{Karlton Bontrager}

Since the completion of the Shake-A-Leg program on July 19th, I have spent a week visiting friends and family in Southern California, and have joined a gym in East Providence. I have focused on building upon the strength that I established in the summer, as well as swimming regularly for the aerobic benefits.

I must transport myself independently to the gym, so I have relied upon the public bus system here in Rhode Island. This may be a small step, but it is precisely that (a step), because I must consult various schedules to get around, and it is one of many milestones on the road to recovery.

Well, I’ve now been back in the United States for nearly nine months from New Zealand! So much has happened that it’s difficult to keep track. I guess that’s one benefit of this website–it’s a working biography.

This morning (8/12) I met with my neurologist. He was optimistic as per usual, and took note of the improvements I’ve made since the beginning of the summer because of my involvement with Shake-A-Leg. Among these are an improved gait and improved overall strength, as well as a slightly sharper cognition. These improvements certainly impress and please me, because this process of ameliorating has been a long, precarious road since my accident!

The accomplishment that has surprised and impressed me the most today was an improvement on attending in my visual field. I mean that my perception of stimuli in peripheral areas has shown noticeable recovery. I am surprised because the neuro-opthamologist delivered the sobering news to me that she believed my visual condition to be permanently impaired. Indeed, if her evaluation is flawed, perhaps I can drive again in the future!

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