Hi Everyone,
The recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury is absolutely fascinating. Today Coach Kate wanted to evaluate Corey’s understanding of money (a functional goal). She had copies of present day currency placed in front of her. Looking at the 20, 10 and 5 she asked Corey to tell her how much was on the table. Corey said 3. Kate acknowledged there were three bills on the table but wanted Corey to name each bill and the value of the note. Corey concentrated for a minute and then became extremely agitated.
I interrupted, calmed her tantrum and picked up the $20. I asked her to point to what she could recognize on the bill. She pointed to the President and the circular government stamp to the right of the Presidents face. I asked her to describe what she was seeing.
Pointing to the President; “A boy”, Pointing to the treasury emblem; “A circle”. I asked her if she saw any numbers on the bill. She did not. I asked her if she could describe what the perimeter looked like; “A fancy frame”.
I took a plain piece of paper and asked Corey to write the numbers 1-10. She wrote them sequentially without an issue. Next, hiding the motion of my pen as well as the ability to identify what I was writing, I wrote random numbers and asked her to identify them…she could not.
We went back to the currency. I showed Corey each bill separately. Verbally, I pointed out each President associated to each bill as well as the value posted in the corners. We then laid out $100, $50, $20, $10, $5, $1 in a row. Just out of curiosity, we asked Corey how much the column was worth. Without pausing she said $186 dollars.
She can’t recognize the letters of the alphabet or read but she can write? She can’t recognize numbers but she can add, subtract and multiply without a pen/paper or calculator? She randomly began to count to 10 in Spanish but can’t recognize US currency or coins…fascinating. Part of her brain is reconnecting yet within the same hemisphere there are still road blocks.
You will be happy to know that Coach Corey and Coach Jeanine are very pleased with my homework. Corey is responding well to “teaching” me the exercises “I need” to make my upper body stronger. Coach Jeanine showed us household items to use in lieu of the rehab equipment we are using at Bryn Mawr. She was thrilled to hear about her poolside noodle baseball game with Mr. Nutt and Mr. Gebauer.
I was kidding with Corey that I can’t believe I have homework…didn’t I graduate a long time ago? She looked at me and said, “Mom, it’s a new school”! xoxo