No shortcuts

One day Will was capable and eligible to be a doctor and the next he was not.  Some random clot that was never found, a hole in his heart (that one in five people have anyways), no one to check in on him in time, one nerve in a unusual place on his brain (connecting his left and right hemispheres) -- created a storm that is taking years to resolve. We've yet to find a quick way back. Initially, we timed his recovery six to twelve months out. With this timeline in mind we returned to his "residency" a year and a half after his stroke for a trial rotation, and he was not re-admitted to his position as a practicing doctor.

Plans change. They have to be re-written. We have been at the drafting boards for the last year now and I think we're comfortable moving ahead with our next "attempt" at returning Will to medicine. I want to go off on a tangent for a moment. When I say "attempt" or "move ahead" that generally means a financial risk.   For example if we were to apply for a job tomorrow for Will and get it -- more than likely that would mean $30K job outside of practicing medicine and could possibly stop us from being able to return from residency due to lack of interim career/memory experience. Meaning $30k to pay off $200K worth of medical school debt. It would be a financial risk that could cost us our future/owning a home.

Now back on to the topic matter. They will not let us back into residency without proof of Will's capabilities, OSU told us they won't take him back to medical school and the U of U residency program said they won't let him do a "subinternship" to be brought up to speed in just a few months. The residency program he interviewed at, in December, did not accept him because they want more post stroke proof/experience in medicine. This means we have been denied practically all the shortcuts to getting Will back-- we have to "retrain" or "re-educate," which equals more financial responsibility. 

I believe, however, this year's risks are much more calculated-- AKA less risky.  This year we are still going off the assumption that Will is going to practice medicine again. Last year's failed risk cost us $2,000 in applications for residency, as there was no real interest in Will as a applicant. This year we are looking for $72K to go back to school, this time instead of medical school it will be Physicians Assistant School.  This risk involves a lot more time and money, but it also secures us more education, more time for brain injury recovery activities and most importantly it gives us the PROOF that we need to secure us the future we are hoping for. At the least this route would be a $90K job and a better means to pay off our school loans. At the best it would be a great venue to get Will back to residency-- Proven experience in a the field he got his M.D. in. 

I wish I could say we've secured the funds or that I am 100 percent positive Will can do this. Nobody--not even the doctors, have a crystal ball. So this time we are taking our steps one at a time, with no shortcuts!  We've developed a trial period (we meaning financial stakeholders) to be sure Will can do this. Today Will started two classes at the University of Utah. He is in an physiology class and an anatomy class (back to the cadavers again;)  Come the end of August we will see how he performs in his classes and also how he performs at doing Xray's at the free clinic that he volunteers, as he just got his certificate to do this. This will give us at least the needed evidence to then move on to apply for PA school…. So keep with us here, because the fun is just beginning. 

Toastmasters

A little over a year ago my father and I got involved with something called Toastmasters. Toastmasters is an organization for improving ones speaking skills. There are chapters all over the place, and what you do is just give, and evaluate, speeches. I gave a speech there probably once every six weeks or so until I gave a total of ten speeches. At the end of the ten speeches I won some sort of reward. I'm still waiting for the certificate, but whether or not it finally arrives I think it was definitely worth doing.

I think it was worth doing one, because I would like to improve my skills as an orator, and two, because it helped me draw closer to my Dad. I think it also helped me in my recovery from my stroke. Coming up with themes from my past and organizing them into speeches both helped me with my memory and with my delivery. While I don't know if doing these speeches helped a lot or a little with my recovery, I do feel that they did help.

In the future I plan to blog more about these speeches individually as well as other things and, hopefully, I can also find some meaningful relationship between them and my continued stoke recovery

Here are a few pictures we've taken on different excursions this past month. They have nothing to do with the aforementioned.

Benjamin and I checking out our cool new carrying pack.

Riding on the beach at Bear lake.

Benjamin and playmates watching Dad play frisbee.

Quite a dapper young gentleman if I do say so myself.

All dressed in our Sunday best on Easter.

Ben, uncle Jarom and grandpa Blackhurst at great grandpa Andrus's 90th birthday bash.