Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Neurology and Ghostbusters

I was sitting with Gloria at the neurologist's office today, waiting for Eli 10.6 to finish his ImPACT testing assessment.

"I think I found Linda a job lead," she said. Linda is a friend of hers from college who lives out of town.

"You did? With who?" I asked.

"I talked to Laurie, and she gave me the name of an attorney," she said. Laurie is the mother of one of Eli's best friends.

"Uh-oh," I said.

"What?"

"I believe you've just violated one of the principle rules of friendship management," I said. "In Ghostbuster's terms, you've just crossed the streams."

She laughed.

"Instead of being at risk for a total protonic reversal, you're at risk for a total friendship reversal. If this initially works out but then ends badly, you've alienated people in different friend groups."

"I'm sure it will work out," she said.

"That's what they said when they were testing DDT," I said. Well, I didn't say that, but I should have.

I hadn't really thought about it until today, but I don't really have friends in groups. I have friends on islands, forming a friendship archipelago. This probably says much more about me than it does about them, because as a certified loner, I tend to consider groups of three people as mobs.

Eli did very, very well on his ImPACT test, all within normal range, so now we have a baseline for cognitive performance in the future if he should ever have another concussion. And the prospect of that ever happening makes me shudder.

He also passed all other tests as well, and he's been doing full schoolwork for a week, so they cleared him for hockey. As with everything else, it's in steps, so his first practice will be with a goalie coach only, progressing through full practices, light scrimmage, and full scrimmage.

For now, he's going to concentrate on goalie instead of also skating out as a player, but after a few weeks in goal, he should be able to resume both.

This news was greeted with a resounding "YES!" from the young man.

Site Meter