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FRIDAY

JESS’ B-DAY WAS FEB. 4TH. NOT ONLY COULD I TELL HER “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” WITH WORDS, BUT IT SNOWED A TEENSY BIT (A DUSTING REALLY), & SCHOOL WAS CANCELLED! 2 HER, IT WAS THE BEST B-DAY EVER!

THEN, JESS AND SOPHIA PERFORMED LAST FRI. NIGHT (FEB 11) AT THE LAKE POINTE ELEM. TALENT SHOW, SINGING A DUET THEY ARRANGED FROM THE SONG POPULAR FROM WICKED:

MY MOM INSISTS IT IS LIKE SEEING MY SISTER & I ALL OVER AGAIN! BUT I MUST SAY, EVERY1 IN MY FAMILY HAS A UNIQUE WAY 2 SHOW THEIR MUSICALITY, & WHILE MK IS NOT A SINGER/DANCER, HE TRULY SHOWED MUSICAL TALENT IN OTHER WAYS, LIKE COMPOSING. I THINK THEY GOT TALENT FROM BOTH OF US!

I GIVE MK TONS OF CREDIT 4 HOW WELL IT WENT…I SIMPLY GAVE THEM A SINGING TALENT, BUT I LEFT IF THEY PRACTICED–IT WAS 2 FRUSTRATING 2 STAY! (BECUZ I’D START 2 IMAGINE DANCE MOVES, BUT COULDN’T EXPLAIN HOW 2 DO THEM, OR SING THE PART OF THE SONG WHERE IT WENT.) IF I STAYED, I’D HAVE A PBA OUTBURST FROM FRUSTRATION.

BUT I WAS ALWAYS W/IN EARSHOT (THEY HAVE A SET OF LUNGS THAT I’M JEALOUS OF, & THEY COULD PRACTICE IN THE KITCHEN UPSTAIRS, & I HEARD EVERY WORD CLEARLY DOWNSTAIRS, ON MY COMPUTER!), WHICH TOTALLY HELPED MY PBA AT THE PERFORMANCE, SO I WAS ABLE 2 ACTUALLY WATCH & SMILE, NOT CRY!

BTW, BIG THANKS, TOO, TO THEIR UNCLE ROB FOR HELPING WITH THE MUSIC AUNT TASHA WITH CHOREOGRAPHY, ZACH VIDEOTAPING, AUNT TASHA & AUNT NICOLE FOR HAIR AND MAKEUP, & ALL WHO LET THEM PRACTICE W/AN “AUDIENCE

SPEECH

THIS THURSDAY , I FINISH THESPEECH PROGRAM I AM DOING. MY BREATH SUPPORT IS BETTER, & I SPEAK CLEARER. IN FACT, MID-WEEK, WHILE PRACTICING, I HAVE SOME VERY VOCAL DAYS, & CAN EVEN CARRY ON CONVERSATIONS WITH SINGLE WORD OR 3-5 WORD PHRASE HERE & THERE. I HAVE EVEN TOLD MY DAUGHTER, “WHAT?” ON THE PHONE, & SHE UNDERSTOOD (PROBABLY BECAUZ SHE KNOWS WHAT THAT WORD SOUNDS LIKE)!

IT’S COOL, BUT 4 SOME REASON, IT IS WAY HARDER IF I TRY 2 SAY THINGS (INSTEAD OF IT NATURALY “POPPING” OUT), OR LEAVE MY HOME–IT’S LIKE I HAVE A MENTAL BLOCK, OR WALL, & I CAN’T STOP HOLDING MY AIR. PLUS, OUT & ABOUT, IT’S SORTA HABIT AFTER 7 YEARS, 2 JUST NOD, INSTEAD OF SAY HI, BYE, YEA, NO (WHICH I CAN DO ALL, JUST SOMETIMES THE VOCAL RESPONSE IS DELAYED). SO MY NEW THING IS 2 NOD, THEN SAY IT, EVEN IF THE PERSON HAS LEFT, OR THE CONVERSATION IS OVER. LOL THE TRICK IS 2 DO IT (SOMETIMES I EITHER 4GET, CAN’T DO IT, OR AM 2 TIRED 2 DO IT!) BUT IT IT’S A BONUS IF I SAY IT RIGHT AWAY! LOL

MY HUSBAND ‘S PARENTS HAVE BEEN VISITING US HERE. IT’S BEEN GOOD HAVING THEM HERE, BECAUZ I GET MORE OPPORTUNITIES 2 TALK, & AM ENCOURAGED 2 TALK.

I HAVE 2 SHARE MY FAVORITE THING: IF I AM FINGER SPELLING, & THEY ARE CAUGHT ON A LETTER, I LIKE 2 SAY THE LETTER, IF I CAN! I CAN’T SAY THEM ALL, BUT IT’S FUN 2 SURPRISE PEOPLE W/THE FEW I CAN SAY! LOL

ALSO, I CAN SOMETIMES NOW SAY “S” IF I TILT WAY BACK, ALMOST FLAT, IN MY CHAIR, THOUGH, IF I CAN, IT MAY TAKE QUITE A WHILE 4 IT 2 OCCUR. “SOPHIA” IS THE EASIEST S-WORD 4 ME 2 SAY LAYING DOWN, BUT I HAVEN’T MASTERED IT YET IN MY CHAIR.

LETTER “S”

OH HAPPY DAY! I CRIED TEARS OF JOY! I CAN’T DO IT SITTING OR TILTED IN MY CHAIR, BUT LAYING IN BED, I CAN SAY THE LETTER “S”, & “SOPHIA” (NOT “OPHIA”)! I THINK IT WORKS BECAUSE GRAVITY HELPS ME. I HAVEN’T MASTERED MY OTHER DAUGHTERS NAME, “JESSICA”–NOT ONLY CAN I NOT SAY LETTER “J”, BUT “S” KILLS ME IN THE CENTER OF A WORD! I’VE TRIED OTHER “S” WORDS, BUT 4 NOW, I CAN ONLY SAY “SOPHIA” & “SUN,” & ONLY IF I LAY DOWN!

JAN. 14

AGAIN, IN SPEECH PRACTICE, I HAD ANOTHER FUNNY. THE LAST THING I DO IS SAY 10 RANDOM WORDS OR SHORT PHRASES. SINCE SOPH USUALLY HELPS ME (PROBABLY WHY SHE UNDERSTANDS ME SO WELL), SOMETIMES SHE THROWS IN ANY WORD SHE WANTS ME 2 SAY. THURSDAY, THE LAST THING I WAS INSTRUCTED 2 REPEAT, WAS, “THX 4 HELPING ME.” GOOF! IT’S RATHER FUN 4 HER 2 MAKE ME SAY WHATEVER! LOL GLAD SHE’S HAVING FUN…

ALSO ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, SOPHIA WAS IN A SPELLING BEE. SHE WAS LEARNING 2 SPELL WORDS I CAN’T EVEN DO! (HER DAD GAVE HER SOME FABULOUS MEMORY TRICKS ON MANY WORDS, THOUGH, & SOPH RESPONDED SO WELL 2 HIM!)

I WAS ESPECIALLY HAPPY THAT I DIDN’T NEED 2 PRONOUNCE THINGS (LUCKY ME, IF I DID MORE THAN WATCH HER PRACTICE, I COULD MAGNIFY THE WORDS, SO I COULD SEE HOW 2 SPELL/TYPE THEM, BUT MAKE MY COMPUTER SAY THE BIG WORDS!)

I AM NOT THE WORLD’S BEST SPELLER (OBVIOUSLY—THOUGH I LIKE 2 TAKE SOME CREDIT, SINCE SHE HAD 2 LEARN 2 SPELL AT A YOUNG AGE, SO I COULD TALK 2 HER…PLUS, MY BAD SPELLING IS MORE PRONOUCED BY MY KEYBOARD & DOUBLE VISION, SINCE IT DEPENDS ON HOW I HIT THE KEYS, IF A LETTER IS SKIPPED, REPEATED, ETC…BUT, SHE ISN’T A GOOD SPELLER FROM ME!) IN FACT, AFTER MY STROKE, B4 I COULD SIGN, I WAS INTRODUCED 2 “BLINK SPELLING”—THE WAY I COULD COMMUNICATE (I’LL DESCRIBE IT IN MY NEXT F.A.Q.) I REMEMBER THINKING, “U’VE GOT 2 BE KIDDING ME! SUDDENLY, I SHOULD BE THE WORLD’S BEST SPELLER?!?”—SENSE THE SARCASM?)

ANYWAY, WEDNESDAY, AFTER PRACTICE, I WAS GIVING SOPHIA SOME ADVICE…I SPELLED “TOMORROW”—ONLY WRONG–THAT WORD ALWAYS TRICKS ME, BUT SHE “DINGED” & A THIRD GRADER CORRECTED ME! LOL

BTW, I DON’T KNOW WHY, BUT B4 MY STROKE, I WAS OBSESSED WITH TAPING MY VOICE. I RECORDED 6 BOOKS (SOME 4 MY EL. ED. DEGREE, & SOME ONLY ABOUT 6 MONTHS B4, SO A PART OF ME COULD BE THERE 2 READ BEDTIME STORIES 2 MY KIDS WHEN I WENT 2 LONDON), THERE’S ALSO A VOICE LESSON, 2 TAPES WITH MY COLLEGE ACAPELLA GROUP, ME SINGING SOLOS, DUETS, QUARTETS, KARAOKE, & A GEM WITH ME ONLY ABOUT 12 YRS. OLD (WITH MY 4 YOUNGER SIBLINGS).

THIS LAST SUMMER, SOPH ASKED 2 HEAR ME SING, (B4 MY STROKE), AFTER OVERHEARING ME TRY 2 SING. ALL THE KIDS CAME, & HEARD ME SING. THEN I READ 2 SOPH BY USING THESE RECORDINGS—SHE HAS SAT TILTED IN MY LAP, & LISTENED 2 ME READ. SO COOL! THOUGH I’VE BEEN COLLECTING “EASY” BOOKS, SO I CAN AT LEAST CONTRIBUTE 2 A STORY!

WANTED 2 SHARE

BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT:

IN SPEECH THERAPY, I’M DOING A RATHER INTENSE PROGRAM 2 BUILD UP MY BREATH SUPPORT. I PRACTICE SPEECH EXERCISES 4 DAYS A WEEK, & TWICE A DAY FOR 4 WEEKS. IN THE EXERCISES, I SAY “AAAH”, DO VOCAL SLIDES, SAY SOME “FUNCTIONAL PHRASES”, SAY WORDS, & MAKE A GOAL (LIKE I DECIDE 2 SAY HI BACK 2 ANY1 WHO SAYS IT 2 ME).. I KEEP EVERYTHING ORGANIZED 4 PRACTICE IN A “SPEECH BINDER.”

HOWEVER, I SEEM 2 SUFFER FROM SOME “STAGE FRIGHT”, SO IT’S EXTRA HARD 2 SAY THINGS I KNOW I CAN SAY WHEN I’M OUT & ABOUT. BUT AT HOME, I HAVE “TALKING” DAYS. I STICK MOSTLY TO SINGLE WORDS (LIKE YES, NO, HI, BYE, OR MY FAVORITE: WHATEVER!). OCCASIONALLY I DO SHORT PHRASES (3-5 WORDS), BUT IT’S SO FUN 2 TRY LONGER, TOO! I’M NOT CLEAR, BUT IF MY FAMILY UNDERSTANDS, I’M TICKLED WHEN THEY DO UNDERSTAND & RESPOND. (I’M EASY 2 AMUSE! LOL)

MY PHILOSOPHY IS 2 SAY ANYTHING I’D SIGN (W/IN REASON!). I MAY LUCK OUT, BE UNDERSTOOD, & NOT NEED 2 SIGN! THOUGH MY FAVORITE IS WHEN I THROW OUT SOMETHING I THINK, BUT NEVER SIGN, AM UNDERSTOOD, & ANSWERED (LIKE IF I OVER HEAR SOMETHING, & DON’T UNDERSTAND, I MAY THINK , “WHAT?”, BUT IT’S 2 CONFUSING 2 ASK, & I DON’T REALLY NEED 2 KNOW, SO I LEAVE THE QUESTION IN MY HEAD. OR I DON’T BOTHER SHARING COMMENTS LIKE “YES U COULD” OR SHARING COMMENTS WHERE I’M JUST BEING SILLY –THE FUNNY MOMENT IS OVER B4 I FINISH SIGNING IT, SO WHY BOTHER SIGNING IT? BUT SOMETIMES NOW, I THROW IT OUT, & IF I’M HEARD & UNDERSTOOD, VERSUS BEING IGNORED, OR KEEPING IT IN MY HEAD, IT’S A BONUS, & EXCITING!).

ANYWAY, IN PRACTICE, MY LONGEST FUNCTIONAL PHRASE HAS 6 WORDS (“PUT LEFT FOOT ON FOOT REST”), & I USUALLY NEED 2 BREATHS 2 SAY IT. MY GOAL WAS TO USE 1 BREATH TO SAY IT, & TUESDAY MORNING I DID IT!

I ALSO HAD A GOOD LAUGH: A FUNCTIONAL PHRASE WAS ADDED 2 THE KEYRING I USE 4 SPEECH PRACTICE. IT READ: “JESS ROCKS”. (GUESS WHO ADDED THAT 2 MY LIST OF FUNCTIONAL PHRASES 2 SAY?) I LAUGHED SO HARD WHEN I FOUND IT–IT WAS LAMINATED & EVERYTHING, 2 LOOK LIKE THE OTHERS! U’D NEVER KNOW IT WAS ADDED, IF THE KEYRING WAS NEW 2 U!

THE BEST PART WAS HOW UNEXPECTED & QUIET IT WAS! & I BET IT’S BEEN THERE A WHILE, BECAUSE JESS HELPED ME PRACTICE THURS. NIGHT (& REQUESTED THAT PHRASE EXACTLY WHEN WE GOT 2 THE PLACE WHERE THE NEW “JESS ROCKS” CARD IS NOW), THEN I TOOK THE WEEKEND “OFF”, & I DID MY MONDAY PRACTICES W/O MY SPEECH BINDER , SO TUESDAY MORNING WASMY 1ST CHANCE 2 C IT, SINCE THURSDAY NIGHT, WHEN SHE HELPED ME! LOL