This was another busy day. This morning I met with/interviewed another music therapist and hired her to work with Rand once a week starting next week. I feel good about her, her background, philosophy and experience. We agreed that this would be up to a four month trial period to see how it goes. Rand, she or I may decide that it isn't working, isn't appropriate, and terminate the agreement at any time, but I want to give it a solid shot. Rand poo-pooed the idea, rolled his eyes, laughed at the whole notion, but agreed to try it in light of my stubborn Norwegian-ness. I'm not giving up on finding some way to connect with what is going on in his brain and I'm not going to let him give up either. By the time we get well into music therapy, we should know more about the possibility of getting a grant for Mo and getting him set up permanently with Rand. All these irons in the fire do have a common thread and one of these days they should all come together. I told him about the SOP music intonation, music therapy I tried with him almost immediately following the stroke. He doesn't remember any of it - singing Row, Row, Row Your Boat and "singing" phrases as I held his hand and and moved it in rhythm with the words or song, the cds of his favorite songs I played in his room, in the car, trying to get him to sing. The night he first sang "Blue Moon". He remembers none of it. I think recounting all these efforts make him willing to try real, honest to goodness Music Therapy. We'll see.
I attended a luncheon for a professional group that I belong to and then spent the rest of the afternoon with Rand. It was good to see some former colleagues again. Tomorrow I'm having lunch with two former colleagues, one of whom I haven't seen in ages. Should be great fun. Following the lunch today I swung by my old school for the first time in two years. What fun that was!! "My" office looks the same and has held up well. There is wear and tear on parts of the school but my brass placque is still shiny and bright! I didn't even have to polish it this time! There are 12-15 staff members still there and it was wonderful to see them all.
Rand is just fine, no changes. We talked and I caught him up on several things and people, then we went out on the back patio and played solitare. Today we finally won a game!! Whee! That was fun for Rand and he had a good time piling the cards on aces in numerical order. Rand still has to slow down, look carefully as he mixes up the suits, colors and some numbers. He doesn't see all the moves available, so when I stop dealing or hesitate, he goes back to the cards and looks hard again. Often he finds what he had overlooked and corrects himself. We worked on the jigsaw puzzle for awhile, too. I'm impressed that he is keeping at this 300 piece puzzle. If he can do it, then a whole new world of "puzzledom" will open up for him. 150 piece puzzles are hard to find and are very childish in their themes - lots of Barbie and CInderella!
My cousin sent this Norwegian Blessing to me - how appropriate!
"May da ruts alvays fit da wheels of yer pickup - May yer ear muffs alvays keep out da nort vind - May da sunshine varm yer lefse - May da rain fall softly on yer lutefisk - And until vee meet again - May God protect yew from any and all unnecessary Uffdas!!"
All is well. Keep Rand close.
Love,
Connie
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