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It was exactly a year ago today that we got the news of Karltons accident. What an awful day that was. And how long we had to wait to get any concrete information about his condition. At first there was only a glimmer of hope; then a ray. That was followed by a series of accomplishmentsopening his eyes, registering recognition, sitting up, swallowing food, sitting on the side of the bed, standing with assistance, expressing himself in writing. On and on the list goes. What a terrible yet wonderful year this has been.
When Karlton arrived in Providence, I wondered if it was wise to leave the computer in the study on the second floor. To check his email he would have to climb up the stairs and then down again. Watching him on the stairs made me very nervous. But he assured me that to date he had never fallen, and he wasnt about to begin falling now.
Climbing the stairs was hard for him, but email had an attraction that he could not resist. With time he became more sure of his step, and I learned not to hold my breath each time he went up or down. One day he had something to show me. He could go up the stairs by alternating his feet. Not too long afterwards, he was able to go down the stairs the same way. Thanks to hours and hours of therapy and concentrated practice, his gait has become steadier with less swaying from side to side both walking and climbing.
In retrospect, it was a good thing to leave the computer on the second floor. It gave Karlton a therapeutic challenge to overcome within his everyday activities. The latest news is that Karlton now has enough muscle control in his left leg and ankle to make optional the wearing of the L-shaped AFO brace.
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It was not quite a year ago that I wrote updates to the website almost daily. Once I returned to the United States, however, I got caught up in the busy-ness of a new job and, later, having Karlton at home. There was so little time to write. But now the school year has ended, and Karlton is in Newport, RI attending the Shake-A-Leg camp. Once again I have time to breathe and to write. Perhaps as I recount anecdotes from the past year I can paint a picture of what it is like to live with someone who has a traumatic brain injury.
Shake-A-Leg began on Sunday, June 15th, 2003. Choy-Lang, Louis, and I helped Karlton unpack his bags, putting his possessions into the drawers and shelves in his dormitory room. The next day, he telephoned to ask if I knew where his sunglasses were. He was going sailing, and he needed his sunglasses. Unfortunately, I was not immediately available, and he ended up sailing without them. When we finally did talk, I suggested that he look in the top drawer of the chest of drawers. That was indeed where he found them.
This incident is frustratingly familiar. At home, I would put his mail or other items at his place at the kitchen table. He might sit there to eat a meal two or three times, never noticing the items until they were pointed out to him. Likewise, in the dorm he looked through all the drawers repeatedly. But he could not recognize his sunglasses until someone told him where to look for them.
Since November when he came to live with Louis and me, Karlton has gotten better at finding the things he is looking for. With time, he has established usual places for keeping things, and he knows to look in those places first. He also works (though inconsistently) to limit the clutter around him, especially on his bed and desk. So he now loses things less quickly and for shorter periods of time. But in the new environment of the Shake-A-Leg dorm, he returned to Square One again. That is, he had no sense of organization in this new room. Yet I am encouraged that he has called less frequently for help in finding things. He is apparently developing that sense of organization much more quickly this time than he did in November.
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On Tuesday January 6th Karlton renewed his therapy at the Sargent Rehabilitation Center in Warwick, Rhode Island. He reports that he is relieved finally to be participating in therapy as an out-patient. We are all thankful for the degree to which he has improved, especially in as little time as it has taken.
At Sargent, Karlton began with a lengthy and comprehensive ten-day evaluation. He completed that on Wednesday last week, and we met with several of his therapists on Friday, January 24th to discuss the results and formulate a plan. The occupational therapist, physical therapist, speech/language pathologist, and vocational counselor all praised Karltons progress to date. They noted decreased processing speed and that he struggles with self-monitoring, often asking if he has all the pieces he needs.They also suggested goals that he should work toward with their assistance. These included safety concerns related to body awareness on the left side, protecting his joints by making his walking and static postures more natural, and learning to be more tolerant of the speech diversity of others (hearing non-standard English usage, as many of you know, compels him to correct it). Several therapists stated intentions to include photography and possibly even the potters wheel in their activities. The end result of the meeting was that Karlton was approved to attend Sargent in forty day increments, three days per week starting Tuesday, January 28th.
An accomplishment that weve noted at home but that was not mentioned at the meeting is his improved ability to climb stairs. Recently he began alternating feet as he climbs, using only one foot per stair step. In addition, he is gaining greater use of his left hand. In the kitchen one evening, he held four tomatoes in his right hand and used his left to turn the knob and open the door to go into another room. He can also move his index and middle fingers independently, though its a real effort for him to flip someone off using his left.
This weekend Karlton got together with some of his Boston friends, many of whom he hadnt seen in a long time, and others not since he graduated from college. The Super Bowl was their reason to get together (Karlton was disapointed the Patriots had failed to even make the playoffs). This marked the second time he has taken the train by himself from Providence to Boston. He is pleased to be back among friends, especially his closest friend Ethan, to whom Karlton attributes much of his interest in Rugby.
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Finally, after a 5 1/2 month stint at the Dunedin hospital system, Karlton was deemed fit for society and released (some of us know better, right?) Months of rehab, therapy, and determination culminated in an effortless flight from Dunedin Airport through Auckland across the Pacific Pond to LAX in beautiful California. (Karlton reports that LA in winter is terrifically warmer and more comfortable than Dunedin at any time of the year.)
Once States-side, he reunited with his elder sister Jennifer. For quality control purposes, they checked out a local Japanese restaurant where Karlton was formerly employed. It had been a long time since Karlton was able to enjoy the taste of fine sushi. Alec, Jennifers husband, later returned from a business trip, further enhancing the reunion night for them all.
Karlton is extremely pleased to be back in the USA, the country in which he has grown, been educated and spent the majority of his life. He reports that previous to the accident, he never considered the United States to be terrific, but his newfound perspective since this ordeal has turned his mindset to believe that indeed, the United States is a good country to be in, especially if one has his or her roots set within it.
Due to the onset of the holiday season, Karlton had only a short time in California before he had to awake at four AM to catch an early flight to Rhode Island, the state in which his parents now reside, and also where he attended high school. Karlton was accompanied by an escort nurse Jackie, a most humble and helpful Scottish nurse from Australia, who was consistently mindful of Karltons needs and wishes, even waking at four AM as well to catch the early flight to Rhode Island with Karlton.
What a world of difference between who Karlton was physically at that time and who hes been forced to become. Nevertheless, Karlton is cognitively much the same as he always has been. On a positive note, however, the experiences Karlton has been through have turned him into a more appreciative and often more thoughtful person, as several family members have attested.
Two days after Karlton reached Rhode Island, both Jennifer and Alec arrived as well, coming to celebrate Thanksgiving. This was an extremely joyous occasion, and we enjoyed each others company. Karlton was nearly worn down by all the stimulation. He had a neurologist appointment the day before Thanksgiving, and a meeting with a counselor in the office of vocational rehabilitation the day after. Over all, Karlton performed well and maintained high spirits. He was very pleased by the high praise the neurologist offered regarding the care he received in New Zealand and the amazing progress he has made.
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About
This site was originally created to chronicle my status beginning at the time of my snowboarding accident in New Zealand on July 5, 2002. Now, this is where I occasionally post things that are of interest to me. More…Categories
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{Karlton Bontrager} 