo.com/Oprah39s-Soul-Series-Jill-Bolte-Taylor/id/3504896606
1. I am not stupid, I am wounded. Please respect me.
2. Come close, speak slowly, and enunciate clearly.
3. Repeat yourself—assume I know nothing and start from the beginning, over and over.
4. Be as patient with me the 20th time you teach me something, as you were the first.
5. Approach me with an open heart and slow your energy down. Take your time.
6. Be aware of what your body language and facial expressions are communicating to me.
7. Make eye contact with me. I am in here—come find me. Encourage me.
8. Please don't raise your voice—I'm not deaf, I'm wounded.
9. Touch me appropriately and connect with me.
10. Honor the healing power of sleep.
11. Protect my energy. No talk radio, TV, or nervous visitors! Keep visitation brief (five minutes).
12. Stimulate my brain when I have any energy to learn something new, but know that a small amount may wear me out quickly.
13. Use age-appropriate (toddler) educational toys and books to teach me.
14. Introduce me to the world kinesthetically. Let me feel everything. (I am an infant again.)
15. Teach me with monkey-see, monkey-do behavior.
16. Trust that I am trying—just not with your skill level or on your schedule.
17. Ask me multiple-choice questions. Avoid Yes/No questions.
18. Ask me questions with specific answers. Allow me time to hunt for an answer.
19. Do not assess my cognitive ability by how fast I can think.
20. Handle me gently, as you would handle a newborn.
No they are not all for Brandon but alot of them are for him in so many ways.
On the oprah show this DR talked about how she felt inside her body when she was recoverying. It was amazing to listen to her and see that she was truly helping other understand disabled people. She said " Hello I am in there I just cant get out" That is how I have felt Brandon has been all this time. I know he knows I am there.....just his body cant make the right nureons fire to make me aware of this.
I have been doing alot of soul searching to help me find the right choices for him... as for what kind of equipment, clothes, foods, even how to cut his hair to help better his life. I see now that yes it is important to think of these things but dont dwell on them. I know he will do what he wants when his body is ready...he will communicate with me just like he does now. He knows if he crys a certain way when his feet get hung in the crib I will come running ( he likes to turn sideways lol) He knows that when I see him stick his tongue out like he is tasteing something that he is hungry and wants something. He can tell me when he is awake, when he is happy, when he is hurting, or when he just wants some loving. Sometimes its hard for me to recongize all the diffrent things so when I do it wrong he lets me know. So in my mind Brandon is there he is alive in his body menatally as well as health wise. By that I mean he has a mind of his own, which can be translated with some help.
We are receving all the therpays we can get as of now and if I can not do what I need for him I will just try my best to enjoy with him what he can have. As far as life Brandon is great and he is my great escape from reality. When he is on the floor while I am cooking and is crying I get done sit down with him just the touch of me close he calms down. Just to know that I make him happy and safe makes me happy and safe. I can not ask for something more peaceful than that.
So the next time you are around someone who is disabled just think about what life is for them when all they have is inner peace they know nothing else. It will make you enjoy all the greater things in life like the smell of a flower, the taste of your favorite food, or even that touch from someone special that makes you feel safe. They might look like they are unhappy or struggling but they are not. Just remember they are in there they just cant get out! Also being disabled is not a downfall they arent disabled they are just diffrent. Whos is not to say we arent the disabled ones right.
http://www.truveo.com/Oprah39s-Soul-Series-Jill-Bolte-Taylor/id/3504896606
Recommendations for Recovery: Forty Things I Need Most
2. Come close, speak slowly, and enunciate clearly.
3. Repeat yourself—assume I know nothing and start from the beginning, over and over.
4. Be as patient with me the 20th time you teach me something, as you were the first.
5. Approach me with an open heart and slow your energy down. Take your time.
6. Be aware of what your body language and facial expressions are communicating to me.
7. Make eye contact with me. I am in here—come find me. Encourage me.
8. Please don't raise your voice—I'm not deaf, I'm wounded.
9. Touch me appropriately and connect with me.
10. Honor the healing power of sleep.
11. Protect my energy. No talk radio, TV, or nervous visitors! Keep visitation brief (five minutes).
12. Stimulate my brain when I have any energy to learn something new, but know that a small amount may wear me out quickly.
13. Use age-appropriate (toddler) educational toys and books to teach me.
14. Introduce me to the world kinesthetically. Let me feel everything. (I am an infant again.)
15. Teach me with monkey-see, monkey-do behavior.
16. Trust that I am trying—just not with your skill level or on your schedule.
17. Ask me multiple-choice questions. Avoid Yes/No questions.
18. Ask me questions with specific answers. Allow me time to hunt for an answer.
19. Do not assess my cognitive ability by how fast I can think.
20. Handle me gently, as you would handle a newborn.
21. Speak to me directly, not about me to others.
22. Cheer me on. Expect me to recover completely, even if it takes twenty years!
23. Trust that my brain can always continue to learn.
24. Break all actions down into smaller steps of action.
25. Look for what obstacles prevent me from succeeding on a task.
26. Clarify for me what the next level or step is so I know what I am working toward.
27. Remember that I have to be proficient at one level of function before I can move on to the next level.
28. Celebrate all of my little successes. They inspire me.
29. Please don't finish my sentences for me or fill in words I can't find. I need to work my brain.
30. If I can't find an old file, make it a point to create a new one.
31. I may want you to think I understand more than I really do.
32. Focus on what I can do rather than bemoan what I cannot do.
33. Introduce me to my old life. Don't assume that because I cannot play like I used to play that I won't continue to enjoy music or an instrument, etc.
34. Remember that in the absence of some functions, I have gained other abilities.
35. Keep me familiar with my family, friends, and loving support. Build a collage wall of cards and photos that I can see. Label them so I can review them.
36. Call in the troops! Create a healing team for me. Send word out to everyone so they can send me love. Keep them abreast of my condition and ask them to do specific things to support me—like visualize me being able to swallow with ease or rocking my body up into a sitting position.
37. Love me for who I am today. Don't hold me to being the person I was before. I have a different brain now.
38. Be protective of me but do not stand in the way of my progress.
39. Show me old video footage of me doing things to remind me about how I spoke, walked, and gestured.
40. Remember that my medications probably make me feel tired, as well as mask my ability to know what it feels like to be me.
22. Cheer me on. Expect me to recover completely, even if it takes twenty years!
23. Trust that my brain can always continue to learn.
24. Break all actions down into smaller steps of action.
25. Look for what obstacles prevent me from succeeding on a task.
26. Clarify for me what the next level or step is so I know what I am working toward.
27. Remember that I have to be proficient at one level of function before I can move on to the next level.
28. Celebrate all of my little successes. They inspire me.
29. Please don't finish my sentences for me or fill in words I can't find. I need to work my brain.
30. If I can't find an old file, make it a point to create a new one.
31. I may want you to think I understand more than I really do.
32. Focus on what I can do rather than bemoan what I cannot do.
33. Introduce me to my old life. Don't assume that because I cannot play like I used to play that I won't continue to enjoy music or an instrument, etc.
34. Remember that in the absence of some functions, I have gained other abilities.
35. Keep me familiar with my family, friends, and loving support. Build a collage wall of cards and photos that I can see. Label them so I can review them.
36. Call in the troops! Create a healing team for me. Send word out to everyone so they can send me love. Keep them abreast of my condition and ask them to do specific things to support me—like visualize me being able to swallow with ease or rocking my body up into a sitting position.
37. Love me for who I am today. Don't hold me to being the person I was before. I have a different brain now.
38. Be protective of me but do not stand in the way of my progress.
39. Show me old video footage of me doing things to remind me about how I spoke, walked, and gestured.
40. Remember that my medications probably make me feel tired, as well as mask my ability to know what it feels like to be me.
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