Multi-Factor Authentication

Since my surgery, and perhaps with the residual tumour still growing in my brain, I've had difficulty remembering a six digit number long enough to get it from my cell phone screen into whatever web page or app I'm trying to use.  Since surgery, I've probably made mistakes in my MFA code around a dozen times and I've been eager to not lock any of my accounts because of this small deficit.  I easily adjusted by realizing I could remember three digits long enough to type them in, so by swapping back and forth I could learn the first three digits then enter them, then go back to the code to learn the second three digits then enter them, then gain access to my various accounts.

I decided to train up on six digit codes by creating something that would generate codes for me so I could then enter them and keep track of how often I was correct.  If you know me, you probably already can guess I used Excel with a simple formula that looks something like "=rand()", or "=randbetween(x,y)" and an entry field where I could use my extended desktop to stretch the window across two monitors so the generated code was on one monitor screen and my entry field was on the other monitor screen.  With a simple macro, I had Excel keep track of the generated codes and whether my entry was right or wrong.  I tracked my overall success rate for all guesses, and my ongoing success rates for the most recent 10, 30, and 100 attempts, and was happy to see improvement over time.

Just a few days ago, I had my first real-world success in correctly entering a six digit MFA code in one go!  It took me 530 days to get it right, and it's what I'd say is a very small win, but it makes me happy.  It's a reminder that at least in this case, I was able to learn and understand a new deficit, then to design something workable for me to train toward the very specific thing I wanted to improve.  I consider life to be like this in so many ways:  if we find something we don't like and we're motivated to improve it, then success can be possible if we find can find a way to push in the direction we want.  

I still have difficulty with restaurant menus when I'm in a new restaurant and am trying to learn the menu for the first time.  As I read through the menu, I simply lose track of what I've already read and thought was interesting.  After I've found what I want and made my choice, I'll forget it if I keep reading or if I want to talk with the guests I'm at the table with.  I've found a few tricks that let me reply when a waiter comes for the order, but now I'm a bigger fan of restaurants that have numbers for the items on their menu.  Even with a large menu, if I need to remember only six digits or fewer, I'm in!!!

To sum up this post, it's a reminder that many of the deficits that come with brain tumours and brain cancer can be worked on over time, and I believe this extends well beyond the realm of brain tumours and similar conditions.  With persistence and a way of tracking progress, I believe each of us has the potential to improve on nearly anything we want to achieve.  It's a reminder of so many of the positive messages that sound something like 'Stick With It' and the potential for great improvements to come!