Jamie's Blog

My master money card arrived in the snail mail tonight! That's such a BIG relief for me! I need a lot of stuffs, I can get most of them at Wg's but most important in to get some cash! Tomorrow KJ makes a home visit then lata I'm going to the "99" (rec) so I gutta get to Wg's in between those events. I've got a valid master money card :)! 

Tomorrow I'm going to my dentist cause the gaurd came in to prevent me from grinding my teeth at night while I'm sacked  out! I've gutta do everything I can to save all the teeth I've got left!

Jessica was here and this chick is going way beyond what she's required to do! She had my laundry card too so I had no way to check my value on it. Come to find out there's not enough value left to wash and dry a load! This chick is taking the clean laundry to her place to run it through her dryer at her place :)! She's gonna do that then come back lata :)! I can't say enough about the people I've met and have helped me post tbi! Jessica is one of the bestest :)! She also went to the store and got what I wanted with the $5 in quarters :)!

I took a ride to Wg's and tried to pay with a check and it got refused too! I guess I'm gonna have to count quarters again! I've got Jessica coming at 4.30 so I'm gonna have to wait till she's done to go to the store, such a pain! 

I called to see if I was gonna get homemaker service today and was told Jessica will be here at 4.30. I hope she has my laundry card because I only have $1 in cash! It costs $5 to get a new card. I'm real anxious  about my master money card. If it doesn't come in time to get some cash I won't be able to go Wednesday night. Today I gutta take a ride to Wg's and pay with a check! 

I was remembering a question that was posed to all the survivors at hics. Do you ever get excited about anything anymore? That was in my head as I was getting excited as I made an afternoon pot of coffee! See living in Scituate I wasn't permitted to even nuke a cup of instant coffee! Now that I'm free to do whatever I please I get excited at almost everything I do :)!

I'm getting real anxious about not having a valid master money card! I gutta go to the store again and get an item that costs $5 again! I had to again get out of my change cups $5 in quarters! I was doing my trips for the week and Wednesday I'm planning on going to the "99" in Quincy with hics that means I'd have to get my new card in time to get some cash for this event! I'm not doing hics on Tuesday cause I'm going to me dentist and there is a Citizens bank near hics I could cash a check at to get some cash! This survivor must learn to live with a lot of anxiety!

I finally got my tail going and took a shower and all! I need something at the store and I don't have a valid card which is how I always paid for everything, my cash flow is low too but I've got jars of change! What I need costs $5 so I dug out $5 in quarters, put them in my pocket plus a few extra in case I drop one or two! Now I'm ready to take a ride to the store :)!

I'm real anxious about not having my master money card! I'm expecting to see a new card by Tuesday or Wednesday I hope I can survive till then! I've gutta settle down cause if I do need something before then I don't even have to write a check at Wg's cause they just run a blank check through the register and the sale is complete! Something is screwy about my checking account though, they had issues getting clearance on the check! I know there was enough there, I checked before  I left! I've been with this bank for years, I don't understand why I'm  having so many issues with them!

I couldn't do the YMCA today cause I needed to see if Wg's would take a check! They did but I couldn't make it out for more than my purchase :)! I've still got a cash flow issue but at least I've got some food and goodies and meds :)! It was great riding weather too :)! I had to take it slow though these reads are a mess! Out on Frankin st it's not too bad but still keep it around 10mph! At that speed I can still feel the wind as I cut through it :)! I hope my card comes soon cause with my card I don't need to have cash! 

I could get seriously depressed living my life but I look at the positive things I've got in place of what has been taken away! My licence to drive was taken, I've got "the ride"! I've been able to purchase two scooters one that's great for dr.'s appts and doing my household chores, laundry, trash,etc! One that's great for getting around the community! I just got a call from dr.Tracy's office with dates and times of another catscan then an appt. in his office!  Now not being able to write well could be a problem but this highly intelligent survivor just made a notepad of all the pertinent information! This survivor with all his supports and tools IS living a very successful independent  life! And some didn't think I could, HAAA! :) 

I landlined Wg's and asked if they take personal checks. They do with a valid ID! Now, when I go there ,I'll ask if I can make it out for $20 more than the cost of my purchase! That's my task for today, see if I can write a check to Wgs, I can always ask the clerk to do it but if I can do it, that will save me the shame of not being able to!

My shoulder is still causing me a great deal of discomfort but I had stuff to do! I took a ride to the store and used most of my depleting cash flow! I called my bank and asked if there was any way they could re-activate my card! They said after its been deactivated it can't be activated again :(! I wonder if Wg's will take a personal check! Guess I'm gonna have to landline them and ask.

I got up today and my left shoulder was in way, way too much pain to be able to enjoy a picnic at Web park in Weymouth Ma. I am going to see a specialist about this issue I forget when but I believe KJ wrote the appointment in my pocket calendar with the address! This survivor needs everything he's doing put in his calendar or else I'll forget to book a trip with "the ride"! I'm getting real anxious about my master money card! My cash flow is low and I use this for just about everything! I'm thinking if I call my bank and ask them to reinstate the card I have now! The only charge I didn't recognize was only for .85! I'm thinking all I've gutta go through when I get a new card and not being able to use the card I have now! I guess there is no harm in asking! This survivor is always thinking :)!

It's so challenging living with a tbi! I was working on processing all the information from my home visit with KJ then my landline rings and it's Bri! I want to give her my full focus but my brain is working processing the info I just received! See why this survivor forgets things sometimes, this is a very hard life but with the help of my supports and Jesus watching over me, I'm gonna be successful in all my endeavors! 

KJ was over and we got so so much accomplished my brain is kind of overwhelmed at the moment! The #1 thing was to get a check made out and address an envelope to go to my 40th class reunion! I'm gonna try writing these type of things myself but this was an important task, didn't want anything going wrong! We also discussed my transportation options for this and I'm thinking of getting something to take me door to door for this, I forgot to mention Uber to KJ( go figure)! We also got an appointment to see someone to check my left shoulder out! I think it's only in Braintree too! I just don't know how reliable Uber is, guess it wouldn't hurt to just Google Uber to just get some information about them. One way this survivor is gonna get his tail to and from my 40th class reunion :)!     Tonight I'm going to hics and it's karaoke night! I'm gonna do "shine" by collective sole then if there's time a song by candlebox,"far behind"!

I've been to hics from there I went to Braintree rehab to get my shots of Botox then on the trip home I got dropped off at the store to get a few things and my master money card was refused! I know I had $ in my accounts so I got right on the phone with my bank. It seems they thought someone was using it fraudulently! We went over my recent purchases and there was a few that weren't mine! There was one for .85, now I'd never use my card for anything under $5 and I don't even do that! Now I'm getting issued a new card! This kind of sux, now I gutta change my method of payment on all my bills! This will be a challenging task for this tbi and cancer survivor!  

Today I've got hics then right from there I go to Braintree rehab to get my shots of Botox. I'll tell him about the pain I'm getting in my left shoulder maybe the Botox will help!

I've been to the YMCA and had a great workout! I found out Ali is gone :(! She got another job :(! I'm gonna miss working with Ali :(! Now I've got my homemaker coming over around 4.30pm!

I wasn't doing laundry today so I got busy with another project! One thing I really miss more than anything is my three kids all together! They would give each other a hard time, it was real comical to sit back,listen and watch them goof on each other :)! I got a program from Verizone that lets me text from my computer. I tried to set up a group text! I didn't have Alyssa's phone # in my I phone. I then had to find it then get it to my Iphone. The program I got for the computer won't let me add a contact so then I had to do it on my phone! Now this survivor can get back one more thing I've missed ;)!

I finally got my 2nd cup of coffee poured and I forget why I waited so long to do this! I think  I found why in my injured brain! I had issues booking my trips for the week! "The ride's" website wasn't up! I only booked tomorrow's trips in faith the site will be up soon! I'm not gonna do laundry today, I'll have my homemaker do it tomorrow! I must check my value on it though. hopefully I can find someone who can change a $20 bill! My cash flow is 2 $20's and a bunch of $1's!

It's great I get b-day reminders on fb. No way I could ever remember bd's! Except for MMD's, that I'm reminded cause it's 5/21, the same I paid every week to my X in child support even though I had physical custody of my son! I guess in some situations it doesn't pay to be successful! 

I went to book my trips for the week but the web site seems to be down :)! I wasn't sure if I had done tomorrows trip to the YMCA so I had to call and stay on hold for foreva to find out I had done it! I'll wait to see if the site comes back up to do the rest of my trips! My shoulder is still causing me great pain! My toe, well that's a given, still very uncomfortable! This survivor still pushes foreword though! I'm not gonna do laundry I'm getting used to having my homemaker do it on Monday :). The Ben Gay is starting to take affect now so I'm getting a very little relief on my shoulder. 

That was a super ride to Wg's! My average speed today was 15mph! On the way back I was doing 20mph for a while :)! I think I got all my needs! I got two landlines and two emails that said I had meds ready! This time there was two ready! Ive got landlines before saying a med is ready and gone to pick it up and was told nothing is here for you! I guess I'll wait till I get an email before I go, this just seems to be a better system! I got a mac&cheese that I just have to zap for a few mins and some frozen chicken strips that just gutta be zapped and some fudge stripped cookies, that will satisfy my need for chocolate! 

I finally got my tail going now I gutta take a ride to Wg's! 

This survivor has the best antivirus/spyware program on the market today! I've only been to secure or supposed to be secure web sites and Webroot found 6 threats!

Today I gutta do my weekly Wg's run! Today is an old flame's B-day! I'll never forget this cause $521 was the amount each week I was ordered to pay in child support! That's well over $24,000 a year! I never missed a payment until I got hurt! I'm proud of being a great father! I've said this before, from 1985 that has been my most important job I have! That as my mindset I've raised three great and respectable young adults!

I was told everyone asked where I was at the tenets meeting! I can only take this one way, I was missed :)! Back to being screwed by "the ride"! I should send an email demanding some type of compensation for what happened today! Even if it's just a free trip! Tomorrow I gutta do my weekly Wg's run! I kind of need a lot of stuff! Will see how much of my needs I remember :)!

I had planed to go to a tenets meeting at the clubhouse tonight but my driver on the return trip from the YMCA got sick and couldn't continue his root! I had to wait over an hour for them to get another van to take me home! I do hope he is okay though. I just got home a little while ago!   If you get the chance, please watch the vid I posted on fb "you look fine" with John Byler! That will be a book I'm gonna look for :) I first viewed this on my Iphone the I was able to post it to my fb page and email it to a friend all from my phone :)!

Living with tbi has gutta be the most challenging thing anyone could have to do! Don't get me wrong I'm happy I survived, it's just everyday I've gutta work so hard to get things a non-injured person can  do without thinking about it! I just got ready for the day and my neuro fatigue starts setting in :(!

I slept real well last night after having my brain poked and shaken up by the exam yesterday! His records show the last time I had one it was by dr.Mcgrafe! He was a neuro phyc for hics yrs ago! So I guess it was time for another, no results yet.   Today's plan is to go to the YMCA then later there is a tenet's meeting at the clubhouse! My shoulder is in pain but working it seemed to help and my toe, well that's another story!

I've been to the neuro phyc's  for an exam! He's gutta tally up my scores but he said that preliminary he can tell I've got some memory issues (go figure) but my reasoning skills were good! He did memory tests similar  to the tests my neurologist give me and a couple different ones! He read me a short story then asked what I could remember about the story. Then he read another and asked what I can remember about that. Then I was shown some designs and he had some like blocks with all different parts of the original design and I had to match them up to look like the original design. I found my greatest problem in doing all the tests was my severe spastisody!  I'd have to pick up the pieces and put them in like a tray of the image I was shown! This was extremely hard for me, trying to remember the design, then pick up the pieces and maneuver them in to the proper place! I was trying to picture the image in my mind while concentrating on picking up and placing them in

Tomorrow I've got an appointment with a neuropsycologist! I can't remember the last time I saw one! This is a doctor tbi survivors should see more often than I have! I'm only going cause MRC needs to have some kind of thing saying I'm okay to get a job! Then I gutta remember to scan the document, create a file I'll remember, call MRC to say "got it"! Then I'm sure I'll have to go through at least one job evaluation then they will start looking for a job for me! It's not about the money for me! I just need something that will be brain stimulating! 

I guess I've been working hard trying to make my bi support group as strong as I can with the resources available to me! KJ told me if I could invite the survivors from hics to my support group, I could get support from the Mass brain injury association! I sent Janet an email asking her just that! I also cc ed a copy to KJ :)!  This time I sent it from my Comcast email! She had issues responding to my yahoo mail, this survivor thinks of everything!

Last night was my 1st support group meeting hosted by ME! I think it went okay there was about 6 or 7 residents who showed up! We all discussed our stories and some of us, our current issues we're dealing with! I never got to say or explain how I deal with everything but everyone participated which is a great thing! KJ also was there and she played an important part as far as an individual who works in the rehab field of tbi. She also brought literature on hics and other programs available! Overall I believe it was a SUCCESS!  

It got to be the time someone was supposed to be here from Granite medical and nobody has shown so I looked at my caller ID to see if there were any calls! There was one cell phone # so I called it! Turns out that was the person who came to take a blood sample, she said nobody came to the door. I never heard my door buzzer buzz she did call but I was busy with KJ so I can't alternate my concentration to do two things and especially when one is very important and the things KJ helps me with are super important to my happiness and overall good health, mentally,physically, and emotionally!  

Life sometimes seems very difficult for this survivor! This morning KJ rang my buzzer as I got a call from the dentist with an appointment date and time! I had to multitask by talking on the phone and making the correct motor skills to let her in the downstairs door and try to stay in the conversation with the dentist! I was able to do both successfully! In fact it was a good thing KJ came at the same time cause it was hard to find an available date this busy survivor is free! I've got lots to blog about but its gonna have to wait cause someone from Granite medical is coming over now to take a blood sample!  

I'm doing hics today :)! I've gutta remember to have the driver on the return trip to drop me at Wg's so I can get some things! I WILL remember!

Today I had a great workout at the YMCA and Jessica was here too! Tomorrow I'm gonna do hics :)! Nothing written in my pocket calendar so it must be a normal day with life skill groups :)!

Jessica was here and this chick did a great job cleaning my apartment! I got a landline from my pcp's office saying to stop taking the meds the kidney guy prescribed for me! 

I've been to the YMCA and had a great workout! My shoulder again feels much better after working it! My toe is a whole different story though :(! Now I'm waiting for my homemaker to show.

I'm doing the YMCA today! My foot a shoulder are causing me discomfort but the last time my shoulder felt better after working it so I'm not gonna let that get in the way, my foots another story! I've gutta fight through the pain! Then Jessica, my homemaker is coming at 4.30pm! My angsioty is starting to get high now cause of being dependent on "the ride"!

I finally got my act going and showered up! As I continue to age it seems to get harder and harder to get my tail going most mornings! I'm a survivor of prostate cancer and I was in a 3.5 month coma, I need to give myself credit that every morning I do though! Today I've gutta take a ride to Wgs! I have no coffee creamer left! I gutta check to see if I need anything else too! Protein shakes too! I'm gonna work my memory lets see if I can remember my needs :)! 

I've been to the spring fling today! I did a lot of dancing ;)! Before my tbi I used to be able to not leave the dance floor, now after dancing one tune I've gutta take a break! KJ never left the floor so when a tune came on I had to boogie to I just found KJ and started bogging the day away :)! I did take some pics and one vid of me dancing but I've got issues downloading from  my Iphone! It did give me an option to post to fb! I took that option now I'm waiting for it to go through :)!

Today I had a great workout at the YMCA :)! My shoulder actually feels better now after working it! I feel better after working out too! I know to go slowly but I went up on all my weights today! I'm gonna get back to where I was before my surgeries in no time :)! Tomorrow I'm going to the spring fling! My playlist is complete :)! My two favorite tunes to dance to are; Ted Nugent "cat scratch fever" and the stones "jumpin jack flash" :)! I'm ready to do some dancing :)! 

Today's plan is to go to the gym! My shoulder and foot still hurt very much but I've gutta get the strength to work through the pain! I'm concerned about getting transportation to my 40th class reunion! Its on the Cohasset Scituate town line but in Scituate! "The ride" does Cohasset but not Scituate! I'm trying to get a ride but not yet :(! This is an important reunion, many of us have left the flesh! I can get a transportation company but that would cost me over $100. Is anybody gonna go to the SHS class of "76" 40th class reunion?  

Today I've been to hics! On the return trip home the driver dropped me at Wg's so I could get some scrips filled and get a few other items :)! Late this afternoon Jessica ( my new homemaker) arrived, did my laundry and cleaned my whole apartment :)!

I'm doing hics today! Then I need to stop at Wg's and I've got a homemaker coming by!

I went to hics tonight, we had a bingo night! Now my neuro fatigue sets in, tomorrow I've got hics so I've gutta put my brain to rest!

KJ was here with HH and I've gutta give myself credit for being such a smart guy! I create a KJ list every week of things I need help with, this week I had some very important tasks I needed help with and if I didn't have the list to fall back on I could have forgot something! HH and KJ were able to finish the setup of my total gym :)!

KJ is gonna make a home visit tomorrow and that means I've gutta be all prepared for this, stocking my meds, getting my KJ list complete! I've done all this and now I'm neuro exhausted! It doesn't  take much thinking to make this survivor neuro anything! 

I've been to my pcp's and all my vitals and bp were good but he showed major concern about my weight! I'm down to 160lbs! I don't think I've been that low since freshmen year of highschool! He gave me too much to be able to process it all, the good thing is I get a print out of everything I need to remember concerning this visit  :)!

You know fb is a great social site but morbid at times! I leaned from fb my former coach and gym teacher passed!

Today I'm going to see my pcp! I hope he will be able to determine why my shoulder is causing me so much pain! I need a script for a med too! So much information for this survivor to retain and find in my brain then bring down to be able to articulate my needs! I've also gutta remember to have the driver drop me at Wg's! That's a lot for this memory impaired survivor but I CAN do it!

Tomorrow I've got an appointment with my pcp. I'm hoping he will be able to help with this excruciating pain in my left shoulder! I also received a script for yet another doctor that I'll have my driver drop me at Wg's to get filled! This survivor knows how to live a successful independent like and I'm doing just that :)!   

Lisa and I just distributed  the flyers about the brain injury support group I'm gonna conduct on 5/17! Its a good thing I had her help, I got all confused in this maze of buildings! I could have found my way home though! I just need to find my way to Longmeadow dr. (main road)!

I was feeling a little down this being mother's day. I was able to shake it off by posting a note I wrote on fb about mine. I still miss her but being able to share how much she meant to me and tunes get me back on track! I love it when my fb friends share tunes too! Jasmine you and I like very similar tunes artists and basically the same music ;)! 

Tomorrow the plan is to go to the YMCA and do my resistance training :). After that my homemaker should be here around 4.30pm, then Lisa and I plan to distribute the flyers for my brain injury support group meeting I'm gonna be conducting on the 17th! I hope I get a good showing cause I've got a wealth of knowledge I want to share! I guess not just with people with BI's but anyone who suffers with similar issues that I've had to overcome! I believe this is why I'm still in the flesh and not in the spirit world :)!

This has been both a triumph it day and at the same time frustrating! I got most of my trips booked but then I needed to add value to my account. I've done this many times before but today it didn't take my pw :(! I'm gonna have my homemaker do my laundry tomorrow and I needed to add value to my laundry card. I got the machine to take my $10 bill on my 1st try :)! I've got time on my ride account, The only trip I couldn't book was trips to the spring fling but that's not till the 14th!  

This survivor is having difficulty getting his tail going today! I've done my trips for tomorrow and Tuesday yesterday so no need to get anxious about that! Normal week except for Tuesday I see my pcp then next Saturday is the spring fling! I still haven't got a date yet but even if I go stag it will still be fun! I've been working on a playlist all week! I'm thinking of having the homemaker do laundry tomorrow so I can focus on the things I forgot to get at Wg's and take a ride there!

Tomorrow I've gutta book my trip for the week then put value on my laundry card and do laundry! No anxioty about laundry though, if I don't get to it, I can always have my homemaker do it on Monday! I should ride to Wg's to see if they got in touch with my pcp and got my script ready! I do need to get centrum silver too! No pressure though will see how the day goes!

I took a ride to Wg's and forgot to get the vitamin centrum silver ! I was out of a med too and they said they're waiting for the doctor to send a script to them! I did remember to get Arnica gel! I got home and immediately applied it to my shoulder! It does give some relief but not like Ben Gay! 

Today Lisa and I had planned to distribute the flyers for the support group I'm gonna conduct to all the buildings here! It's raining though :(! I've gutta get to Wg's too! Guess I'm gonna get wet! Lisa didn't want to do it in the rain, who can blame her! There is tomorrow but Lisa's a mother, I couldn't expect this babe to do it on her day! 

Pat wasn't there! I spoke with her via the landline so now I'm doubting myself! Did I speak with her or not? At least I got in a good workout! I went down at least 5lbs on every machine cause it seems like forever since I've worked out two days in one week. My shoulder felt good while working out but it hurts bad now :(!

I've  got the YMCA today! The only thing is my left shoulder is in pain! I'm meeting with Pat at noon about my membership so I've gutta make it there! Between my right foot and my left shoulder this survivor is in a painful state!

I've been to hics today :)! In the last group we had to do a math problem(word problem)! I got so confused with the wording that I got so frustrated I had to stop! I came home and turned on my tunes to get these feelings gone! That's life living with tbi.

I'm gonna do hics today! My left shoulder is still causing me pain but I've got to go on cause now if I don't show hics gets less funding!

This survivor is neuro exhausted! It's only around 7pm and I feel the need to put my brain to rest! Time to lay down in my queen size memory foam bed but I'm gonna fire up my bedroom laptop :)!

KJ was over and we did so much I'm having trouble processing exactly what we did :(! I know we called my doctor to get a script, we figured out why my mail wasn't working right! I wasn't getting the right address when you click reply. I got an email from "living social" about a Boston harbor cruise for two, only $30! Lisa and I had talked about doing this but it was $50 per person! So I hopped on this and bought the deal! Then I emailed Lisa and asked if she'd go with me, she accepted the offer :)! Can't do rec tonight cause my ride times sucked!

Today KJ is gonna make a home visit after 8.30 am then I'm gonna go to hics for rec, I forget what's happening I'll know when KJ comes.

This survivor had a day that built confidence in a man that's already confident in his vast abilities! When most of you have a problem with a vacuum, you'd take it someplace to be fixes. Not this survivor though! I take great pride in surviving a traumatic brain injury and still being able to fix virtually anything :)! Tomorrow I'm doing hics :)!

I had a homemaker coming at 4.30 so I had to get my vacuum fixed before she showed! I had to figure out how to get the cover of the vacuum head off! I found two screws, with my spasticity that was even hard! I got them backed out and there was still something holding it on! I take a flat head screwdriver and carefully start to pry areas I feel resistance. I get a couple pops and off comes the cover :)! The belt was still intact but I did find a piece of paper towel in there so I removed it and cleaned the area inside the head put the cover back on and tried it! It works like new:)! This survivor still has his mechanical inclement y!    My homemaker was here, washed my bed sheets, did all the laundry I had and cleaned my whole apartment!

I finally got my act in gear and showered up! I hope I don't miss my homemaker again! I need my bed sheets washed along with all of it for the week! That's why I missed her last week, I was downstairs doing laundry! I had thought she was supposed to be here @4pm! I checked my vm and there was a vm from Bayada looking for me saying my homemaker was here at 4.30pm the time she's supposed to be! I've still gutta get laundry done but now I've learned to wait till after 5pm to start it! This survivor learns from every f-up! 

I got up this morning and again my left shoulder was in pain! If this persists I'm gonna have to call my pcp! Today I have a homemaker coming @ 4.30pm. I saved all my laundry cause this is the week to do my bed sheets! You know me, I'm not spending $8 in one week for laundry! That's my thrifty nature :)! I'm trying to process all I've gutta do and I'm having issues getting focused! This is the only part of my normal morning routine I've done so far except for coffee of course! I'm at my puter so now is the time to check mail, bank accounts, fb! What threw me off today was I got into a texting conversation with Lisa. The thing that got me off was I'm not receiving the texts on my puter! I get them on my phone then respond from my puter! This gets confusing for someone who gets confused easy! 

This survivor hasn't done much today! I did book all my trips for the week though! It's been a lazy Sunday for me.