This is what I drank in training, and the Ironman. Now it's the Goofy Challenge

Friday, February 23, 2007

Technological help for the Traumatic Brain Injury survivor

All I can say is WOW. I am a little over whelmed at all the equipment I received from Assistive Technology's Grant I applied for last semester. Here is a picture of some of the stuff, the hard ware









It is the software though, that is crazy, I have a program called Inspiration, I don't know how to explain it. I am trying to upload an image I can make but it's a little harder than I thought. I haven't spent to much time on it. All I can say is it's like my board. I can put in a main theme, and then link things to it.
Here is the website for Inspiration http://www.inspiration.com/ I just don't have the words to explain it. It also comes with a spell check program, that works independently in the computer. What that means is even as I type this there is the Blogger spell check, but I can click on this even right now, and it spell checks any program I am currently running. It also makes sure I have use the right word. For example sometimes I type the word phonetically. So I want so say psychology, and I type sikologie, or aphasia, and i type afashia. Sometimes the word to can be to, two, too. I get confused where if goes. So it can check that I have used the right "to,too,two". It also speaks to me. So I can hear what I just typed now, and see if it makes sense when I hear it. I can also play a document I have downloaded from school and hear it, on top of seeing it. As I type my word documents or essay's I can play them back to myself. It's very cool.

I received a digital voice recorder as well. So I can sit in class and record the lectures, and download it. I can then search the voice documents for words the teacher may have said, or try to find the different places that word may have been said.

I got a printer, and a really cool Language Master, that kind of looks like a calculator but I can type in words and will repeat them out loud, kind of like a Steven Hawkins voice.

The Laptop is a Dell Latitude, Core Duo, it is made to be able run several programs at once. I purchased a digital router ($44.59) and hooked it up at home. So I can sit in my bed with the laptop but still be able to have my old computer to access the Internet, and run other programs.

The point being I can go to class, set up my computer and record the whole class, both by sound, and video. So when I get home I can go back over the class. It's so cool. I even got a backpack that fits all my school books, and the computer.

On a side note, I have made my message at home from my Language Master. So it sounds like a computer voice.....I am a little weird. I wonder if I can download audio files to the blog? mmm Anyway it's really cool.

My grades have gone up from 3/20, to 15/20 in Biology. I have a midterm next week. I haven't even started my psychology paper yet. I am kicking ass in Math.

The neighbors above me are still intense, they have been a little quieter, and have till the end of the month to get out. My landlord called me to ask how I felt if they stayed longer. Apparently they are finding it difficult to find a place, in the same price range, by the end of the month. While I totally get that it's hard. They are not the ones who have to live next to them. They are constantly having large groups of teens over, party's till 4 or 5 in the morning. When you try to talk to them, they threaten you, and insult you. They have had the police hear night after night. They have had so many chances, we are beyond a second chance, which I am totally all about, even a third if there is good intent. This would be a 13th or 14th chance. Plus they don't seem to have any remorse. The only time they show any remorse is when it is hard for them to find a new place, or it's in there best interest. So I told the landlord if they stay even for an extra 15 days, it sends the signal that it's OK. There is no consequence. To add to that, I really don't give a shit. If I hadn't been threatened, If I didn't have to put up with them night after night, maybe I would have some feelings toward it.

The wedding planning is going on. Mandy has found a dress, and is very excited. What is hard is to not be to involved in sertain aspects of the wedding. I want to be involved, and be suportive, but there is some stuff I just can't do.

Over all this week has been better, new toy's, my clinic is doing great, It was an intense few last weeks. There were times when I wanted the world to slow down so I could catch up. I just kept on showing up. Things are looking a little more positive!! Yeah

1 comment:

wyn said...

Wow, those are really neat toys you got! =) It's a really smart tool that's got loaded in it technical terms like aphasia.
Stick to your guns regarding the neighbours and congratulations on your improvement in biology. =)
And it's nuts how time flies - already into week 7 of training for the Vancouver in May. And even sooner is the Sun Run. Eeek.