Marion,

I was ordered to take a full neuropsychological evaluation by a second opinion neurologist. The full test was exhausting and lasted a full seven hours with two bathroom breaks and 30 minute lunch.

The bottom line when I asked the doctor how I did, she responded with, "Well you did very well for a 76 year old." That sucked because I was 51 years old when I took the test. She followed up by saying that should be a good representation of where you really are an what you're dealing with right now.

I still have a copy of her full report and it is not flattering in any way. At the same time there was a huge sigh of relief and vindication that I was not going crazy and it was all in my head. (No pun intended.)

It is now six years later and I'm still hanging in there, albeit challenged more and more each day. Life goes on.

I don’t get my results until next Wednesday, but if that test were intended to determine what sort of career I might flourish in, I doubt their recommendation would be “Sketch Artist.” Even I could see that the patterns I copied didn’t turn out anything similar to the original.

I'll keep you all advised.

Patterns? What patterns? By the time we reached the last attempt to draw from memory the original picture, I could only come up with ONE, that's (1) line. That's it. Trust me, the whole thing sucked with the quality of a Dyson Vacuum.

Is this test now required to apply for SSDI? just wondering.

No, but when other criteria has failed, then having a negative psych test can be the silver bullit for getting SSDI..

I just thought I'd check in with an interim follow-up - I completed my second neuro-psych testing last Thursday and it kicked my butt. Not necessarily the test per se, but the drive to get there...downtown Austin at 8:00 a.m. I honestly think neuro facilities should be required to have satellite offices in every section of town and none of them should be allowed to make appointments that begin or end at rush hour! Is part of the test just GETTING THERE INTACT and not hurting anyone else in the process???

As for the test, I was reassured by the young lady administering the ordeal that the tests are designed to max out your ability to complete them accurately. It actually did make me feel a bit better.

I hope your results come in soon and are positive.

I had my appointment with the Neuro Psychologist for the results of the cognitive testing. It was actually kind of anticlimactic. I got all hi-average grades in most areas that involved the ability to verbally communicate. I got a grade of average for most of the mathematical parts, and I got low-average on graphical/spacial problems like drawing complex patterns from memory.

So now we have a base-line that they will use to measure my future failings.

Whoopie!