Family

MY SPEECH & MY YW CALLING

IT’S BEEN A CRAZY SUMMER, BUT THINGS ARE SLOWING DOWN A BIT.
II HAVE 2 TELL U HOW MUCH THE SPEECH PROGRAM, SENTENCE SHAPER, IS HELPING ME, EVEN THOUGH THE SUMMER HAS BEEN TOO CRAZY FOR ME 2 USE IT! WHAT IT HAS TAUGHT ME IS THAT MY WORDS RUN TOGETHER, MAKING ME SOUND LIKE THE TEACHER ON CHARLIE BROWN! BUT IF I SAY THE WORDS SLOWLY & SEPERATELY, LIKE I DO FOR SENTENCE SHAPER, I MAKE SENSE!
MY DAUGHTER, SOPHIA, CAN SOMETIMES FIGURE ME OUT WHEN I SPEAK FAST (AMAZING), BUT IF SHE CAN’T, SHE HAS ME BREAK IT UP WORD-4-WORD, LIKE IN SENTENCE SHAPER. IN FACT, THE OTHER DAY, SHE WAS IN HER CLOSET & COULD NOT SEE ME, BUT WE HELD A CONVERSATION. IT WENT LIKE THIS:
ME: HI
SOPH: HI! HOW ARE U?
ME: GOOD. (PAUSE) DO
SOPH: DO
ME: YOU
SOPH:YOU
ME: KNOW
SOPH: KNOW
ME: I(F)
SOPH: IF
ME: YOUR
SOPH: YOUR
ME: (P)IANO
SOPH: AGAIN? (SHE CAME OUT TO SEE MY LIPS)
ME: (P)IANO
SOPH: WHAT WAS THE 1ST LETTER?
ME: I SIGNED “P”
SOPH: OH! PIANO! SAY IT AGAIN?
ME: PIANO (PAUSE) TEA(CH)ER
SOPH: TEACHER
ME: I(S)
SOPH: IS
ME: LD(S)?
SOPH: LDS
THEN SOPH ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
AT THE END OF MAY, I STARTED HAVING “NO SIGNING DAYS”, & I CAN ONLY TALK FOR 6 HOURS DURING A DAY/TIME THAT I PICK. I HAVE QUITE A BIT OF ANXIETY, SO I HAVE HAD A TOUGH TIME, BUT OCCASSIONALLY, I AM “ANXIETY-FREE” & HAVE EMPLOYED THIS SAME TECHNIQUE WITH MY OTHER 2 KIDS, & HUSBAND. IT WORKS EVERYTIME!
SOMETIMES I LIKE NOT BEING UNDERSTOOD, BUT FEEL SATISFACTION SAYING IT (LOL)…BUT IF I WANT 2 BE UNDERSTOOD (& I WASN’T UNDERSTOOD), I SLOW IT DOWN, & TRY 2 PAUSE BETTER BETWEEN WORDS! (I LEARNED THAT FROM SENTENCE SHAPER)
IN OTHER NEWS, IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I’VE READ THE ARTICLE I PUBLISHED IN THE LDS (MORMON) CHURCH MAGAZINE, THE ENSIGN (SEPT. 2008, Primary Songs Blessed Me):
http://www.lds.org/liahona/2008/09/primary-songs-blessed-me?lang=eng&query=jennifer+lynn

HOWEVER, THERE WAS A PART THAT STOOD OUT 2 ME:
“We may not always understand why the Lord has given us a particular assignment. Even so, we must trust the Lord and put our faith in Him and His promptings. “

WHEN I WAS GIVEN THE ASSIGNMENT 2 TEACH THE YOUNG WOMEN (YW), I HAD NO CLUE HOW I’D DO IT—I COULDN’T TALK & I COULD BARELY MOVE, BUT IT WAS MADE CLEAR 2 ME THAT THIS WAS AN ASSIGNMENT FROM THE LORD. & I HAD THE FAITH THAT GOD WOULD FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK….& HE DID!

I DON’T THINK I’VE EVER ATTEMMPTED 2 EXPLAIN HOW I TEACH THE YOUNG WOMEN (12-18 YEAR OLD GIRLS), ONCE A MONTH, BUT I WANT TO DO SO NOW:
GIRLS VOLUNTEER 2 BE MY TRANSLATOR THAT MONTH. THE TRANSLATOR SPEEAKS & ACTS 4 ME (WRITING ON THE BOARD, HANDING THINGS OUT, CALLING ON PEOPLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, CLARIFING WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY, OR ADD INPUT TO THE LESSON AS WELL.)

SINCE I WAS A TEACHER PRIOR 2 MY STROKE, & SINCE AM “HYPER-ORGANIZED,” I HAVE A VERY DETAILED, COLOR-CODED LESON PLAN. (WHAT THE TRANSLATOR SAYS/DOES IS 1 COLOR, WHAT I SIGN IS ANOTHER COLOR, ETC.) I TYPE OUT WHAT I PLAN TO SAY, BUT IT CAN CHANGE, SO THE GIRL’S REALLY DO READ MY SIGN LANGUAGE!

HOWEVER, WE HAVE A PRACTICE THE WEEK B4, SO THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE LESSON, WE CLEAR UP ANY QUESTIONS OF WHAT THEY’LL BE DOING, & THEY KNOW MY MESSAGE. I ALSO TRY TO LIMIT MY SIGNING BY:
• USING THE SPEAKING MACHINE ON MY IPAD (IT SITS IN MY LAP, W/SPEAKERS ATTACHED 2 MY CHAIR) TO ASK QUESTIONS
• I OFTEN HAVE A POWERPOINT OR A VISUAL ID THT “SPEAKS” 4 ME
• THE GIRLS READ A LOT FOR ME (STORIES, SCRIPTURES, & SOMETIMES THINGS ON THE POWERPOINT SLIDES)
• AS MY SPEECH IMPROVES, I TRY 2 USE MY VOICE MORE

MY DAUGHTER, JESS, TURNED 12 IN FEB. SHE READS MY ASL FAST & CAN HELP IF THERE IS THE NEED, & SHE IS A “BACK-UP TRANSLATOR,” BUT SHE HAS ONLY BEEN NEEDED ONCE AS MY TRANSLATOR!

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS ASSIGNMENT, & I AM LUCKY 2 WORK WITH THE GIRLS 1-ON-1, SO I GET 2 KNOW THEM! I AM SO GLAD THAT I ACCEPTTED THE ASSIGNMENT, EVEN THOUGH I HAD NO UNDERSTANDING OF HOW I WOULD ACCOMPLISH IT!

PBA

8/8 WAS MY BIRTHDAY, & I REALIZED THAT IN 10 YEARS, & BEFORE I AM 50 YEARS OLD, ANY OF MY 3 KIDS COULD MAKE ME A GRANDMA! GOOD GRIEF! I SURE DON’T FEEL THAT OLD, BUT I GUESS A GRANDMA IN A WHEELCHAIR WOULDN’T BE SO ODD…BUT I SECRETLY HOPE I’LL CONTINUE PROGRESSING, SO IT MAY BE A LITTLE UNUSUAL IF I’M STARTING 2 WALK OR SOMETHING! LOL

IN NEWS: ON MY B-DAY (A GIFT?), ZACH GOT HIS DRIVING PERMIT ON MY BIRTHDAY. I ADDED ANOTHER BLESSING 2 MY LIST OF BLESSINGS SINCE MY STROKE…I’LL LET U FIGURE OUT THE BLESSING!

ALSO, I CAME HOME FROM OUR THIRD TRIP AT THE START OF THE MONTH. WE DROVE YET AGAIN…MK HAS EARNED HIS “TRUCKER WINGS!” I AM SO IMPRESSED THAT HE COULD DO IT, & I FEEL SO LOVED, BECUZ I KNOW HE WOULD’VE PREFERRED 2 FLY, BUT DROVE 4 ME!

THIS TRIP WAS DIFFERENT. IT HAD SEVERAL THINGS THROWN AT IT, TRYING 2 “MUCK IT UP,” BUT MY MENTAL ATTITUDE WAS DIFFERENT, & I ENJOYED THE TRIP. THAT’S A BIG DEAL 4 ME.

I THINK THIS WAS HELPFUL IN CHANGING MY MENTAL ATTITUDE:

IN JUNE, I POSTED ABOUT HOW I FELL OUT OF MY WHEELCHAIR, BUT A TRAGEDY BECAME A BLESSING, BECAUSE I FOUND A NEUROLOGIST! AT THE TIME, I WAS UNAWARE OF HOW HUGE OF A BLESSING THIS WAS! NOW, I’M TEMPTED 2 SAY IT WAS WORTH IT!

1 MONTH AGO, JUST B4 THE CRUISE, THE NEUROLOGIST STARTED ME TAKE NEUDEXTA, THE NEW DRUG FOR PBA (PSEUDOBULBAR AFFECT/EMOTIONAL LABILITY/EMOTIONAL INCONTINENCE), I HAVE FORTUNATELY HAD NO SIDE EFFECTS.
& THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN LIFE-CHANGING, & HAVE SEEMED 2 ALLOW ME 2 PUT INTO PRACTICE THINGS I HAVE LEARNED FROM MK &/OR THE HOLY GHOST:

• I HAVE A MORE CAREFREE, RELAXED MOOD
• I AM MORE POSITIVE, LESS DEPRESSED, & LESS ANXIOUS
• MY BRAIN SEEMS “UNSCRAMBLED,” & LESS “CLOUDY”
• I STILL HAVE LAUGHING & CRYING EPISODES, BUT THEY ARE SHORTER & MUCH LESS FREQUENT!
• I HAVE ACTUALLY CONTROLLED A FEW EPISODES, & FELT THEM STARTING, BUT WAS ABLE TO STOP THEM!
• I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FEEL THE SPIRIT MORE.
• I HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN MY SPEECH ABILITIES
• I CAN MOVE QUICKER & SEEM STRONGER

INTERESTINGLY, PBA TENDS 2 HAVE A “CYCLE,” SO THE MEDS SEEM TO HAVE A “CYCLE” AS WELL. (SO, 4 EX., I WAS SPEAKING AMAZINGLY WELL—FULL CONVERSATIONS, EVEN–ON OUR LAST VACATION, WHICH WAS AT THE END OF THE MONTH. I BELIEVE THERE ARE A LOT MORE REASONS FOR THIS, BUT AT THE START OF THE MONTH, TRY AS I MAY, I COULD HARDLY SPEAK A WORD! AS THE MONTH HAS PROGRESSED, I HAVE SPOKE BETTER FOR 15 MIN. HERE & THERE, & BY NEXT WEEK, I HOPE I AM SPEAKING ALMOST AS WELL AS LAST MONTH!)

ON THE RIGHT, UNDER “SPECIAL,” “I” WILL BE POSTING AN ARTICLE ON PBA THAT I’VE BEEN WRITING FOR YEARS (IF I EMAILED ABOUT PBA 2 SOME1, I COPIED IT & PUT IT THERE. MY OLD CAREGIVER CATEGORIZED IT, & I KEPT ADDING. THEN I CHANGED THE WORDS, SO IT MADE SENSE, & DID SOME MINOR EDITING…) . IT’S NOT PERFECT, NEEDS MORE EDITING, & I REPEAT A LOT, BUT IT’D TAKE ME EVEN LONGER 2 DO THAT, & I JUST WANTED 2 GET IT OUT THERE! (IT HAS BEEN LIKE 5 YEARS IN THE MAKING! LOL)

A PERSONAL NOTE: PBA IS AS MUCH A STRUGGLE 4 MY FAMILY & HUSBAND! I WANT 2 PUBLICALLY THANK THEM FOR DEALING WITH THIS! THE BATTLE IS NOT OVER, BUT I TRULY FEEL THAT THIS MEDICATION IS A BLESSING FROM GOD, FOR ALL WE HAVE ENDURED!

FAMILY REUNION

IN MY LAST POST, I MENTIONED HOW ON VACATION IN JUNE, I FELL OUT OF MY W/C & BEAT MYSELF UP PRETTY GOOD…PHYSICALLY, I’M SOOO MUCH BETTER–ALMOST COMPLETELY HEALED (2 MY POST-STROKE/”NORMAL” STATE)! HOWEVER, MENTALLY, I’M MESSED UP (THOUGH I’M SO FORTUNATE & BLESSED 2 HAVE MY HUSBAND BE A THERAPIST!).

I’VE ALSO SEEN THE NEUROLOGIST & I STARTED TAKING THE NEW DRUG 4 PBA, & IT IS AMAZING!!! I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT’S INCONSITENCY IN WORKING (WHICH I HAVE EXPERIENCED EPISODES/DAYS WHERE IT DOESN’T REALLY WORK, THOUGH THE “EPISODES” ARE MUCH SHORTER), BUT OVERALL I AM HAPPIER & MORE RELAXED, & WHILE I MAY FEEL CHOKED UP, I CAN WATCH A MOVIE W/O CRYING! IN FACT, I CAN ACTUALLY GO THROUGH A WHOLE ENTIRE DAY W/O A HUGE FLARE-UP!

I DON’T CARE IF I HAVE A FEW “EPISODES” STILL. 2 ME, HAVING WAY LESS EPISODES IS WONDERFUL, & A WELCOMED RELIEF—HOWEVER, I AM GRATEFUL 4 THE SKILLS I HAVE DEVELOPED, SO I CAN BETTER MANAGE MY PBA, WHEN THE PILLS DON’T WORK…!

PABLO PICASSO SAID “I AM ALWAYS DOING THINGS I CAN’T DO, THAT’S HOW I GET TO DO THEM.” I RECENTLY GOT HOME FROM OUR FAMILY REUNION: WE MET 4 A FEW DAYS AT UNIVERSAL (WHERE I RODE EVERY RIDE MY HUSBAND, MK, DID–EVEN THE INTENSE HULK ROLLERCOASTER!) & WENT ON THE DISNEY DREAM 5-NIGHT CRUISE 2 THE BAHAMAS. IT WAS THE BEST TRIP EVER–I WAS ACTUALLY NOT WANTING 2 LEAVE, & I NEVER MISSED CHECKING MY EMAIL…SO IT MUST HAVE GONE WELL!

I CAN FLY ON AN AIRPLANE, BUT PREFER NOT TO, SO I CAN TAKE MY BIG WHEELCHAIR, & TILT, FREELY USE A BATHROOM, NOT DEAL W/MY EARS, ETC. BUT MY HUSBAND DROVE 2 FLORIDA, 4 ME! (TALK ABOUT LOVE!) SO WE DROVE TO FLORIDA FOR 2 DAYS….

THE ROOMS WERE DOWNRIGHT AMAZING, & I FELT LIKE ROYALTY! DISNEY SURE KNOWS HOW 2 MAKE THINGS ACCESSIBLE (IT WAS LIKE NIGHT & DAY WHEN WE VISITED A BOHEMIAN ISLAND W/NO ADA LAWS), SO MY FAVORITE THING BY FAR IS THAT I COULD PUSH A BUTTON & THE DOOR OPENED! (NOT THAT I WENT PLACES ALONE–I’M TOO SCARED–BUT I HAVE AN AUTOMATIC BEDROOM DOOR OPENER, & HOTEL ROOMS DON’T HAVE THAT, SO I AM USED 2 LOSING INDEPENDENCE ON TRIPS–NOT GAINING IT!)

THE OTHER THING I LOVED WAS THE RAMP ON THE BALCONY (I CAN NEVER ACCESS BALCONIES!)…WHEN I NEEDED A REFUGE FROM THE COLD ROOM, OR JUST WANTED 2 WATCH THINGS GO BY, I COULD ACCESS A VIRTALLY COVERED PATIO, & FEEL THE WARM AIR & SMELL THE OCEAN!

I ADMIT THAT THERE WAS 1 DAY WHERE I WAS SAD ON THE TRIP. MAYBE MY PILLS WERE NOT HELPING, BUT I WAS FRUSTRATED ABOUT A FEW THINGS, & HAVING A “PITY PARTY.” BUT AFTER PAUSING AN AUDIO BOOK TO TAKE SOME TIME 2 THINK, THEN TALKING 2 MK & MY SISTER-IN-LAW, I EMPLOYED SOME RE-FRAMING (AS MK CALLS IT), & THINGS WERE BETTER AGAIN.

ON THE WAY HOME, WE GOT A FLAT TIRE, & WHILE I WAS OUT OF THE CAR, SO WE COULD CHANGE IT, IT STARTED 2 RAIN. 2 TOP IT OFF, I HAD 2 POTTY REALLY BAD, & NOTHING WAS AROUND FOR MILES! BUT WHAT WAS AMAZING WAS THAT NO1’S ATITITUDE FALTERED, & WE MANAGED 2 SEE THE BLESSINGS DURING THE TRIAL.

“The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything they have.” Epictetus

IT’S BEEN A WHILE…

SORRY…I DROPPED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH! (LOL–U’LL GET IT LATER!) BEEN INCREDIBLY BUSY, & IT’S GETTING WORSE, NOT BETTER!

THERE HAVE BEEN BIG THINGS GOING ON SINCE EASTER: I GOT A NEW COMPUTER (& HAVE BEEN GETTING ACQUIANTED, & HAVE BEEN TRANSFERRING STUFF), GOT A NEW ASSISSTANT/CAREGIVER, ANGIE, “THE MORMON CHANNEL” (http://mormonchannel.org/ ), CAME 2 FILM ME, BOTH MK & I HAVE BEEN 2 THE HOSPITAL, ETC..

AS 4 MK’S HOSPITAL TRIP: USUALLY, MK BEING ILL MAKES ME FEEL EXTRA HELPLESS, BECUZ THE WORLD STOPS WHEN MK IS SICK, & I CAN’T KEEP IT TURNING, LIKE I USED TO DO. I WANT HIM 2 REST, BUT I ALSO WANT LIFE 2 CONTINUE,TAKE THE KIDS PLACES, RUN ERRANDS, ETC.! & WHLE IT WASN’T A 1ST TIME WHEN MK WAS ILL, BUT IT WAS THE FIRST TIME WHERE IT WAS AMAZING & MIRACULOUS HOW CALM I FELT!

BUT A WHILE AGO, I MADE A “CARING 4 JENNY” BINDER 4 STUFF EVENTS THIS, SO ANY1 COULD HELP ME. BUT SINCE CARA JUST LEFT , I HAD RECENTLY UPDATED IT 4 A NEW CAREGIVER WITH SCEDULES, INSTRUCTIONS 4 THINGS LIKE HOW 2 USE THE LIFT 2 HELP ME POTTY, HOW 2 HELP ME EXERCISE, HOW 2 TURN ME AT NIGHT (IF NEEDED –I HARDLY EVER TURN NOW, BUT IT NEVER FAILS THAT I NEED 2 TURN WHEN MK REALLY NEEDS 2 SLEEP!), HOW 2 PUT ME IN THE CAR, ETC.

W/MY “CARING 4 JENNY” BINDER UP-2-DATE, & W/FAITH IT WOULD ALL BE FINE SOMEHOW (MAYBE NOT HOW I WANT IT, BUT IT WOULD BE OK–I THINK I LEARNED THAT W/MY STROKE, BECUZ OBVIOUSLY, I DON’T WANT 2 BE THE “HELPLESS GIRL IN A WHEELCHAIR”, BUT THINGS ARE FINE…), I WAS EXTREMELY, SURPRISENLY CALM THE ENTIRE TIME…. ESP. WEIRD, SINCE MILES–MY ASSISSTANT/CAREGIVER, ANGIE’S, BABY–WAS SICK…

AS 4 MY HOSPITAL TRIP: THE 1ST WEEKEND OF JUNE, WE WERE ON A FAMILY VACATION IN PADRE ISLAND, TEXAS…

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO READ THE BIBLE, & WONDER ABOUT IF WE STILL HAVE MIRACLES 2DAY. NO1 PARTS THE RED SEA, BUT W/100% SURETY, I CAN SHOUT, “YES , WE HAVE MIRACLES 2DAY!” IF WE DIDN’T, I WOULDN’T BE WRITING THIS POST 2DAY! AFTER MY STROKE, I HAVE WITNESSED MIRACLE AFTER MIRACLE, & SAT. I WAS PART OF A HUGE MIRACLE! THERE IS NO QUESTION–I KNOW I WITNESSED A MIRACLE, GOD’S LOVE, GOD’S MERCY, & GOD’S PROTECTION, & AT THE RISK OF FEELING STUPID, I FEEL COMPELLED TO SHARE THIS STORY W/U:

SAT., JUNE 2, I WAS IN A STORE, & FELT FRUSTRATED (BUT W/MY PBA, WEN I’M FRUSTRATED EVEN A TINY BIT, I CRY & MAKE A HORRIBLE SCENE…) THEN WELL MEANING PEOPLE ASK ME QUESTIONS I CAN’T ANSWER & OFFER SYMPATHY (& SYMPATHY ONLY MAKES MY PBA WORSE), OR, SINCE MK IS THERE, HE IS UNFAIRLY JUDGED 2 BE “EVIL,” SO IN ORDER 2 AVOID MAKING A SCENE, I LEFT THE STORE ALONE (WHICH I NEVER DO, & NEVER WILL AGAIN!) I JUST MADE AN EVEN BIGGER SCENE. IMMEDIATELY OUTSIDE OF THE FRONT DOOR, THERE WAS A VERY SMALL LANDING, W/NO WARNING LINES, & I, OF COURSE, SAW 2 SIDEWALKS TO MAKE A BIGGER LANDING, & I AIMED FOR THE 2ND SIDEWALK (WHICH DIDN’T EXIST), WHERE I’D WAIT OUTSIDE OF THE STORE MY FAMILY. BAD CHOICE. UNFORTUNATELY,THE SIDEWALK I SAW, WAS A CURB. SO, I WENT OFF THE CURB & FELL OUT OF MY CHAIR, LANDING ON MY KNEES & FACE, IN THE PARKING LOT…I DON’T RECALL FALLING, BUT I KNEW WHEN I HIT, & WHEN I SAW A POOL OF BLOOD FORMING, I CRIED AS LOUD AS I COULD—NOT BECUZ I WAS HURT, BUT SO SOME1 WOULD COME.

MY W/C TEETERED ON THE CURB EDGE, &, CALL IT VANITY OR PRIDE, BUT I WON’T WEAR A SEAT BELT IN MY W/C. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT IF I HAD BEEN, MY WHEELCHAIR WOULD’VE TOPPLED ON TOP OF ME, CRUSHING OR KILLING ME!

W/IN SECONDS, SOME1 CAME & FLIPPED ME OVER. THEY SAID TO CALL 911, & W/IN ANOTHER FEW SECONDS, MK WAS THERE, MK HELD & LOOKED AT ME W/SUCH LOVE & I IMMEDIATELY WAS COMFORTED, & KNEW THAT I’D BE OK. BUT I KNEW HEAD WOUNDS BLED LOTS, & I KNEW I LOOKED TONS WORSE THAN I FELT, SO I WORRIED DEARLY ABOUT MY FAMILY! I COULD HEAR THE KIDS CRYING, SO MY PBA KICKED IN & I SOBBED–BUT NOT BECUZ I WAS HURT…SO I SIGNED, “PBA,” HOPING THEY’D CATCH ON THAT I WAS OK, & THE TEARS WERE PBA TEARS.

911 WAS AGAIN SUGGESTED, WHICH FELT UNNECESSARY, BUT I DIDN’T PROTEST—I RECALLED THAT WHEN I HAD MY STROKE & ALMOST DIED, I DID PROTEST TO 911 BEING CALLED (HA!), & I FIGURED IT DIDN’T HURT 2 CHECK 4 INTERNAL BLEEDING, & LET MY LOVED 1S SEE THAT I WAS OK! BUT AS I WAS PUT ON THE AMBULANCE, I WORRIED THAT IT MAY TURN UP OLD MEMORIES 4 MY FAMILY OF ME GOING ON AN AMBULANCE 8 YEARS AGO…

I WAS THROUGHLY SCANNED/X-RAYED AT THE HOSPITAL, & I’M OK! I BROKE MY NOSE & HAVE SOME SCRAPES AND CUTS, BUT I FEEL THAT THE IT IS A MIRACLE HOW MINOR MY INJURIES ARE. I MOSTLY JUST FEEL STUPID!

OH, & I’M TICKED AT THE HOSPITAL. THEY ACTUALLY ADDED 2 MY INJURIES: 1ST, I WAS A HUMAN PINCUSHION, & 2ND, MY TAILBONE GOT BRUISED. I CAME TO THE HOSPITAL TO BE HELPED, BUT I WAS HURT AS BAD AS WHEN I FELL! BUT THIS IS NOT THE ONLY HOSPITAL W/THESE PROBLEMS! EVERY HOSPITAL HAS IT’S PROBLEMS, & STROKE SURVIVORS ALL OVER THE WORLD CAN SHARE EQUAL OR WORSE HOSPITAL STORIES.

BUT I DIGRESS… A FEW WEEKS AGO, MK WAS IMPRESSED 2 ASK ME IF I WANTED TO STOP TAKING MY BLOOD THINNER MEDS (SOMETHING NO DOCTOR WOULD SUGGEST DOING, BUT THEY ALSO CAN’T SAY 4 SURE WHY I HAD A STROKE & NEED IT), SO I RESEARCHED & SINCE I HAD NO OBJECTIONS, & SINCE I’M ON A HEALTH FOOD KICK THAT SEEMS A BAD MIX WITH MY BLOOD THINNER MEDS, I STOPPED TAKING THEM. GOOD THING TOO–OR I WOULDN’T BE WRITING THIS! IN FACT, MY DR. MADE IT SOUND LIKE THERE WAS NOT GREAT EVIDENCE FOR THE NEED FOR ME TO TAKE BLOOD THINNERS AND IT MOST LIKELY PREVENTED INTERNAL BLEEDING BY NOT BEING ON IT.

IT IS A MIRACLE THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD’VE KILLED ME, ONLY ENDED UP W/A BROKEN NOSE (WHICH GAVE ME 2 BLACK EYES), & SOME CUTS ON MY FACE, KNEES, & 3 FINGERS ON MY RIGHT HAND! ONLY GOD COULD’VE PROTECTED ME SO WELL! SIMPLY AMAZING THAT MY TEETH ARE FINE, MY RIGHT HAND ISN’T BROKEN, I GOT NO STITCHES, & MY SKULL WASN’T CRUSHED! WHAT MERCY & LOVE I FEEL!

I’M AMAZED HOW GOD FINDS WAYS 2 TURN BAD SITUATIONS INTO GOOD. I KNOW HUNDREDS OF WAYS THAT MY STROKE HAS BEEN TURNED INTO A BLESSING. THIS WAS NO DIFFERENT: I HAVE WANTED A NEUROLGIST 4 QUITE SOMETIME (ODDLY, MOSTLY SO I MAY TRY THE NEW MEDS 4 PBA!), & THE HOSPITAL WE WENT TO WAS ONE OF THE FEW THAT SPECIALIZE IN STROKE NEUROLOGY. MY DR. (WHO SEEMED 2 LIGHT-UP AT MEETING AN 8 YR. BRAIN-STEM STROKE SURVIVOR, SINCE THE MORTALITY RATE IS SO LOW, & WE USUALLY SURVIVE ONLY 1 YEAR) WAS A HUGE PART IN SETTTING UP THE STROKE UNIT. SHE GAVE ME A REFERRAL TO SEE A GUY NEARBY TO ADDRESS SOME THINGS THAT MAY BENEFIT ME IN THE LONG RUN.

WHEN MK WAS SICK, THINGS WERE VERY TOUGH W/THE KIDS (TEENS ARE NOT MY FORTE…HENCE, I TAUGHT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!), BUT MY ACCIDENT SEEMS 2 HAVE REMINDED US ALL–INCLUDING ME–HOW MUCH WE LOVE & CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER.

SOMETHING I LOVE ABOUT MY FAMILY IS HOW THEY FIND HUMOR IN EVERY SITUATION…& THEY SAY LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE! MAYBE I WAS LOOPY AT THE TIME MK SAID IT, BUT I LAUGHED SOOO HARD WHEN HE MENTIONED THAT HE HAD MY WHEELCHAIR 4 ME 2 LEAVE THE HOSPITAL, & THAT HE WAS TRYING 2 THINK OF HOW HE COULD HELP ME RE-COVER, WHEN HE ALREADY POTTIES ME, SHOWERS ME, DRESSES ME, & FEEDS ME! THEN THE KIDS (WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY COMPARED MY SUNBURN 2 A TOMATO) COMMENTED HOW I NOW LOOKED LIKE A TOMATO THAT HAD BEEN CHEWED ONCE (SO IT WAS DAMAGED, BUT STILL A COMPLETE TOMATO) LOL

I HAVE WITNESSED MIRACLE AFTER MIRACLE, & IT’S NOT OVER YET: I AM THE WORLD’S SLOWEST HEALER, BUT WHEN I WOKE UP 2DAY, & IT’S AMAZING HOW FAST I’M HEALING!

SOPHIA SCRAPBOOKS

A FEW YEARS AGO, WHEN I WAS TAUGHT POWERPOINT, I REMARKED HOW MUCH IT WAS LIKE DIGITAL SCRAPBOOKING, & I CAUGHT ON ABNORMALLY FAST.

A WHILE AGO, MY 9 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, SOPHIA, STARTED MAKING TONS OF POWER POINTS, THAT REMINDED ME OF DIGITAL SCRAPBOOK. I ASKED IF SHE WANTED 2 LEARN 2 DIGITAL SCRAPBOOK (A FEW YEARS AGO, I TAUGHT HER TRADITIONAL SCRAPBOOKING), & SHE WANTED 2 LEARN. FOR 2 DAYS, I TRIED 2 TEACH HER IN ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS, BUT IT WAS SUPER TOUGH!

2 DAYS LATER THOUGH, SCRAPGIRLS INTRODUCED THEIR SCRAPBOOK PGS. IN POWERPOINT! I HAVE SHOWN SOPHIA, AND SHE IS A NATURAL! THE TIMING & THE PROGRAM THAT WAS USED COULDN’T HAVE BEEN MORE PERFECT!

HERE ARE THE .JPEGS OF HER 1ST DIGITAL SCRAPBOOK PAGES:
( the journalling says:
TOP, LEFT– PAGE 1
“While I waited for my ears to be pierced
I tried not to scream. I felt scared and
Worried. My teeth chattered and I
Couldn’t feel my arms.”
TOP, RIGHT–PAGE 2
“The ear piercers actually used a tool that
Looked like a Styrofoam stapler! (Which
made me even more scared!)”
BOTTOM, LEFT–PAGE 3
“Ok, if anyone asks, the reason I
Am closing my eyes is that my
Sister told me to (Sisters!)
Because it would “hurt less.””
“October 2008”
BOTTOM, RIGHT–PAGE 4
“After all, it turned out great and it did not hurt at all.”
“Now I can wear the most beautiful earrings in my ears!”)