Vestibular Therapy Anyone?

Hello Everyone!

I’d like to start my blog by saying that I absolutely LOVE spring!  Spring is definitely my favorite season and I am so excited that spring has finally arrived!  With spring, people often talk about “spring cleaning” and with cleaning, comes change. 

During spring, the birds begin to chirp again, the fresh scent of new vegetation is apparent, the earth gives birth to new life, and everything seems to be merry in the world… well, for the most part.

Many things have changed in my life recently as I have been doing some “self spring cleaning”.  Have you ever heard of Vestibular Therapy?  No?  Yeah, I hadn’t either.  The first time I heard of Vestibular Therapy was not until my concussion specialist suggested that I undergo this type of therapy.  Since I have still been dealing with side effects from the concussion I received from my automobile accident way back in January, she thought that this would be a good idea.

So what exactly is this so-called “Vestibular Therapy”?  Well, it’s actually pretty neat.  Strangely enough, I have problems telling my brain to turn my head from left to right and I also have problems moving my head up and down.  My doctor explained that sometimes whenever the head is traumatically shaken, certain parts of the brain mess things up and systems get weaken.  For me, Vestibular Therapy is helping me to “get out of the fog” because sometimes I’m processing information much slower than my norm.    It is also helping me to increase my reaction time and to more normally move my head.  My problem is that I – to put in simple words – “don’t feel right” and Vestibular Therapy is helping me out tremendously.

For this exercise, 
I look at each letter
in a clockwise rotation 
and then, in a counterclockwise rotation.

So, once a week, I meet up with my doctor for an hour-long appointment.  During my appointments, the doctor asks me routine questions like “how are you doing” and “how have your headaches been on a scale from 1-10”.  After the cliché, I start doing my “exercises”.  Now, whenever I say “exercises” it’s not the typical treadmill or weightlifting, what I am doing are brain exercises.  One exercise includes walking while turning my head from left to right and another includes shaking my head while trying to maintain a clear imagine of the word “OK”.  Although these exercises might sound strange and fairly easy, for me, they are a huge help and are actually difficult.  It’s not until you’ve been

For this exercise, I first look at the
blue bead, then green, then purple,
and then I repeat the entire process.

knocked down that you can truly appreciate whenever you’re in good health.

With that being said, I hope you learned something new and appreciate your good health!  You never know whenever it might be taken away from you…  Although I’m still not 100% better, 4‑H has been my backbone.  I really appreciate all the support from my council members, 4-H friends, leaders, advisors, etc.  Also, I had an absolutely fantastic time at the 2013 PA 4-H State Capital Days!  I also had the opportunity to counsel at an “Inbetweeners Retreat” and share the opportunities 4-H has to offer at all age levels.  4-H is such a great program and I hope all of you reading this blog stay involved.  I cannot stress how great 4-H truly is.  In fact, one week from day I’ll be at the 2013 National 4-H Conference with six other delegates from Pennsylvania including PA 4-H State Council Members Cecilia and George!  I am too excited to express my words for joy!  Well, that’s all I have for now.

Until later,

Cassidy Baker

2012/2013 PA 4-H State Council President

"I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance.  It overcomes almost everything, even nature."

John D. Rockefeller.