Symons, Penelope Jean

   Another name for Penelope is Anderson, Penny.

  Events

• Education: Secondary Education, 1962, Salisbury, Rhodesia, Southern Africa.

• Graduation: Tertiary Education, 1965, Cape Town, Cape Province, Republic Of South Africa.

• Honors: Postgraduation Certificte, 1966, Salisbury, Rhodesia, Southern Africa.

• Occupation: Teaching Career, 1997.

• Medical. November 2006. An account written by Penny of her remarkable recovery from a severe brain aneurysm.
"I suffered a brain aneurysm in February 1991 and after the initial hospitalization for 4 weeks in the ICU at The Ottawa General Hospital I was transferred to St. Vincent's for 3 months rehabilitation. This was a residential facility where I was monitored by their doctors and rehabilitation staff. For me they designed rehab exercises involving both physical, psychological and mental rehab. and after 3 months I was discharged to go home and continue a regimen to enable me to get back to "real life".
At home I was visited weekly by a rehab person who set me up to undertake various daily tasks. Based on the premise that if "one doesn't use it, one loses it" all these tasks were designed to return me to my routine domestic role and build on past interests, hobbies and my occupation (teaching).
Mike who was my greatest support and "cheer leader" thinks one of the most valuable cognitive elements of the rehab. program was keeping a daily diary of what I was doing, who visited me and what outings I enjoyed. During the St. Vincent's rehab. they got me back on the computer so I word processed my writing daily.......and resumed my "world wide" email correspondence. That went a long way to addressing my short term memory deficits as well as helping me process my thoughts clearly. The problem I had was being honest with myself (too proud!).....and others .... admitting that I did not remember! Mike was good about that one too, using "tough love" to force me to admit I did not remember while reinforcing what I had forgotten. I had to accept that no task was too menial, that everything helped either re-establish or make new brain pathways.
Another problem was orientation i.e. remembering how to locate shops and my other normal day to day destinations. I had to draw maps of how I would get to the supermarket, P.O. etc. from home. Initially I was banned from driving so I had to walk to these destinations from home if possible. Later after I had been weaned of the anti-seizure medication without repercussions, I undertook a defensive driving course to help me acknowledge and cope with deficits like my blind right eye. The day my driving privileges were reinstated I experienced the same joy I had when granted my driver's license as a 16 year old. 30 years later !!!
As teaching had been my profession they arranged for me to go into Manotick Elementary School as a teacher's aide to help teachers there with "one on one" instruction of developmentally delayed students. It was all voluntary of course but it began to build my self esteem that had taken such a bruising! The location of the school - a short walk from home was also convenient while I was not yet driving. In addition a friend of mine who tutored elementary students privately from home asked me to take over her students while she was away on a long vacation. That was my first paid work after the aneurysm!
Way back then the medicos had little hope that my short term memory would be restored to the extent it has, while they seemed hopeful that my sense of smell would return - it didn't! So I don't smell things burning, or B.O!! or perfume nor can I really taste my food. It was a small price to pay for being alive to tell the tale.
Through it all the encouragement from and patience, love, support of Mike, Kerry and Russ was pivotal in my recovery.
The following years saw Mike and me buying a retirement business in the Florida Keys where I was able to assist Mike in the running of a boat rental and gift store. Unfortunately 9/11 affected tourism quite drastically there and ultimately Mike had to resume his management consulting initially in Florida. Later in 2005 we moved back to Canada specifically to join Kerry and family in Calgary where I have started up running a small day care for toddlers from home while Mike has continued traveling on weekly consulting assignments."

Penelope married Michael Anderson, son of Dr. Ralph Blyth Anderson and Helena Elizabeth Davel, on Jan 5, 1968 in Salisbury (Now Harare) Zimbabwe. (Michael Anderson was born on Dec 20, 1942 in Salisbury (Now Harare) Zimbabwe.)