brain injury – KDD & Co

from scratch

By: Kate Davies Designs December 18, 2019December 18, 2019

stroke, textiles, weaving, yarnApplied Arts Scotland, band weaving, Belinda Rose, brain injury, colourbothy, inkle weaving, learning, Lynne Mennie, Lynnes Loom, stroke, tablet weaving41 Comments

Sometimes there is nothing better than being a beginner: nothing better than learning something new, completely from scratch. To explain: back in September, I had the pleasure of spending some time in the studio of weaver Belinda Rose, as part of my residency with Applied Arts Scotland (which involves developing a wonderful project with some…

affirming

By: Kate Davies Designs September 10, 2011September 12, 2011

events, knitting, recovery, stroke, yarnbrain injury, Carol Feller, Dublin, knitting, recovery, stroke, This is Knit, This is Knit yarn tasting, yarn, yarn tasting51 Comments

I have to confess that I was rather nervous about my Dublin trip beforehand. It was the first time I’ve been away on my own since my stroke and, though I feel embarrassed to admit it, this was the source of some trepidation. While I am perfectly happy pottering about alone in my locale, every…

limbo

By: Kate Davies Designs July 9, 2010July 9, 2010

Politics, rant, recovery, strokebrain injury, disability, Disability Living Allowance, fookin tories, recovery, rehab, stroke127 Comments

Now, I don’t want to moan, but this space is somewhere where I like to be honest about my experience of recovery, so, to be frank, things are a bit rubbish at the moment. 1. We’d planned a short break this week on Barra and Harris, but one of Calmac’s ferries broke down; they cancelled…

new limbs

By: Kate Davies Designs June 27, 2010June 27, 2010

recovery, strokebrain injury, Descartes, neuroplasticity, physio, physiotherapy, recovery, rehabilitation, stroke, the brain46 Comments

Mel asked me the other day about what it actually felt like trying to get my left arm and leg to move again. I found it quite hard to describe, and it struck me what a very peculiar thing it must seem to those who haven’t experienced it, so I thought I’d try to write…

if you are interested. . .

By: Kate Davies Designs June 22, 2010June 27, 2010

recovery, strokebrain injury, recovery, stroke, The Guardian, Tim Lusher18 Comments

. . .in what recovering from a brain injury is really like for someone of working age like me, go and read this excellent article by Tim Lusher in today’s Guardian. It provides a very telling account of the effects of vertigo and fatigue, attitudes toward visible and invisible disabilities in the workplace, and the…

invisible metaphors

By: Kate Davies Designs March 28, 2010June 27, 2010

recovery, strokebrain injury, elaine scarry, language, metaphor, neurology, neuropsychology, pain, recovery, rehabilitation, stroke80 Comments

I have been thinking a lot this week about what is invisible. If you looked at me now, what you would see was myself, looking (I hope) pretty much as I did before all this happened, save for a stick; a wonky leg and some sadly uncoordinating footwear. What you perhaps wouldn’t be aware of…

hares and tortoises

By: Kate Davies Designs March 7, 2010March 7, 2010

design, knitting, recoveryAesop, brain injury, design, Kate Davies, knitting, neuropsychology, occupational therapy, OT, physiotherapy, rehabilitation, stroke, The Tortoise and the Hare73 Comments

This is the design that I was working on five weeks ago, and that I was actually carrying with me in my bag when I had the stroke: a wee sweater in shades of natural Shetland, inspired by Aesop’s fable of the Tortoise and the Hare. I’ve been thinking a lot about this project, and…