Working With Primary Progressive Aphasia

Soon I will be going up to Indy to see what mybrainis doing to.see my  weakness and streaths. I really hate the word weakness. Rather,I like the wordChallanges That is  how Ive used it for kids who are not able    tocope.  I woke up this morning with a whole list of things I CAN do. At tithis timeI am  am advising phd candidewho wantsto  know the hows and of my work over longemail threads. That should be good for something!  I canwalk downtown with out getting lost, I can talkand walk at the same time! I make dinner,I get the I do all thelaundry. I make the food shopping list I crochest thehyperbolic plane. How about that!  I also can type and get my words out with not too much hassle. I guess gI'm doing as well as I can so that is a win for me. The other thing is that Ican remember peoples names better than ever which was not the thecase in my old brain. Go figure! I am cognnsent about my plite but that is a awhole other story!  

A new perspective have I. These days Ifeel like  anything  can be placitiy for me. I love to walk and talk with My friend Cindy.k We wlk and talk about  lot of things like shadoows and the ground we walk on. I also likeThe Crows.Some times after our walks I have to eat right away be cause when this happens I get really hungry. Apparently, any time the brain isdoing something new like trying to ride a bike it takes 30% of of energy to make it,and that is why I'm always h hugry after Speach sessions! My favorite brain food is yougurt with full cream and the pasta at the Bloominfoods deli!

 A friend of mine suggested I blog about what I do during the day. Honestly, My days are quite  quiet. Me and the cats. If its not raining I walk downtown andget a treat at Blooming Foods.I have a new phone and Ifinally got ear pods for this phone. I love to walk, but a walk with someone is more preferable. I also go to doctor appointments, not a ton. Ilike my speach days because there are fun because I get to use my brain to helpme with the concepts that help me with talking and understanding. The other thing is that Iwill soon to be getting a test to see if I am loosing my words and understanding. I think I'm doing well on this because of all the plaicity that have made me strong in  my brain. If anyone has some time I would love to have a brain break with you on the B- line or otherplaces  around B-town.   I lsten to Fresh air when I dont have a friend to chat with on a walk.

 ...I finally came to the question WHYme?  and  it sucks.Honestly, things were going going well over all ths time but one little thing can break me right now. I do not feel optimstic.I will not  stop working on getting better  but I'm mad as hell. One of the reason isthat no one really undererstands that my brain is sick. Iam physically well but but a lot of things most adults do are hard for me. I can't drive anymoreIcan  understand money to a certain dgree. but I don't want to make any any errors.   Also, I am  awaare my condition and it quite surreal. But,because I am using placicity toget my brain back on track I have to work even harder to get better.This blog is about the ups and downs. As I go about my day but nobody wants the downs downs. But that is my life right now. I never know when my brain will still be useful at any time or not.

Yesterdaay I had company on my walkwith  Cindy K  and I ate bacon! Yummy! I was also getting memories from all the things and projects. If possible I might be able to get that footage. My friends are passing back my memories in a lovely way I used to be a percussive dancer. I also played the wooden flute in my band  along with the dancing. Grey  Larson is going to give me lessons! Mike Pulled out my flute out and it sounded good!  Now I just need a tune to learn!

All the things I am noticing I notice that I have some friends in my my neiborhood who check in with with me whichI am so grateful for.   I notice that,even if I'm working on my instrutional video It's not quite not like having a job. I notice that that I can drive but onlyto go to Blooming foods and the Colledge llege mall Kroger.And Target. I notice that when I walk and with friends it is mostly about me.  I notice that I can still walk  and and talk thank goodness. I notice that I'm 'm feeling isolated but Idon't know how to mitigate this...but todayI had a  fine time with an old friends who knew mewhen I was dancing and, playing theflute!  We walke downtown and was treated with alovely Brunch and conversation. Whata  balm for me. I notice I notice that my typed words are getting  better. I notice that I'm lonely.Nowhere to go No fun things  to do.My friend Cindy took r  Acaveat: Thiings are looking better with afreind who loves towalk jus...

So, last week myspeach interns andI had some diffiulty around  tthe sematic web we use to help me find words for myself.  I need to use it so I can find the words Iwant to use since my kind of Afasia is word finding. Generally, any time I'm getting frustrated not just this context but  when I get lost in the words,litterally, I will take  step back and try and find theBIG ideas and concepts I'mworking on.Ideas.Then Ifound This! In stead of getting frustrated   found this!    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4600091/ What is Semantic Network? In a nutshell t https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4600091/ What is Semantic Network? Ignore the graphs for now since I don't know how it works. A knowledge base that represents semantic relations between concepts in a network. The model of knowledge representation is based on a directed or undirected graph consisting of vertices, which represent concepts, and Disregard the graphs, which...

This Friday I will be "teaching" the apasia interns how to make  the the two pieces of origami I've made myself by reading the instructions. T he next step will be me doing nothing but using only my words to  be a huge challenge for me given that I have already tried to practice it a couple times and I'm already wiped out! P.S . If you Make something you like  it is always fine to put a frame around it!   

HA! My husband had a talk with my 16 year old a few weeks a go about my diagnosis. When I asked what he said it was that I was one of the most Intellgent person he knew,which is nice to know but now the bloom is off the rose and now she's back to her teenage self again.  

I woke up this morning with flashbacks of my cognitive break down. It was allarming and it shook me.  Luckily Ihave a friend who works with placity which is why I'm here now, talking and having conversaions Even though my new brain is working better than the other brain I still don'trust  that it will happen again. Hoping to get a  therapist who mght get this transition.   transition.That's all for now. xoxo See you round the bend. -Malke

Last weekend on Facebook I asked folks on Facebook to to tell me what their favorite word is.  Movement!   Here are the curent entries  and I hope you will add your favorite words in the comments! You could have a lot of words or just one. and I would love know what word (s) you Love! Last weekend on Facebook I asked folks on  Facebook to to tell me what their favorite word is. Mine is Movement. Here are the curent  entries and I hope you will add your favorite word to this list in the coments!  -Play/playful  -Twenty Seven -memory  -Balderdash -sesquicentennial  -Finicky  -Butter cream -Action! -Smooshed  -greay hound - Bereft  -

Because I have diffuculty understanding what people say to me I thought it might be good to to do something that would help me with understanding directions. I had already thought that learning Origami might be as good project for me so I decided to challange myself beacause to do something  that would really  challallange me but I FINALLY made my first origami piece!! My brain and me have  I have been challanged by the origami which means my brain is growing and  making more connections in my brain!! I'm not really someone who follows instrucions but in this case I was thrilled that my first piece looked so pretty!  AND I did follow the instrucions! I I think I will keep going with the Origami!

I think the biggest thing that is happening to me now  is noticing the NON-precision  in my written comunication is the that in my words are't as precise any more.  In my work. I was known to be precisice in my words and in my ideas about how we can create a system for children to understand the how,s and way's of letting elementary kids make their own understanding of math and movement and then take what they know and make something really interesting to the to their peers and to adults.  This post was for trying to get that langauage back a little bit. it. Mostly Ijust need to be more specific in this blog and maybe the more I write the better it'll be.  And, really, I CAN  proof read my own work for sure.#ican #iwill 

We did  LOT today in an hour of afasia therapy today. This was my second therapy session with my team--yestterday and last week kbothties It seems that   that is what will help me over the long term. I am working hard to develop stratigies to keep my words fresh meaning knowing how communicate better than I might be now and later when I really need it. There is also a varient  of afsia that focuses on the kind of afsia I have. Only 30%has my variant of afsia! Also I would love for folks to comment on the blog wth their best loved word!   You can tell me why or just send it through in the comments! Thank you! Thank you! xxo  I can't wait to know your favorite word/s Also , no word finding in this post! Have a great weekend! xxo

My days right now are  to get my brain in the best it can be. Today I walked, but not alot of talking since my husband was working at home today. HOWEVER... I am starting a few new therapy-like activiteis to keep my brain interested (like a little puppy..hahah! ) I am starting a course of my own to be be better about understanding what people say to me.  I n this case, I am learning how to be good at following  directions.  I can use 0rrigami (which has  lot of instrutions) .I bought some really beautiful origami paper  So I can flex my understanding while learning to to follow dirctions.    This will will likely be a big challenge for me since i'ts something I usally don''t   don't do!  I'd love to ad photos to this blog.but  will try to to make it work some how! I also have a game which was made for kids but I think it will help me with the    math, espspecically factors! That should be fun! No word finding in this ...

 I've been a shy optimistic person most of my life but when I realised, as an adult thatI hadnt' made many new friends since since College I am now relishing talking to people,I even iif it's just a short  interlued.  But I do have some friends in the neighborhood.  I Got to know a new friend who walked with me during my first run of walking out on my my first walking / brain exercise, which was wonderful.   I also have a friend who works with placicicity and she suggested Scrabble which has both words and numbers.!  This post has had  no word finding in this post!

WOW! First dayof therapyfor mywords  AND me! After all the waiting I feel like a a  $100! Bucks! Iv'e got  homework and everything!  After not knowingwhat was wrong with me over allALLLL these years I can finally get the therapy I need and the empathy from people who know me and love me. I do great with great with a project.  I Know this will be hard but I'm game!  I'm also continuing with my walks and just this weekend I went and tried some slim boots for the winter. into the Spring. My mind is on placity in the brain. We can chnge our brain by usinging it purposely. My agenda is to keep moving on all fronts.  For example: a friend suggested the game scrabble! Letters and numbers!! See you around the bend! .

The Hardest part ofhaving a neurological condition is that my brain can work one day and not the next. I'm sure I'm not alone. That is why I am scaling back some of my comitments. I hate bowing out.  I had wanted to get a new website where all my creative math actves activities   would be available to try. I really love these projects. Maybe I can pick that up again but the the biggest thing I'ave done so far Is my game, based on my program Math in your feet. The game is called Moving Patterns Take a look!  https://movingpatternsgame.com/ What I really need to do is to  focus on the Instrutional instructional video. 

 There are days an there are other days. I woke up today to with a difficullt brain day. What that means that my Big brain, the one that takes most ofthe liftng  when my little brain goes Bazerk and I feel like I need a babysiter.!  I do have work to do and I've spent a lot of  work  to get my project ready to go online. Lets say this blog is my therapy forthe short term term issues and say that my better brain will reappear.  I thnk ths will be my plight for many years, but the more I do things that Ilike I think I should be okay.  xxoo

Hi folks. I have been diagnosed with Primary Progressive Afasia. If you don't hknow what  that means that I could loose my words.at some time.   However,  here is the caveat...I recently used  the placicity of my brain to re-wire my brain. I have been really  down in the dumps since my recent diagnosis.I've been struggling with apasia for at least from 2018 at least,andthrough  the Pandemic. I am a two time author all realated to my work with creative mathematics in the elementary classrooms!  schools. Math in the elementary classroom. I created Created a program called Math in Your feet. I also Had a successful Kickstarter with mygame based on Math in Your feet (dance). Math on the move. Check it out! http://movingpatternsgame.com/ This blog for me to not only be a patient, I want to Keep doing new things  Check  out my teaching blog if you like!  https://mathonthemovebook.com/. At sometime  me I will give myself some challeng...