Imaginative, clear, quick thought with creative solutions to problems of all levels remains as a gift to me. I treasure this ability, and grew concerned when I seemed to miss little details that allow me to activate this skill.
When I went to my new rehab, which includes neurological work, I discovered why my mind seems to have dulled somewhat. Before being disabled due to MS, I worked and made hundreds of decisions daily. I spoke with no script, made business plans and executed them.
These events slowed with disability.
Rehab told informed me that my mind might have dulled due to lack of use. So I have taken on unusual challenges there.
For the last two Mondays, I have let a topics class. The topic was initially Apple Computer and 2nd topic, IPod. My audience is fellow patients with different disabilities. I need to keep it simple and clear with no fear of repeated questions.
And I enjoy this activity. And this event sharpened me.
Today my wife needed some information for a class. The class is important to her license. So of course she forgot the information and asked me to find it.
I listened and tried conventional solutions. Go to the appropriate website. Enter information. And password.
The password had been forgotten. And the web solution failed.
I found one bag with the information. Needed information not here.
I discovered the datebook with 2 inches of papers. Search papers. Needed information not here either.
One note: I had been on the phone ad walked back and forth about 5 times.
No fatigue. Energy. Great.
I was calm. Another gift from rehab.
Before this stage of life, I was the calmest employee wherever I worked. Stock broker. Advertising deadlines. Retail sales events during all seasons. The higher the stress level, the calmer I became.
I now call it “The Giuliani Strategy.” Watching Mayor Giuliani during the events of 9/11, he was incredibly calm during the crisis. He was the calm head during inconceivable events. And I admired him. I had always had a calm attitude during stressful event, no where near this size. People with far more experience would come to me for calm counsel. But his serene ways with clear inspirations was admirable and deserved imitation.
So an hour of stress. Repeated phone calls between us. Technology failures. Going though her papers, not wanting to disturb these documents or create more problems.
Think fast Rabbit.
I looked up the organization website. Called the membership director. I requested the needed information. The director asked me the expected questions and… She gave me the needed information. I rechecked this was the needed fact and all was well.
I had remained calm and got what we needed. And I felt nicely energized after the events.
I called my wife and left the data and the globe continued to spin. We spoke later and confirmed the needed numbers made the class worthwhile. She was surprised the director gave me the info.
I reminded my wife that she has a smart phone, which is an organizer that makes calls. Why not keep this kind of data in a gizmo that is her constant companion? I reminded this was suggested to her a decade ago.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” responded an exasperated wife.
Power to the people.
Power to the cure.