At the hospital, I was given several kinds of therapies: Cognitive and Physical. The cognitive therapy involves speech and memory. These involved memory strategies and techniques to help me to begin to retain information. I also learned how I should use these to make better decisions.

I was given stories and told to remember the many details in order. I hated these because there were too many events for me to recall. Another strategy was to say the alphabet backwards.   I was a good student in school who wanted to succeed. So I thought that all I needed to do was just work harder. My progress continued to yoyo from doing well and to back where I started. It felt like a hill that I couldn’t climb. My therapist would tell me to just relax and to expect setbacks. My memory would eventually return. This was excellent advice!

The next therapy was Physical. This was to reteach me the mechanics of walking. I suddenly realized how complex walking is when it is not natural. Many of my problems involved my balance. The Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) that I suffered caused lack of balance. My therapies were designed to improve balance and to force me to depend on my left leg. My right leg always tries to compensate for my left side.

My left side of my body was affected similar to a stroke victim.

I have to concentrate on every step to pick up this leg so I don’t trip and stumble. I realized that I have a long way ahead of me.