Frank Cerasoli

Survivor Succeeds by hard work, 
good strategies, honesty, & trust

by Jane LaFazio

 

Frank is a good looking guy, with a ready wit and a quick smile. He’s friendly and engaging. “Hi Frank,” I say. “Do I know you?” Frank asks. I remind him when and where we met. “Did we do anything? he asks. “Just talked,” I say. “I’m sorry, I can’t remember,” he replies.

Frank Cerasoli was in a near fatal motorcycle accident in 1990 in San Diego. After months and months of rehabilitation, he still has considerable short term memory problems. He doesn’t remember what he did yesterday. He doesn’t remember if he’s met you before. Over the years, repetition and routine have helped. He knows the people he works with, and people he sees on a regular basis. But the detail of his daily life escapes him.

Years before his injury, he started out at Scripps Clinic, La Jolla, as a temporary employee. He was a hard worker and impressed Scripps enough to hire him permanent and train him as a lithotripsy technician. After his brain injury, and a long rehabilitation, Scripps hired him back, at a much lower level job. He works full-time 5 days a week, 8 hours a day and eats most of his meals at the Clinic Cafeteria. Frank is thankful for the work, and continues to be a valued and well-liked employee.

Frank has some excellent strategies that have helped him live independently, keep a full time job, and travel the maze of public transportation throughout San Diego on his own.

His most important tool is day-to-day pocket calendar

·         He tracks his medication; when do take it, and if he took it

·         Where he goes, what he does. Details of his daily life.

·         He checks his calendar each morning for the day’s activities. He keeps track of daily chores that need to be done, does one each day. Laundry on Thursday, vacuum on Wednesday, etc.

·         At the end of each week, he reads over the past week to make sure he accomplished what he needed to, and to help him remember.

·         His doctor appointments

·         His myriad of weekend activities such as brain injury support groups, movies with a friend, and often a Jewish temple service on Saturday, and the Calvary Chapel North Coast church on Sunday.

 

In the back pages of Frank’s calendar are affirmations, messages of hope and perseverance:

·         “Challenges are to overcome rather than obstacles to be avoided.”

·         “We need to accept ourselves with our inadequacies.”

·         “I can only change myself, not others.”

·         “Don’t take medicine on an empty stomach. Eat a cracker.”

·         “Be sincere, honest and direct.”

 

Frank used to walk on the freeway. There’s a mall near his apartment, and the shortcut is a quick walk along the side of the freeway. After the cops stopped Frank a few times, reminding him that it was against the law, Frank wrote in his day-timer “Do not walk on the freeway.”

In his ever-present fanny-pack he carries his wallet, checkbook, medicine, and compass. His backpack contains tools for every feasible situation:

·         flashlight

·         portable flashing light on his belt, in case he’s out at night

·         notepad

·         crackers (“Eat something every 2 hours”)

·         water

·         Thomas guide map of San Diego

·         bus and trolley schedules from 25 different areas in San Diego

·         reading material (while he waits for a bus)

·         a jacket (doesn’t know when he’ll get home)

·         collapsible 2 wheel scooter and a helmet for transportation between bus stops and his destinations

 

Frank’s lack of short term memory is a challenge every day. He told me a story of how one evening he was walking home from the bus stop. A man stopped him and said “hey, thanks! You’re the guy who noticed smoke coming from my house, and knocked on my door to alert me. Thank you!”

Frank didn’t remember at all. “Are you sure?” Frank asked. Frank held his flashlight up to his face, “Did I look like this?” “Yeah,” the guy said, “you held the light up to your face, and identified yourself.”

Frank asked the guy what day this happened. “Last Tuesday,” says the guy. Frank looks in his calendar for last Tuesday’s notation. Sure enough, it’s written “saw smoke coming from house, knocked on the door of the house.” “Yup,” says Frank “you’re right, I was the guy.”

Frank is proud of his ability to problem solve in critical situations. A stint in the Navy as an airtraffic controller, (asthma got him discharged after 5 years) and his work at the hospital all these years has taught him to think on his feet, and to learn to compensate.

Frank does have a little difficulty in keeping track of his bills. One time, he forgot to pay the electricity. One evening, he returned home from work to discover his electricity was turned off. He got our his Coleman camping lantern, then his Coleman stove and made dinner. He adapted. He solved the immediate problem of the need for light and food.

He credits people and friends for helping him. “Just be friendly to others, that’s all.” A simple philosophy that has paid off for Frank.

He is a common sight around Del Mar and San Diego on his scooter. People who know him, often stop and give him rides to his destination. “But I’m not sure who they are,” he says, grinning.

Frank readily admits it’s not an easy life emotionally, and he sometimes gets down. It takes tremendous courage to live only in the present.