The staff and program at WBRC were impressive!
We both felt at ease and Sean settled into his routine. His day included: Manual Skills where he learned woodworking,
ceramics, leatherwork, and gardening; Orientation and Mobility which offered a
refresher on his mobility and cane skills along with training on the TrekkerBreeze; Living Skills focused on cooking, cleaning, and using devices such as
the Milestone to better organize his day; Visual Skills emphasized using the
Victor Reader Stream for his audio books as well as using proper lighting and
scanning techniques; CNVR training instructed him in use of the iPad and his
computer, and introduced him to Interactive Metronome (IM). IM uses rhythm to help reset the brain’s
timing and to improve a variety of functions including memory, concentration,
and focus. Sean will be continuing IM
therapy at home.
Before I returned home we took the Caltrain
into San Francisco for the day. We went
to Pier 39 and took a boat tour of the bay around Alcatraz and under the Golden
Gate Bridge.
I returned for the family training portion
of the program on May 9th. We
met with the neurologist and with Dr. Cockerham and discussed the results of
the MRI. The high-resolution MRI did
detect areas of brain damage on the right side in the frontal lobe, temporal
lobe, and deep white matter. While there
is not visible damage in the occipital lobe (visual center of the brain) vision
travels throughout the brain and all parts of the brain play a role in what the
brain sees. Sean’s damage is on the right
side, and his weak eye is his left since vision crosses the brain while it
travels to the back of the brain.
Testing indicates that Sean receives very little visual information
through his left eye. When presented
with a light bar approximately four feet long with flashing lights, Sean’s eyes
responded automatically to lights on the right side, but did not respond or
“jump” to any stimuli from the center of his body to the left. While there is no clear “x marks the spot”
answer, I respect that there are things medical science cannot explain and that
the doctors were up front and honest.
The instructors who worked with Sean every day did not find any
indication of conversion disorder. At
this time continued vision rehab, such as the CNVR program, is recommended for
possible improvement over time. Sean
will likely return to the WBRC in 8-12 months.
Overall, we were thrilled with the program and found the staff,
training, and accommodations to be top notch!
HUGE thanks to John and Dan of the CNVR program, as well as to Nikki, Anita,
Paula, Matt, Tony, Nicole, and all the nursing staff (and anyone I forgot)!
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| Western Blind Rehab Center, Menlo Park, CA |
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| Playing Black Jack |
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| Pier 39 |
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| Sea Lions at Pier 39 |
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| Golden Gate Bridge |
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| Sean made dinner in Living Skills |
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| Watering his garden |
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| Working in the shop with Tony |
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| Graduation with Program Manager John Kingston |
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| Technology Class with Dan |
