Update - October 23, 2012

Almost five months to the day since her brain surgery at the Heart Institute on May 28^th, Allison is being discharged from the Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre later this week! While being discharged from the Rehab Centre is clearly a very major milestone, it is only one step along the road in a long journey ahead.  Allison will be continuing as an outpatient at the Rehab Centre for two speech therapy sessions a week, plus, she will also be having music therapy sessions at home twice a week. The rest of her weekly schedule is still a work-in-progress. It will involve a few occupational therapy and recreational sessions, some of which may be arranged through the Aphasia Centre of Ottawa and/or the Champlain Community Care Access Centre. 

Anyone will tell you who has seen Allison recently after an interval of a few weeks, she has made remarkable progress in a short time. This progress appears to be related to a variety of factors, not the least of which are the excellent therapy she has been receiving, and Allison’s marvellous dedication and her upbeat bearing.

While Allison has been very much looking forward to the day that she can remain at home full-time, she has also been a “real trooper” about going back to the Rehab Centre on weekday evenings. This is partly due to her own formidable constitution, but it is also greatly due I think to the very positive atmosphere that the staff at the Rehab Centre manages to maintain. The daily social interactions that Allison has enjoyed at the Rehab Centre appear to have been large contributors to her progress. Once that daily interaction is off the table it is a whole new ball game.   The plan is to try to build a weekly schedule for Allison that meets both her social and therapy needs, while being cautions to ensure that she also has lots of time for rest.

Allison’s daily regimen while at home on weekends now includes going for a walk, various exercises on an iPad speech therapy program, and playing piano. She has also been doing Sudoku, reading the newspaper and a novel, and restoring some order to the house. This latter activity she carries on quite relentlessly.

 A big thanks to Allison’s sister Linda for her recent visit and splendid contributions to the well-being of the family members. One of these was a terrific turkey dinner, that is still being enjoyed.