[ReWiredKris]

Hi,

I'm interested in help determining which type/s of therapy for tbi/pcs can help me prepare to take my national massage therapy exams or assess if it's even an appropriate goal now.

Current issues of relevance:

~ Executive function deficits - organization, planning, etc
~ short-term memory deficits
~ Is there a therapist type that can evaluate what strengths and weakness I have aside from neuropsych eval to see if this goal is even appropriate?
(I have other symptoms, but not relevant to my learning ability.)

Background - At the time of my accident 10/27/07 I was a webmaster, massage school night student and single parent of 2 teenagers. I didn't go to hospital, experienced mtbi/pcs symptoms 1 week later (see profile), no therapy since my accident even though I've asked repeatedly - they just focus on my headaches. I got lost in the medical system with doctors that didn't understand brain injury and just give me pills. What I need are tools to figure out how to pass my exams or figure out another profession.

I was provided disability retirement from my webmaster job (8 yrs service doesn't pay enough to live on alone), I did finally accomplish my goal to complete school & become a certified massage therapist in 2009 after a medical leave of absence and an additional year to get back on track. I had a lot of help back then and school resources I no longer have access to.

In 2009 I didn't need to take my national exams to be a massage therapist in Colorado so I didn't take them (BIG mistake!), but now they're required to practice in all states. These exams require memorization of muscle insertion and origin sites on the bones, movement, fiber direction, physiology, Shiatsu pressure points, etc - detailed information which is a problem for me to retain now. I can give a great massage and know what muscles need work after assessment, but knowing the darn details again is exasperating.

After some setbacks in life like my mom dying, heat stroke and other life changing events I'm ready to work at passing these exams. Plus, I still have student loans and feels like a waste to now not be able to use my education.

Who do I see to help me figure out if this is an attainable goal and/or help me reach it? I've asked my neurologist and physiatrist - one looked dumbfounded by the question offering another neuropsych eval, the other gave me so many options I'm not sure where to start. I live down the street from Craig Hospital, but since I wasn't a patient they haven't been helpful with resources. Grrr

Thanks in advance for your help and reading through my novel

~Kristy