I know it has been a while since we’ve posted, but we’ve been busy! Taylor continues to attend classes through Santa Monica Community College (SMCC) 3 days a week and attends rehab at the Centre for Neuro Skills (CNS) 2 days a week. She is currently working on her re-application packet to MIT. In preparation for returning to MIT, she is taking an assistive technology class at SMCC where she is learning to use programs like Dragon Dictate and Kurzweil. Dragon Dictate is a dictation program, which captures her spoken words and translates them to written text on the computer. Kurzweil is a text-to-speech program that will read aloud text that is on her computer (from websites, word documents, etc.). These 2 programs help her with the biggest challenges that she still faces since her injury: fine motor skills and sight. At CNS, she continues to get physical, occupational, and cognitive therapy. She is also beginning to feel more comfortable doing things on her own, such as going to the local coffee and sandwich shop by herself. Another change is that she cut her hair short, which is much easier to manage on her own.
Today, Taylor and I took a CPR class. Taylor felt that it was very important for her (and everyone else) to learn CPR because no one performed CPR on her when she had the cardiac arrest. The instructor was especially moved that Taylor was there. She (the instructor, an EMT) said that she has only known one other person who had survived a cardiac arrest. So, learn CPR if you don’t know it. You could save a life!
Hello Taylor!,
I am a 1st cousin on your dad, John’s side. I so appreciate this website where I can peek every so often at your progress. Way to go on your many accomplishments!!
When I read that you are taking a course on how to use technology to assist you, I just had to comment. Two of my kids are dyslexic — which means that they have high IQs and slow visual (reading, letter recognition) and (in their case) writing speeds. All this to say, my 15 year old has become very good with technology. His brain can think and process information MUCH faster than his reading or writing ability. I remember touring a “high end” high school in our area. They said that the next year every student would be issued an iPad for their use: they can read their textbooks on the iPad, or have the iPad read it to them. I was shocked!!! I said, “In his current school this would be called an ‘accommodation’ and we would have to fight to get it.” The teacher said, “Here, we call it technology and we want our kids on the cutting edge of it!” That really opened my eyes. All this to say, this is how Collin now does high school, to allow his fast mind to crank out work he’s capable of doing:
– he uses his Netbook or iPad to listen to his textbooks, mostly sourced from “Learning Ally”
– he uses both his iPad and iPhone for talk-to-text functions to crank out and edit “in-class” and “out-of-class” essays and then emails them directly to his teacher
– he uses his iPhone to take pictures of the board/notes so that he doesn’t have to spend time trying to transcribe them onto a notebook
– he is allowed extra time on tests if there is a lot of reading involved
I’m proud of his grades and he is able to take several Pre-AP and AP level courses due to this technology.
I’m sure this is all technology that they are covering with you in your class, but I wanted to let you know that many are using it for various reasons that have nothing to do with cardiac arrest. (I became very good with talk-to-text last year when I broke my right arm. I’ve grown to love that feature!) Welcome to the forefront, being on the cutting edge of technology!! It might have been a round about way of getting there, but YOU GO GIRL!!!
Hello Taylor and Kit!
You look Fabulous! Happy belated Mother’s Day to you Kit! I took a CPR class at the end of March. It was great and you did inspire me to learn 🙂 They had the adult, kids, toddlers, and infant models. The younger girls, ages 9 – ages 14 all made comments that the infant models looked a bit “creepy”. However I thought to myself, I’ve seen creepier dolls. Like Chucky in the movie Child’s Play? Thank you for keeping in touch. Sending Love, Hugs, and Prayers to you ALL!
Kit, thank you for this detailed update. Taylor doesn’t let any grass grow under her feet, does she? I got tired just reading about how hard she is working to return to MIT! Please tell her I think she looks adorable with short hair and that I am knocked out by how well she continues to do. God bless her (and you, John, and Nathan).
Hi Taylor,
Your hair looks great! It will be easier, but also much cooler this summer because you have such thick hair. So I never have but lots of attorneys use Dragon and love it. Tell your family all hi from us, Erika, Hung, Quinn and Crispin.