A crash rarely takes only time behind the wheel. For many people in the St. Louis metro, it also takes the Thursday league game, the early swim practice, the choir rehearsal, or the weekend trail ride. These losses are easy to overlook at a first visit because they do not appear on most intake forms. Writing them down gives your examiner a clearer view of how your daily life has changed.
Start with the calendar you already keep
Most people have a phone calendar, a paper planner, or a group chat that shows what they used to do each week. Scroll back to the weeks before the crash. Look for activities that happened on a regular schedule: a weekly game, a standing class, a practice time, a volunteer shift, or a weekend outing. Write each one on your list with three details: what it was, how often you did it, and about how long each session lasted. If you cannot recall exact numbers, write about and say so. A rough, honest estimate is more useful than a precise guess presented as fact.
Note what changed, not only what stopped
Stopping is one kind of change, but many people keep showing up and do less. A runner walks instead of jogging. A musician plays shorter sets and needs to rest a hand partway through. A swimmer sticks to one stroke, or a bowler stops after two games. Write these changes in the same plain terms you used for the schedule: what you did before, what you do now, and what seems to make the difference.
Be specific about the moment. For example, you might write that you could hold the instrument for only a few minutes before needing a break, or that you stopped halfway through a set after your lower back tightened. That tells a provider far more than a general line like everything got hard. Include the setting as well, such as at home, during rehearsal, or on the course. Describe the body part or sensation in your own words. You are recording experience, not making a diagnosis.
Keep the cause and the activity on separate lines
You do not need to prove in your notes why something changed. Your job is to record what happened and when. A short entry can do this well, such as: stopped the Tuesday lifting class after week one, left shoulder felt tight when reaching for the bar. Keep the entries in the order they happened so the timeline stays clear. If a coach, teammate, or family member noticed a difference, you can note that they mentioned it, but avoid guessing what they meant.
Once the list is complete, add a column or a second page for the present. Write down which activities you still do, which you attempt with changes, and which you have not tried since the crash. Keep this part honest, even when it feels discouraging. A list that shows what you have not tried yet can help your examiner ask better questions.
Bring the list to your first visit
Print the list or keep it on your phone, and bring it to your appointment. Read it aloud if that feels easier. Your examiner may ask about the activities you still do, how long you can keep going, and how you feel the following morning. Honest answers help. Saying that you still go to the pool but only use a kickboard is useful information. So is saying that you quit the team and miss it.
Your list also helps you track change over the coming weeks. Add a line each time you return to an activity, even partially. Note what was different that day: how long you lasted, what felt easier, what felt worse the next morning, and whether you needed to stop early. Patterns show up over several entries that are hard to see from memory alone.
When a missed hobby is a reason to get checked
A list of skipped activities is not a substitute for an examination. If something you loved has stopped, or if a task you used to do without thinking now needs careful planning, that is a good reason to book an evaluation this week rather than waiting to see what happens. A licensed provider can review the whole picture, explain what they find, and talk through the options that fit your situation. Nobody can promise a particular result before the examination is complete.
If you notice new numbness, weakness, trouble breathing, or a sudden change in how your body works, do not wait for a practice schedule to decide your next step. Seek urgent care right away. For everything else on your list, bring your notes, be specific, and let the examiner decide what the next step should be.