Day 350 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today was an early morning for me as I was part of a wonderful vocal quartet for both services this Reformation Sunday. We were joined by a pair of trumpets and our organist to lead the congregation in song this morning. The regular choir is starting rehearsals this Thursday, as a new interim choir director has just been hired.

After church we had lunch with Austin and Xixi. After lunch, Xixi went to tutor a Flintridge Sacred Heart student in physics, and Austin and I ran by Sports Chalet to check out the rapidly growing collection of ski and snowboard stuff. When we returned home, Regina and Grayson had decorated the house for Halloween, and Grayson was in a costume! Austin helped us with a little heavy lifting (putting the back seat back into the van) and Grayson suddenly walked over and picked up a case of water bottles that Regina had just unloaded from the van and carried them upstairs. I thanked Grayson, and then said, "A Scout is…" and he responded, "Helpful!" Grayson is still a very helpful and courteous young man, and is he continues to live the 12 points of the Scout Law as he is able.

Because of the 80° heat over the past week, the pumpkins that Austin and Xixi had carved last weekend turned to mush. While Austin waited for Xixi to finish tutoring, he prepared another pumpkin so that they could carve it later this evening at home.

After Austin and Xixi left, Grayson and I played with the Wii for a while. It is difficult for Grayson to focus very long on the games, but he loves to watch people play almost as much as TV.

Tonight we had wonderful dinner at Rita (Regina's sister) and Richard's. While there, it was fun to see the neighborhood kids come to the door for candy. In the 23 years we've been in our home we have never seen a Trick-or-Treat visitor. There are simply too many stairs at all of the houses in this neighborhood.

A long but very fun day today!

Pax!

Brant

Day 349 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Saturday! After overnight showers, today was a beautiful day! Grayson and I ran errands for several hours today. Among the errands, Grayson got a haircut, we shopped briefly at the La Canada Farmers Market, picked up meds at the pharmacy and went to the grocery store to pick up food for the game.

Austin and Xixi came by to watch the game with us, and Lauren and her boyfriend had dinner with us in during the third quarter. Perhaps the dinner distraction is why the Trojans started to break down around then! They held their own until well into the 3^rd quarter when the USC scoring engine just stopped. The Ducks did a great job tonight, and I'm glad to see a Pac-10 team ranked #1. (Perhaps someone will finally realize that there are football teams outside the SEC!) I'm sorry that with the new conference alignment that we will only play the Ducks, Beavers, Cougars and Huskies every other year from now on.

Grayson enjoys it when people are over. He watches and listens more intently and laughs more frequently when people are around. Tonight was no exception. While he sat in front of the TV, he was mostly sideways in his seat so he could watch all of us in the kitchen!

The game was a great opportunity for family to gather. Too bad about the score, but Grayson had a great time anyway!

Pax!

Brant

Day 348 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

As soon as Grayson returned from the clinic today, we put on long pants and headed down to USC. Tonight Austin was playing in a rugby match and we wanted to see it. This one was a special match that Austin could not lose. It was the current team vs. the alumni – and Austin qualified to play on either side! He played most of the game as the captain of the current team, as the current captain was sidelined due to injury. However in the final quarter, there was an injury to the alumni squad, and they were a bit short on bench strength. As a result, Austin removed his jersey, put on an alumni jersey, and went out there and played for the alumni! All in all it was great fun, as most of the alumni were recent and knew Austin well. The bottom line – the alumni crushed the current team. All of the best players from the past few years were there and they were unstoppable!

Rugby, if you have never seen it, is part soccer, part American Football, part keep away, and just plain crazy! Just so you sound informed the next time someone asks you about Rugby, a contest that we might call a "game", is called a match. The playing field is called a "pitch". The shoes that the players wear are celled "boots". What we might call a "touchdown" (and the players must down the ball in the end zone to score) is called a "try".

If you know Grayson, sports have never been his thing. He did well to sit still through the first half then the two of us took a short walk over to the bookstore to poke around a bit while Regina and Xixi continued to cheer on the teams. Since this is Homecoming Weekend, the store had more merchandise than I have ever seen in it! We purchased a trinket then headed back to watch the end of the match. I hope that our football team will score like our alumni tomorrow. Unfortunately hope is not a very good strategy. Given that the Ducks brought their weather along with them, it is a bad omen!

Tonight was a fun evening for all – Fight On!

Pax!

Brant

Day 347 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Routine – it is one of those things that people like more or less of in their lives. Some feel confined by it, others find it comforting. Some amount of routine is essential and I for one am grateful that most people put daily showering in their routine! For those like Grayson who are recovering from brain injury, routine is one of the few things that can substitute for a lack of short term memory. Cueing Grayson through a routine helps him successfully complete a task. As the routine becomes more ingrained, fewer cues are needed.

If it was time for you to go to bed, you would just do it, including changing into bedclothes, washing your face, brushing your teeth and anything else that you might need. That is your routine. For Grayson, that is way too complicated. You need to break the task (going to bed) down into bite sized chunks then cue him through the chunks. Changing into bedclothes really consists of removing your clothing, putting them away or into the laundry basket, then selecting bedclothes, then putting them on. That is still too complicated for Grayson. Removing your clothing consists of: sit down, untie your shoes, remove your shoes, remove your socks, unsnap your pants, unzip your pants, remove your pants then remove your shirt. That is the level of routine that we work with – activities of daily living broken down into steps that he can be cued to remember. Around here, the following type of phrase is often heard: "Grayson what is the first thing that you need to do to take off your pants?" Grayson will likely respond with, "Unzip?"

Using routine to work around short term memory issues – another technique for dealing with brain injury!

Pax!

Brant

Day 346 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today was a pretty typical day. Grayson was as slow as molasses and difficult to engage when he got up in the morning, and he returned home this afternoon engaged and active. Just not a morning person – never was!

We were informed that the conservatorship hearing will be postponed for some period of time to allow the court to ask additional questions. As a result, Friday will be a opportunity to set up some new physician relationships. Always plenty to do!

Pax!

Brant

Day 345 - Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today was the CNS Halloween Pot Luck! Grayson did the shopping yesterday for his meal contribution and today was the big event. The patients arrived in costume, including Grayson who dressed as Indiana Jones! Here he is dressed up earlier this year as he was today.

He worked hard today – including PT time on a trampoline and time on the stair stepper. He slept all the way home from the clinic but he woke upon arriving home, and was alert for the evening. He was with us this evening as we went out to dinner and the grocery store, and he was my shopping cart buddy as we gathered our treasures at the market!

By the time we returned home and unloaded the groceries, he was ready for bed. Another good day!

Pax!

Brant

Day 344 – Grayson’s Journey

Dear family and friends

Today, in addition to his regular therapies, Grayson went to the grocery store to purchase items that he can bring to the Halloween Pot Luck at the clinic tomorrow. He was assigned the salad, so he and his occupational therapist went to the store to acquire the salad fixings!

Today Grayson, and the two of us, met with his court appointed attorney. Friday is the court hearing to determine if Regina and I should be appointed as Grayson's conservators. The court has appointed Grayson counsel so that he may be fairly represented. I have been quite impressed with this process and the caring of the individuals involved. I am hoping that things will go smoothly on Friday.

In general, Grayson was slow this morning, but was quite active and alert this evening. A good day!

Pax!

Brant