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Buses, trains and my soft, squishy brain
May. 19th, 2003 06:37 pmToday was the day that I had to go to my "psych eval," which turned out to be a neuro-psychological evaluation. I think the point was determine exactly how my memory has been affected by illness and medications.
But the day started with my first trip in *years* on County Transit, err.. VTA. I was impressed. The busses are quite comfortable, and line 64 at least got my to the Caltrain station quickly. Diridon Station looks like a train station should; wooden benches in rows in a cavernous building that guarantees nice echoes when trains are announced, and actual newsstand, and clerks behind open windows with schedules laid out in front of them. WEven the platforms look right.
The ride up was non-eventful. I was amused to see how much had changed along the route since I regularly made this trip a few years back. Since I'm me, I was disgustingly early for my noon appointment. So I wandered Market St. for a bit. Bought a couple of donuts, read the notices at the Warfield, and generally dodged the homeless.
Once at the appointment, I was put through a series of tests designed to measure my concentration and memory. Even though I wasn't told the results (standard for this sort of thing) a few points came clear:
1. I can't remember numbers worth a damn. They flee from my head if I have to do anything more complex than remember four digits and repeat them in order.
2. I have a terrible visual memory. I cannot look at a picture and expect to get a good visual imprint of it This goes for faces as well, which is why I can not recognize people I have known for years.
3. On the other hand, my long-term and verbal memory seem to be fine.
Other than snagging cheap garlic fries outside Pac Bell Park (there was some sort of fund raiser going on) the trip back was uneventful.
So, the report gets to the SSA in about two weeks, at which point they'll either make a decision or set up another flaming hoop and make me jump through that one.
But the day started with my first trip in *years* on County Transit, err.. VTA. I was impressed. The busses are quite comfortable, and line 64 at least got my to the Caltrain station quickly. Diridon Station looks like a train station should; wooden benches in rows in a cavernous building that guarantees nice echoes when trains are announced, and actual newsstand, and clerks behind open windows with schedules laid out in front of them. WEven the platforms look right.
The ride up was non-eventful. I was amused to see how much had changed along the route since I regularly made this trip a few years back. Since I'm me, I was disgustingly early for my noon appointment. So I wandered Market St. for a bit. Bought a couple of donuts, read the notices at the Warfield, and generally dodged the homeless.
Once at the appointment, I was put through a series of tests designed to measure my concentration and memory. Even though I wasn't told the results (standard for this sort of thing) a few points came clear:
1. I can't remember numbers worth a damn. They flee from my head if I have to do anything more complex than remember four digits and repeat them in order.
2. I have a terrible visual memory. I cannot look at a picture and expect to get a good visual imprint of it This goes for faces as well, which is why I can not recognize people I have known for years.
3. On the other hand, my long-term and verbal memory seem to be fine.
Other than snagging cheap garlic fries outside Pac Bell Park (there was some sort of fund raiser going on) the trip back was uneventful.
So, the report gets to the SSA in about two weeks, at which point they'll either make a decision or set up another flaming hoop and make me jump through that one.
