johnpavlish

my life story
2013 | Apr 08
Permalink
Residual Aphasia Despite the six years post stroke, I still have remnants of language evaporation  Reading, which I used to be voracious about, is still laborious for me. To combat my deficit  I signed up for the MIT Technology Review and Popular Photography magazines to force myself to attempt short articles to read. In the past, I used to be able to read in the evening, but now my brain begins to shut down in the evenings and reading is more challenging then before. As an engineer, I decided to optimize my reading experience, and chose a different time of day. Since I find myself just sitting in the morning eating breakfast, I attempted to read an article in the morning. While I am not sure if this is due to the topic, or distraction within the room,  the MIT articles seem to be harder to comprehend. It may be due to their longer lengths compared to the Popular Photography magazine. I find myself taking longer periods to finish the Tech Review articles. If I am in a quiet room with little distraction, I am able to silently read an article and be able to read its length with no headache or visual migraines. In the past, even when I was reenrolled at MIT, I needed a finger or note card to guide my eyes to follow the correct lines, in addition of reading out loud.  Despite the current limitations, I still feel self empowered that I can still be able to complete a magazine, where in the past I would have avoided or unable to. I smile realizing that I can flip the final page, and read the entire magazine. I found myself finishing a magazine a week, almost to the point I was able to be on time for the new magazine issues.

Residual Aphasia

Despite the six years post stroke, I still have remnants of language evaporation  Reading, which I used to be voracious about, is still laborious for me.

To combat my deficit  I signed up for the MIT Technology Review and Popular Photography magazines to force myself to attempt short articles to read.

In the past, I used to be able to read in the evening, but now my brain begins to shut down in the evenings and reading is more challenging then before. As an engineer, I decided to optimize my reading experience, and chose a different time of day. Since I find myself just sitting in the morning eating breakfast, I attempted to read an article in the morning.

While I am not sure if this is due to the topic, or distraction within the room,  the MIT articles seem to be harder to comprehend. It may be due to their longer lengths compared to the Popular Photography magazine. I find myself taking longer periods to finish the Tech Review articles.

If I am in a quiet room with little distraction, I am able to silently read an article and be able to read its length with no headache or visual migraines. In the past, even when I was reenrolled at MIT, I needed a finger or note card to guide my eyes to follow the correct lines, in addition of reading out loud. 

Despite the current limitations, I still feel self empowered that I can still be able to complete a magazine, where in the past I would have avoided or unable to.

I smile realizing that I can flip the final page, and read the entire magazine. I found myself finishing a magazine a week, almost to the point I was able to be on time for the new magazine issues.

#photo
#me
#aphasia
2013 | Apr 01
Permalink

The Pain of Beauty

Earlier this week I had went with my family to see Monbacks for the opportunity to take some pictures of their flowers.

I am not sure if it was due to my new equipment, but I noticed that after some time at the garden, my left thumb began to distract me from composing pictures

Little did I know that I had overextended my hypothenar eminence thumb muscle by having my camera lens rest on my thumb. The duration of the holding the weight of the camer-lens combination had caused my thumb to lose motor control the following days.

The subsequent days, my thumb began to inflame to a point I had no strength to open lids, cubs, or placing my socks on. It was an extremely humbling experience where I really take for granted how extensive the human thumb is for trivial activities.

I have to really give grateful thanks for my mother’s suggestions for the ability to regain my thumb motion again. The use of a small bouncy ball for massage, ibuprofen to quell the pain at night, menthol patches, and Epson MgSO4 salt bath to help my body to rebuild the muscle.

It took a week of delicacy rehab to rebuild my thumb to have the strength to give a thumbs up. My body agreed with me as well, as the inflammation had lessoned to the point my swollen thumb returned to its nearly original size after 7 days.

Whenever I take a look at the pictures I shot of these flowers, I will take more caution when I raise my camera again to snap a shot.  

#health
#photo
#me
2013 | Mar 25
Permalink

Spring in Kansas City 2012

Every time I watch the weather in Kasas City, I think about how it was during my fellowship in 2012. This year, the city has blankets of snow, yet the same time last year, it was spring with blooming flowers and the cities fountains were turned on.

The Country Plaza was preparing for Easter, with large bunnies roaming the streets. I also found it humorous how fast the geese returned after the winter from the south.

I found this time of the year was the best season to visit the city with all the flowers and fountains. In comparison, the winters are brutally cold, and the summers are unbearably hot.

View the other albums photographs by clicking on the titel of this post.

#kauffman
#album
2013 | Mar 18
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MIT Admission to the Class of 2007 In 2003, 10 years ago, I heavy thick envelope had appeared in the mail. I was to so nerves as I looked at the return address, which was in Cambridge Massachusetts. To not junks myself I didn’t open the envelope but ran to a window to see if I can read anything inside through the light. I was able to great a congratulations. I heaved a sigh of relief knowing that it must keep a positive envelope to be such a thick collection of paper. I opened the envelope and this is one of the pieces that was in the front. It was a letter from the President of MIT. *** Dear Prospective Member of the Class of 2007: Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on your admission to MIT. Through your academic and personal achievements, you have demonstrated that you possess the intelligence, discipline, and energy to flourish in a rigorous academic environment. Although academic excellence alone does not assure admission to MIT, you have demonstrated creativity, imagination, courage, passion, and a commitment to discovery and problem solving. Wherever you go to college, you have the potential for an extraordinary academic and professional career. I hope that you are giving MIT serious consideration and that you have indeed already decided to become part of our community. However, if you are still wondering whether MIT is the right place for you, I ask you to consider how it differs from its academic competitors: • The beauty, excitement, and discipline of science and engineering permeate our academic life. In a lively and creative environment, MIT offers outstanding programs in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. • Interdisciplinary study and research are hallmarks of an MIT education. Some of the best and most important work that we do is at the intersection of multiple disciplines. MIT students have opportunities to explore a range of fields and to take their interdisciplinary interests as far as they can. • Your career starts the day you enroll. We know from long experience that our students make genuine contributions to education and research at MIT. From the moment you arrive, you will have the chance to do just that. • You will be hard-pressed to find another college or university with opportunities as extensive as those at MIT for growth and enjoyment beyond the classroom and laboratory. MIT fields more varsity sports teams than almost any other U.S. college and has over 300 officially recognized student activity groups covering a full range of social, cultural, artistic, recreational, political, and religious activities. Life is not a spectator sport at MIT. While proud of our traditions and past achievements, we, like you, are more interested in the future — in what comes next. The global community is increasingly shaped and driven by develop ments in science and technology, and we at MIT are determined to support the leaders and inno vators who harness the benefits of science to the needs and hopes of that larger community. We urge you to join us in this effort and realize your own potential to be a leader. With best wishes and sincere congratulations, Sincerely yours, Charles M. Vest 

MIT Admission to the Class of 2007

In 2003, 10 years ago, I heavy thick envelope had appeared in the mail. I was to so nerves as I looked at the return address, which was in Cambridge Massachusetts. To not junks myself I didn’t open the envelope but ran to a window to see if I can read anything inside through the light. I was able to great a congratulations.

I heaved a sigh of relief knowing that it must keep a positive envelope to be such a thick collection of paper. I opened the envelope and this is one of the pieces that was in the front. It was a letter from the President of MIT.

***

Dear Prospective Member of the Class of 2007:

Please accept my heartfelt congratulations on your admission to MIT. Through your academic and personal achievements, you have demonstrated that you possess the intelligence, discipline, and energy to flourish in a rigorous academic environment. Although academic excellence alone does not assure admission to MIT, you have demonstrated creativity, imagination, courage, passion, and a commitment to discovery and problem solving. Wherever you go to college, you have the potential for an extraordinary academic and professional career.

I hope that you are giving MIT serious consideration and that you have indeed already decided to become part of our community. However, if you are still wondering whether MIT is the right place for you, I ask you to consider how it differs from its academic competitors:

• The beauty, excitement, and discipline of science and engineering permeate our academic life. In a lively and creative environment, MIT offers outstanding programs in the arts, humanities, and

social sciences.

• Interdisciplinary study and research are hallmarks of an MIT education. Some of the best and most important work that we do is at the intersection of multiple disciplines. MIT students have opportunities to explore a range of fields and to take their interdisciplinary interests as far as they can.

• Your career starts the day you enroll. We know from long experience that our students make

genuine contributions to education and research at MIT. From the moment you arrive, you will have the chance to do just that.

• You will be hard-pressed to find another college or university with opportunities as extensive as

those at MIT for growth and enjoyment beyond the classroom and laboratory. MIT fields more

varsity sports teams than almost any other U.S. college and has over 300 officially recognized student activity groups covering a full range of social, cultural, artistic, recreational, political,

and religious activities. Life is not a spectator sport at MIT.

While proud of our traditions and past achievements, we, like you, are more interested in the future — in what comes next. The global community is increasingly shaped and driven by develop ments in science and technology, and we at MIT are determined to support the leaders and inno vators who harness the benefits of science to the needs and hopes of that larger community. We urge you to join us in this effort and realize your own potential to be a leader.

With best wishes and sincere congratulations, Sincerely yours,

Charles M. Vest 

#school
#photo
2013 | Mar 11
Permalink

March 3-8, 2007, Post Stroke 83 Days

On this week, I was being prepared for my last surgery to have my skull flat placed back onto my head from my stomach. The swelling in my brain had subsided and this surgery was vital for me to fly back home and be stable with the pressure difference in the plane.

On the end of this video, the images distinguish the shape of my head before and after the final surgery.

Once I was at MGH with my parents, I was force to sit on a stretcher in a empty room full of other stretchers. I looked down the room towards the doors of the hallway to the operating room. The dim flickering florescent lighting gave an eerie omen.

I thought how quant I was conscious to be aware of this surgery but not my first. I tried to imagine my left craniotomy 3 months ago.

During the preparation for the surgery in the OR, the nurse had told me to count to a number and imagine visiting a pleasant beach. I tried to laugh and told her that a beach wasn’t my dream vacation. Yet, that was the last moment I remembered until after my surgery.

Even though I was more conscious of my final surgery, I still had no power to contribute anything. I believe this is the true definition of faith, being vulnerable and accepting your weakness.

#before
#video
#brain