Jamie's Blog

I was very happy I was able to get Lisa's camera and her notebook talking to each other. I'm hoping this will give her hours of enjoyment! I'm praying it lifts her up from that depressed state she seems to be in! That's what I think Jesus saved me for, to help people feel better about their lives and to not be depressed! Tomorrow they its gonna be in the 30's,maybe a scoot 2 Wg's can be done!

Lisa was over and there was a program on her notebook to download pics from a digital camera! All I had to do was connect the camera to the computer and it popped up! Its not a very good program but at least she will be able to download her pics to a flash drive then go to Wg's and resize and fix  all flaws then print a photo! They have a machine that you just connect a flash drive 2 then it downloads all the pics there then you can fix, blow up, print any you want! I didn't look to see how much it costs but I'm sure its reasonable!

I've stayed busy today! I completed  my peapod order,its being delivered btw 10-12 on Sunday! I didn't need too much just some quick and easy dinnas and some smelly shxt, protein shakes,I hope I got some icecream too! I think I did but the protein shakes will work to cool down my thought!Lisa is gonna come over tonight and bring her computer and camera so I can connect the two and search to see if there is already a program to download pics !I  think there has got to be something!

I just watched a story on necn about young people who had a stroke (acquired brain injury) that need help bathing,with money,food preparation, basically all daily living skills!I guess I've got to thank Jesus 4 giving me the strength to work to the point that I can do it all myself!I do have my issues with my writing and I should put more work in improving my writing!I've found strategies to work around that though but I need to work on that more!

They are saying this will be the coldest day of February! I don't think I'll try scooting anywhere today! I do have the YMCA today though and I've gutta go even though my foot is absolutely killing me! I've just gutta man it out! My pick up times don't seem too bad,11.30 trip to the Y and a 2.31 return trip! I'm putting together a peapod order, I don't need too much just some quick and easy dinnas and some junk food,chips,crackers,ice cream! Ice cream cause it helps to cool down my ulcerated esophagus,  my thought !I've got to find a way to get comfortable in my computer chair!The arm rests are like a hard plastic and I tend to lean on my right side making it dig into my ribs!I've tried a pillow but it just seems to get in the way!Maybe I'll shop for a computer chair but I donno if that is something I should shop for in person so I can test it b4 I buy it!I'll shop 4 one then decide!Lets see,what other complaints do I have,I tend to loose my ...

Hics was great today!I'm trying a new strategy, just trying to remember the most exciting group of the day. Today it was peer tbi where we discussed optimism vs pessimism. I've always been a very optimistic person,b4 and after my tbi! B4 cause I proved to myself that I could do it all. I said I wanted to be the best at what I did 4  a living then I became the best auto glass technician at Settles glass then moved to Giant glass and got paid like the best :) !Now everything is much more difficult  for me but I'm not gonna say I can't get back to where I was!Call it optimism maybe hope but never count Jamie out!I woke up from a 3.5 month coma, work hard to progress with a tbi, beat prostate cancer, survived a broken neck, survived a nasty divorce, now  I'm in the hardest fight ever. Living with a traumatic brain injury! This makes everything else seem so minor but I WILL get the best of this tbi!

I couldn't stay up last night to listen to "brain injury radio" on the link I  posted on fb so I tried it this morning and was able to get the interview so I listened to what I could while getting ready to go to hics. Its truly amazing what we, as survivors of tbi, can accomplish!

I'll be so so happy when the weather gets warmer! These cold scoots to Wg's are starting to get to me but the great thing is I CAN do them:) !

KJ has been over and we got my karaoke microphone to work with my phone but way too many steps to take 2 get it working, maybe, no I should invest in an inexpensive high quality microphone and speaker or just find a way to have it work with my computer or better yet, my sound system :) !I guess I'll go to walmart.com  or Google microphones :) !Now I've gutta scoot 2 Wg's cause I need a med and I wanna beat the snow!

Tomorrow KJ is making a home visit at 8am or there abouts :)!If she is late she owes me a D&D's coffee but, she's a lady not to be sexist but I've always found ladies to be fashionably late! The main thing I need a little help with is setting up my karaoke stuff!Then I'll have a little karaoke party in my apartment where I invite all the single ladies in my building up :) !

Hics was great today! About the only thing I can remember about the day right now is the last group, community resources! We discussed about how technology has changed everything! With the internet you can really do all your needs by sitting at a computer! I'm so lucky in 1993 Bill Snowling convinced me to get a personal computer! Back then I went to circuit city,spent I think three grand and got a packerd bell computer with a printer!I wonder today if its still working, I think my x gave it to her father but in any case it was a good investment! Not only was I able to get real computer savvy but I was able to have my kids grow up with a computer! I know Kenny needed a laptop to get through college I can see today kids in jr high with their tablets or even grade school! Yes times have changed since I was in school! Now I do everything online, food shopping, cloths shopping, electronic toy shopping, just about everything.

I couldn't do the YMCA this morning cause my foot was causing me way too much discomfort :( !I got another increase in my rent,I'm now paying about $ 630 a month which is still less than I paid in Scituate 4 much less freedom!

I'm thinking about skipping laundry this week! I've just gutta look and make sure I've got enough clean cloths to last the week! I believe I do though, and if not  I can always have my homemaker help (as if I needed it) tomorrow! Its getting kinda late to start laundry anyway!

I'm sleeping real well lately :)!The last few nights I've been able to get into a real deep sleep! When I slowly wake up, I feel so refreshed I'm ready 4 the days challenges :)!Lisa was over last night and we tried to use my karaoke stuff but we couldn't figure out how to set it up so it works! Another thing I'm gonna have to see if KJ can help with,so my fans will have to wait :).My puter seems to be doing weird things!The bar that displays what programs are open moved from the bottom of the screen to the top!My experience with putters though things happen 4 no reason at all!Its easier to see anyway,now watch it change back now it knows I like it,they all have a mind that only they can understand:)! Lisa was talking last night about going to an ice cream place today 2, I think she said she would buy too! That just goes 2 show ya I think I've got the best attitude on how 2 act with people!When I  first met Lisa I said I  may forget your name but wait a minite, I...

I had to call "the ride" first thing to see if anything could be done about my "f" up last night! They said they can put me on will call but there is no guarantee I'll get a trip! I've been through being put on will call b4 and never got a trip so I figured it was better to call my podiatrist and let them know of my problem and get another appointment! That sux cause my foot is causing me grave discomfort! The earliest I could get wasn't till 3/10 at 10.45am!

I had to cancel my trips to and from the YMCA tomorrow cause the times were too close to the times to go to my podiatrist! I must have clicked the wrong button cause a trip to my podiatrist also got canceled! I immediately called  "the ride" and they said I had to call in  the morning!I REALLY need to see my podiatrist, lets hope they can do something!

I GFed a swordfish steak 4 dina tonight! I'm getting so good GFing my meat that tonight I could cut my swordfish with a fork :)!That eliminates me getting so frustrated trying to get my hands to work together! My dinna tonight was so enjoyable :) !

Hics was fun today! We did a little karaoke! I did   "sister christen" by night ranger! I  think I've got a vid of it 2 but I've gutta hook up my cam 2 my puter to see if it came out!You know electronics ya just donno :)!We had free food 2!One of the survivors just turned fifty yrs young and the administrative assistant got a new job (career) with the Mass bay transit authority! So we had cake and ice-cream!

Today had been a great day! I started out with KJ making a home visit and she did a big job! She got all my loose wires under my desk (computer and accessories wires) and  made an organized wire harness! What a great job she did too:) !I really appreciate all the help I get from KJ :) !I've been to the YMCA and had a good workout and I've been to hics!

Getting near time to call it quits 4 today!KJ makes a home visit tomorrow then I go to the YMCA then at late afternoon I'm going to hics for je/trivia,I can't get the character to the right of o to work!The first time we did j I was the winner by far!We will see how it goes tomorrow! With a tbi you just don't know what you will have day 2 day!I think I'll have a smart night,always thinking the best :) !

The one thing I've gutta remember from today is that mass health will take a claim for massage therapy if a doctor refers it!I think that would helo me cause of the discomfort caused by the surgery! I still can't use the letter after or to the right of o on this keyboard so I'm trying to work with this!

Today has been full of many things, I've now gutta try and  think of what has gone down! I can't get this keyboard to make the character next to o. Maybe cleaning my ez eyes keyboard will make it work! I wanted to use the character next to o in this sentence too! I've got a can of air to clean between the keys too! I've been to Wg's with Lisa, we got a memory card 4 the camera I got her 4 V day and I was able to buy it so now I don't feel guilty about getting a gift that needs things :) !We had coffee together,my homemaker has been here!I've just gutta figure out a way 2 get her internet!We talked about how we both want to get away!I said how I want to take a cruise,she said she would go too! I said that would mean we would have to share a cabin! She had no issues with that :)!

I'm trying a different keyboard! The only thing is the letter after o is stuck down! I'll work on it when I have time,gutta go to get my haircut now

Tomorrow I'm doing to Supercuts in Braintree!I've never been there with "the ride" I've just got to tell them all there my pick up time is 12.18 and they don't  wait 4 anyone!

I just did a trash run and if someone wasn't there 2 help me I don't know if I could have got the trash in the dumpster! Snow and ice all around the side lid to throw your trash in! I've got to call tomorrow and make Tracy aware of this, its dangerous!

I've tried paying the IRS and mass health and both times IE  stopped functioning! I'll wait now till KJ makes a home visit, too frustrating!

I've been trying all day to pay the IRS but the website is not cooperating or its my computer! I  wanna think its the site cause it is only that site and the site I go to for my mass health payment. I'll try to pay mass health now and see what happens. I'm not doing laundry today cause tomorrow is the day my homemaker does my bed sheets! I always have her do whatever I have in the hamper along with the sheets!

I'm waiting for peapod 2 bring my order from s&s, said 10am delivery! I called Lisa last night, left a vm saying to call me in the morning. I had to ask to borrow her laundry card 4 one dryer run. That's cause I'm a little scared to scoot to the office and put value on mine ( snow removal around here)!She said her card has nothing on it but  offered to go to the office 4 me and put value on mine :) !I'm so happy I have a friend like Lisa living so close :) !I've booked all my trips 4 the week and I'm a little nervous about them! They look okay but I'm a little unsure about one!I'm going 2 my podiatrist  on Friday and I get confused about the address !I get confused if its 1261 furnish brook pkw or 1161!I've been there many times b4,I asked them to check but this is "the ride" I don't have a lot of confidence that they will :( !

I'm sick of the snow ENOUGH already! I can't even take my trash out! I'm hoping I can at least scoot to the office tomorrow cause I need to put value on my laundry card so they ARE gonna do a better job with snow removal, positive  thoughts :) !

I was a little too chicken to scoot to try to get my haircut so I googled haircuts in Holbrook ma! All were closed Monday!I'm really desperate now so I called supercuts in Braintree ma.I booked a ride there  and back! With the cost of "the ride" on top of the haircut its gonna cost me near $30.

Lisa was gonna take me over to get my haircut but she is not feeling well this morning :( !I'm thinking I should try scooting over again! I need to get my haircut bad so I think I'm gonna try :) !

If the weather is not bad tomorrow Lisa is gonna drive me over to get my haircut! I hope its not snowing bad cause I really need my haircut!!

I'm a little concerned about my left hand! The skin  is peeling off! That was the hand that got so cold I was worried about frost bite!

Lisa came over and we exchanged gifts. I'm a little pissed the camera didn't some with a memory card! When I give a gift,I want to have everything so it works! That's the only problem with shopping on line, you can't ask questions! We are gonna have to go to Wg's and get a memory card !I'm waiting 4 peapod to deliver my order while I'm waiting I'm rocking out to Billy Idol, night ranger,bonjove,and soul asylem :)!

I've been able to successfully  scoot to the store but not without a lot of slipping and sliding but no getting stuck or tipping over! I got  home and checked my snail mail and my ring came!I guessed I was a size 9,it fits good! Lisa is gonna come over tonight! She knows I got her a cam I'll tell her to bring her laptop so I can install the software and connect the cam to the puter 4 her!

I'm having a little trouble getting organized this morning. I gutta try scooting 2 the store! Its warm for February and I think I've given this place enough time for snow removal so I believe its safe 2 try a scoot :) !

I GFed a couple cheese turkey burgers 4 dinna tonight! On whole wheat bread plus I boiled a can of spinach with it :) !I'm getting better  with my GF grill! I still could have taken the burgers off sooner but they were still tasty :) ! Tomorrow I've got the YMCA then tomorrow night, Lisa and I are gonna get together 4 Valentines day! Then I  can give her the digital cam I got her! Lisa suffers from depression! Part of its from living here, another part is from nothing  to do! I'm hoping this will give her lots to do! Then  if she wants prints, there is a machine at Wgs that will take an image from a flash drive and print it on photo paper!

I always get  all "fed" up when my schedule changes!I didn't have hics today  cause of the snow  storm :(! I was able to complete my peapod order thou hopefully  this is the last pp order this month! I just did one last wk and I think I got all the things I forgot but we shall see! I hope this snow doesn't stick around long and they do better on the snow removal  around here! I just hate feeling trapped!" The ride" is a great service but you just gutta book a trip a day in advance! 

I've been real busy today I'm having trouble remembering what happened today!KJ made a home visit,I Have no clue  as to  what we did. I've been to the YMCA  and had a great workout! Been to the office for a pizza party! That really wasn't too much fun. Too many people at least 10 yrs older than me!I went there hopping to meet some chicks but I guess I'm not gonna meet any chicks here at Ramblewood :(!

Tomorrow I'm going to the YMCA for strength training then here at Ramblewood they are having a resident appreciation night! Free pizza and drinks! I'm always up for FREE pizza :) !

I'm trying to get used to my mouse adapter all over again but its reacting in a way it never did b4!The curser will all of a sudden move to the other side of the screen! Then I have problems finding it! I've   gutta play around with the settings but, nothing is easy! I think it took me a while b4 to get it dialed in so it would help me so much I guess I've just gutta have patients, some thing since my tbi,I have none of. I learned something today in the group peer tbi but I can't remember what :( !I just spoke with Lisa and Saturday she is gonna take me to get my haircut :) !

I've got hics today :)! Today is also the day my check from ssdi is due! That just means within the next few days I gutta pay all my bills! Every month when I get my check,  I pay all my bills,a way of remembering to pay them :) 

I just spoke with Lisa and she will take me tomorrow to get my haircut :)!

I tried scooting to get my haircut but, I couldn't find the place, I was just there the other day too, God blessed tbi! I cleared my whole day to try and get a haircut too :( ! 

Tomorrow I've got the YMCA for strength training then I think I gutta try to scoot to Wg's  cause I need protein shakes! I've gutta start putting lots of trips to the "Y" in a row!

Laundry is still by far the  most challenging task I must be able to perform! I try every week different strategies  to make it go easier but nothing yet! I could have my homemaker do it on Mondays but that would be a cop out, giving up! Those words just aren't in my vocabulary :)!

I'm really getting sick of everything being so challenging ! This morning it was something so  simple! I had to put my belt into a fresh pair of jeans. Its making my two hands work together! I've learned I can no longer do it standing up so I do it with my jeans off, but still I've gutta try to hold my jeans while trying to coordinate the belt through the loops. With my coordination not being up to par and my right hand being almost useless its a struggle! Times like this I've got to remember what my family was told after my motorcycle accident."If he wakes up from the coma, he wont be much more than a vegetable! Now I'm living on my own and soon I'm gonna get my license back :)!

I've still gutta do laundry today! I can take my time getting around to that thou, I've got all day! I don't have to scoot 2 Wg's 4 anything so no stress! Plus there is always the chance of meeting a pretty lady down there ;).

I've been able to check and see that all my trips are correct, the web lets me check my trips but still won't let me book a trip online! I called the lady who helped me get this far but she hasn't returned my call :( !At least I can check my trips! Gutta be positive! Maybe I should email the MBTA directly, that's how I got the lady to work on my account enough to get this far! I don't like to go over anyone's head but it would be so much easier 4 me to be able to book my trips online!:)I've also been able to check my bank accounts! I do this daily cause of all the fraud out there today and to see if I need to transfer any funds from my savings to my checking! I must say living on a fixed income, I do very well with my money!

I woke up this morning kinda all "fed" up! I knew I had to book my trips for the week so I did that. All the haze started to go away doing that :) !I guess when this happens to me, I've got to find something simple that will force me to focus on one task!Thats what my tbi does 2 me, I have no idea what I'm gonna be like tomorrow!

I'm getting better with my GF grill! I guess I could have taken the fish off the grill a little sooner but, that was the best I've done living here! I've got a small piece leftover too!I gutta wait 4 the grill to cool then I gutta do clean up UGG!

It seems my call to Tracy, the apt. manager, did some good! I  was able to scoot my trash out to the dumpster but I did have to get up off my scooter and walk it across ice and slush to put it in the dumpster, probably not the safest thing to do but, I CAN do it :) !I also scooted to the store and all the ramps were clear enough so I didn't get stuck! Just a lot  of slipping and sliding on technical park drive!

My right foot is causing me tremendous discomfort :(! Its from a corn on my little toe. I've already got balance issues, this makes it even harder to keep my balance! I just saw my podiatrist not to long ago! I'm worried about my benefits not covering too many visits too close together! I've gutta try thou cause this is too much to deal with, and I've got a high tolerance to pain!

I think getting my haircut went down on the priority list. I've gutta get to the store, do a trash run, after that I'll see how my calling and saying about the snow removal around here!

Tomorrow I'm gonna try to get a haircut! There is a place near here in scooting range but Lisa offered to take me so I think I'm gonna take her up on it:)!

Peapod delivered my order I put all the stuff away but I'm still having problems with freezer space! I've just gutta start  cooking more :)!I've already got tomorrow nights dinna out of the freezer and in to the fridge,I had to for room! I need to make a trash run to the dumpster! I tried last night but no clear areas to scoot, its dark out now, I called and complained about that this morning and Tracy said it would be taken care of but I don't think its safe to try it in the dark!

KJ has been and she helped me with what I could remember to ask her because my computer was going nuts in notepad, I type a notepad every week when KJ makes a home visit of things I need help with so when I forget, I have a backup ! :) Things I've learned I must do if I want things to go smoothly! I've been able to call the office too to address my concerns about the snow removal and to tell about getting stuck yesterday and needing to get shoveled out! I spoke with Tracy, the apt. manager and she apologized and called maintenance to make sure they take care of the ramps to get on the sidewalks! KJ also was able to help me put on my gold chain, my heavy one! I broke my 2nd cervical vertebrate so gold around my neck is very important to me :)!

Tomorrow KJ is making a home visit then I'm gonna go to the ymca  for my strength training! I've got to put in lots of times going! I know I'll feel much better.

I've been to hics and that was great then I had my driver drop me off at Wg's so I could get a script filled and get some groceries then I had to scoot home! Everything was going good till I got in the Ramblewood property! A plow truck had come by and blocked a ramp with snow! At first I tried to power through the mound of snow, I realized that wasn't working then I tried to clear it with my bear hands! A passer by saw me doing this and stopped and "I've got a shovel, can I clear you out"? I've been a lucky guy on a lot of my scoots, maybe being a good guy 4 so many yrs, Jesus is making sure I get help when I need it :) !

I've gutta try to get to Wg's somehow today!I'm thinking of having "the ride" drop me off there  on my return trip from hics.

Tomorrow I've got hics :) !I left Lisa a vm saying "I just got a script in the snail mail, next time you go to Wg's, can I catch a ride too"? She's a great girl, I'm sure she will come through!

I'm still not impressed with any snowstorm after experiencing the blizzard of "78"!JR the program director at hics called me to inform me that Jeff Sebell will be coming to hics to speak to us all! Jeff accomplished so much after his tbi! I hear all the time at hics all the survivors think they can't do much with a tbi! My hope is that Jeff can show them all, you can do anything, tbi or not! We have a lot of younger survivors now, I think its important they realize that they have endless opportunities!

"Riding the storm out" I hate the snow now! I feel so trapped cause I don't have my license YET and I don't trust that the sidewalks and ramps will be clear to safely scoot anywhere! I was able to cut my fingernails on my left hand which was so challenging for me cause I had to use my right hand to hold and operate my clippers! My right hand doesn't do nearly what I tell it to :(!

KJ cancelled this morning and rec is canceled too! They say the snow is coming down 1-2 inches an hr,some places 3 inches! They have issued a snow emergency in the state of Mass!

We had animal world come today at hics! Today Matt talked about animal poop :) Just about the things you can tell about an animal from the poop! You can tell so much about an animal by lts poop! It didn't stink at all :) !Matt always very interesting !We are supposed to get a big snowstorm! I've found when they say we are gonna get hammered we don't! Its when they say " it won't be much" is when we get hammered!Like the blizzard of "78"!They said then we were not gonna get much but we sure did! The YMCA already called and cancelled tomorrow, if its bad tomorrow morning I don't expect to see KJ  too but still gutta get up and ready!

I just got a call from the therapist that gave me the driving eval! She wanted to know where I was with that. I told her its a money thing right now but I guess its more of a fear thing! I'm a little fearful of taking tests.:(

My mind keeps on going from one thought to another very quickly! I don't have the ability to stop it and focus on one thought, kinda sux!

I ended up canceling the YMCA this morning so I could scoot to the store!I needed to use the atm there but I could have gone cause I'm home way b4 my pick up time :(!

Tomorrow I've got the YMCA, I've gutta start making it 3x a week there!Then my homemaker but I've gutta get to the store so I donno if I'm gonna cancel my homemaker or not, I'll see how things go!

I've been able to do all my laundry, book my trips 4 the week, forman up some steak teriyaki for dinna, watch a little of the Denver killing, now I'm beat :)! 

No swearing no using the lords name in vain Must respect others opinions No trying to deliberately hurt my feelings or anyone else's I've got the power to delete, so if any rules are broke, prompt deletion!

I've been watching college hockey after the B's win :)!The beanpot tournament is coming up!I think the BC eagles are gonna do it again this year but you can never count out the terriers! 

I got a call from Wg's saying I HAD A SCRIPT ready so I scooted to Wgs's this morning! I was hoping it would be the med I just went back on. It must have fallen out of the basket on my scooter cause I get home and my land line is ringing, I have trouble answering it b4 it goes to vm. Thankfully  I've got caller id.I was able to call the number, to make a long story shorter, a good Samaritan picked up my med and brought it to my apartment! I'm finding there are still lots of good people around :) !

I had a scare this morning! I turned on my computer and all these windows started opening all  over the screen! So I did  a restart then it wouldn't boot up! I've got it working okay now. I'm thinking of stopping blogging, only cause of some recent blogs about my overnight stay at the ss hospital and my knack of calling a spade a spade! I am very honest, and I guess speak from my heart! Someone didn't like hearing through fb that I had to stay overnight at the ss hospital a while back. I talked with my bestest support about it and we came to the conclusion that if I  didn't blog about it, they wouldn't have even known! Someone took exception to me calling a spade a spade!That kinda hurt my feelings cause they knew the pain and hardship that caused me and they went running to their defense!