I got an email from Trudi (who will be Chris private SALT) regarding some guidelines already put in place with the Jacob team. I am very happy about a professional SALT taking a REAL interest in Chris and being on top of everyone caring for him. Here’s her email with what she has done already:

“a. Choices – I put together a sheet of information about giving Chris regular choices about and throughout his daily routines. I have also put together a score sheet for staff to record his responses. I talked it through today with L-A, M. and G., but I have asked the assistants to go and catch all the staff that look after him on a regular basis. 


b. Sensory Stimulation Program – I would like him to have a sensory stimulation program in the future. The assistants are carrying something out at the moment twice a week, but he needs a little more intensity and the program needs formalised and updated.

c. Communication Portfolio – I have started the ball rolling with this. 


d. Yes / No activities – I have come up with a list of 10 questions which I have put in Chris’s room. I have also talked it through with the key staff mentioned earlier and would like the key SLT assistant to check that it is being followed through. I carried it out today and he achieved 4/10. The idea is to try as much as possible to make the questions in to a conversation and give as much feedback as you can.

e. Communication Guidelines – I am putting these together for the staff to encourage some consistency


f. Occupational Therapist –I have emailed the OT to see whether she is already seeing him. I especially would like to investigate his switch abilities.”

Does not all this sound very exciting? Thank goodness there is always some light when I feel I hit a corner. I am certainly excited and I am looking forward to expanding and doing a lot more on the communication front from hereon. I already like her, I like anyone who shows positive attitude, optimism and enthusiasm for Chris’ recovery. As opposed to dealing with the dreadful “there is no hope” attitude so common among many professionals dealing with brain injury. This is the link for her website: http://www.thecommunicationclinic.com/. Having said that, I know I am guilty of feeling negative many times – so it’s a reminder that I need to surround myself and Chris with people that believe in progress, as tiny as that might be.

By the way, at this point I need to say thanks again to everyone who worked on / donated towards raising funds for all of Chris’ private therapies. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me the freedom to just go after the professionals without the added stress of worrying about how to pay for them. It does make such a big difference! Thank you thank you thank you. You are all part of the reason why Chris is being given that extra mile in therapies and options.

On Monday the 12th the private PT will also come to assess Chris. Please pray that she too will be as positive and enthusiastic as Trudi – or at least hopefully more positive than his current PT who thinks everything with Chris is hopeless and useless.

Wishing that the sun is also shining in the rest of the world… It’s been sunny with blue skies in London and that’s such a rare event! I am very much looking forward to the weekend!