2013 got off to a great start, as Allison and Bob were able to
take their first holiday together in about 1 ½ years! They spent 8 days in
Antigua in early January and liked it a lot. Circumstances permitting they will
go back to Antigua for a longer period next winter. Allison has had a raft of
medical appointments since their return. Dr. Peters, the plastic surgeon who
operated with Dr. Lesiuk to do the second cranioplasty on December 7th,
says that the incision is healing very nicely and Allison will go back to see
him in six months. Dr. Lesiuk’s impression after meeting with Allison this past
week is that she is continuing to improve. Allison says that she has good days
and bad days, which Dr. Lesiuk says is completely normal for someone recovering
from a brain injury. Dr. Lesiuk is arranging an angiogram in the next while, as
since the May 28th operation there haven’t been any pictures of what
the aneurysm site now looks like. Dr. Lesiuk says this is because the four
titanium clips used to block off the aneurysm are so large that they cast a
shadow which prevents capturing an image of the area with any test other than
an angiogram.
Allison and Bob also had a meeting at the Aphasia Centre of Ottawa
last week, and Allison is interested in going to weekly sessions there once her
overall health permits her attendance. Allison’s outpatient speech therapy
sessions at the Rehab Centre have ended, and she has a new private speech therapist
(Evelyn Tan) coming to the house twice a week beginning on January 23rd.
Allison also continues to have twice weekly music therapy sessions with Cheryl
Jones, which she enjoys a lot. At times there are issues as to whether the
music element of the therapy meets Allison’s rigorous standards; however, with
the benefit of Cheryl’s advice and guidance sometimes Allison is able to be
convinced, at least for a period, that it is the process of doing music
therapy, and its hoped-for by-product of stimulating neurological pathways,
that is the more important for present purposes. That said, Allison continues
to also play the piano regularly, and also to enjoy musical visits from a
number of friends.
Allison’s most recent Rehab Centre speech therapist recommended
that Allison commence occupational therapy, as her communication skills are now
strong enough to benefit from it. However, we are being told that because of
limited resources Allison would receive very little OT as an outpatient, and
we’ve also been told that receiving much OT through the public health care /
Community Care Access Centre is also unlikely. The upshot of this is that we
have recently been in touch with a private occupational therapist who we will
likely end up also engaging.
On the physical front, Allison is herself noticing that she is
getting stronger, and she resumes twice weekly sessions with a personal fitness
trainer at the YMCA this week. Unfortunately the crappy weather here makes
Allison going outside for walks very often fairly problematic.
A long-time friend Nick Newton, who has been in the news in Ottawa
recently on account of his own health battle, and his longstanding
philanthropic efforts, is organizing an event from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on
Sunday February 10th in Ottawa. One half of the proceeds of the
event is being donated to Allison’s trust fund, and the other half is going to
the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa – which is hosting the event. In case anyone
is interested in attending please RSVP to Nick at newtfoto@rogers.com
