road trip - stroke rehab

I just took my last vacation days this year, use them or lose them. 4 days off to visit a friend in Utah I haven't seen for 20 years. 2.5 days driving there, 2 driving days back. The last time I did extended driving I would put my left arm at the 11 o'clock position, only possible at the start of an on ramp to the Interstate.  This turned out to be too high functioning for my ability, I had to quiet down my spastic lats, biceps and keep my spastic fingers clenched.  With tremendous concentration I could drive for 20-30 seconds at a time just using my left arm. Which lead to a different approach this time. I put my left hand at the 7 o'clock position and just let it relax there for hours, leaving a corner of my mind aware of it and feeling the sensations sending signals back. With this I could easily reach over and get the turn signal with my right hand. With more concentration I could drink my coffee. This required using a straw since tipping your head back and looking down your nose is not a good idea. 6 hours the first night, 9 hours the second day, 10 hours the 3rd day. This led to lots of mental discussions with myself ranging from discussions I need to have with the women in my life to mundane things like where is the next rest area. The return trip was more interesting, I wanted to see the Glenwood canyon on Interstate 70 in daylight in Colorado since my previous trip put me thru there at night.  Lovely scenery taking US6/191 down to I70. Started snowing all the way thru the canyon. Sun came out at the end, saw the Amtrak train snaking thru the canyon and I was hooked on taking it sometime. Started worrying when I saw these signs

All CMVs must chain up (commercial motor vehicles)

MM84

 Luckily it never changed to all vehicles. I crawled up and down the passes at 40 mph. Day 1 on the return 15.5 hours. Day 2 14 hours.

I spent lots of time figuring out how to position my left arm as straight as possible or relaxing it. I would either sit on the thumb and let the fingers dangle over the seat edge or get it in the 7 o'clock position on the steering wheel, trying to relax the bicep and lats so it doesn't pull off the wheel. If I was stopped I could wedge my arm between the seat and the door.

With 7 million survivors in the US there are probably at least 6 million of them former drivers. Your doctor and therapist should have therapies for everything I listed here with an evidence-based background. I should never be followed.