I was screened (twice - one on the phone and one via web cam) for the USC Intensive Mobility Training (IMT) program and qualified! Woo hoo!! :laughbounce:

Admittedly, it is bittersweet - awesome that I was accepted, a bit of a bummer that I am not as far along as I thought.

I am very excited and nervous - I am going April 15 through May 1. Three hrs per day for 2 weeks with baseline testing and end of trial testing to measure improvement. Half of the stroke survivors will be in the 'control' group (I am verifying that this is the 'gold standard' group - therapy that is currently used) and the other half will be in the experimental group - IMT. According to scientific practices, the participant doesn't get to choose which group to be in, that is randomly assigned. I am crossing my fingers that I am in the experimental group & will provide updates regarding that result.

USC is 6 1/2 hours away from where we live, so I am looking into long-term hotel stays. The packet of information sent by USC provided a decent list of hotels which was very thoughtful.

I am so thankful that NASA has been very accommodating with this opportunity for me - I will be tele-working, taking sick time, vacation time, and possibly unpaid time off to cover this time frame. My supervisor has been very helpful and kind about the whole thing.

As excited as I am about this, it is tempered by the recent news of a very good friend who was recently diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma. I am heartsick about this, he is so young, with very young children, & a brilliant scientist. I desperately wish I could do something for him. Anything, really.

Sorry to end on that note.