NOTHING STINKS MORE AT TIMES, THAN C-ING YOUR LOVED 1 SICK, BUT STILL CARING 4 U…POTTYING & DRESSING MYSELF SEEM IMPOSSIBLE RIGHT NOW, BUT FEEDING MYSELF WAS SOMETHING I WANTED 2 TACKLE. IT SEEMED MANAGEABLE…
I TACKLED IT IN STAGES: I LEARNED 2 RAISE MY ARM HIGHER, DISCOVERED THAT I COULD SUCK ON A STRAW & PRACTICED THAT, DEVELOPED BITING SKILLS, & WORKED ON MY AIM (SO I COULD DIP FOOD, & MESSY FOODS WOULD GO IN MY MOUTH, MORE THAN ON MY FACE!)

ON TUES., 3/2, I HAVE A STORY 2 SHARE…
RECENTLY, MK STARTED GIVING ME ROLLS AT DINNER, BUT I ONLY DO A MEAL IF HE HAS A TIME CRUNCH OR SOMETHING. I LOVE IT! I’VE DONE ARBY’S, A TUNA SUB (W/A FORK), ETC., BUT MY NEW THING IS LUNCHABLES (HAM & CHEESE CRACKERS)–I LISTEN 2 AN AUDIO BOOK AS I EAT, & CAN DO THE WATER. (I DISCOVERED MONTHS AGO THAT I COULD DO THE WATER BECUZ I GOT TIRED OF WAITING 4 MY WATER! LOL EVER SINCE I DISCOVERED THAT I COULD DO THE WATER, I’VE EXPERIMENTED–WHILE A FULL CUP IS POSSIBLE, IT’S TONS HARDER 2 LIFT, SQUEEZE, & SUCK, SO I TAKE 4EVER, & GIVE UP! IF THE CUP’S 1/2-FULL, IT’S MUCH LESS DAUNTING!
TUESDAY, 3/2, I HAD A CORN DOG. DIPPED IT & EVERYTHING. I HAD ZACH FILL A CUP 1/2-WAY, & PUT IT W/IN REACH. I FINISHED MY CORN DOG, & WENT 2 SWITCH MY PLATE & DRINK, BUT MK’S MOM WAS VISITING, & GOT THERE 1ST…I MOTIONED 2 GIVE ME THE WATER, & SHE SAID SOMETHING LIKE, “U KIDDING ME?” I DRANK IT, PUT THE EMPTY CUP IN THE SINK, & THREW AWAY MY BIB! TA DA! LOL
THIS IS FAIRLY NEW, BUT THIS WASN’T THE 1ST TIME.

I HEARD THIS QOUTE A LONG TIME AGO AT CHURCH:
“When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top… —you must begin with the first, and go on…”
History of the Church, 6:306–7; from a discourse given by Joseph Smith on Apr. 7, 1844, in Nauvoo, Illinois; reported by Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, Thomas Bullock, and William Clayton; see also appendix, page 562, item 3.

SOMEWHERE IN THE BEGINNING, WHEN I WAS GIVEN MY ARM SUPPORT, I FED MYSELF ON OCCASION, BUT I DETESTED IT: MORE FOOD GOT ALL OVER ME & THE FLOOR, & IT TOOK SO LONG, MY FOOD GOT COLD. I WASN’T READY…I SKIPPED RUNGS ON THE LADDER, & FALLEN.

A BIT AGO, I HAD A STUFFED NOSE, & SINCE I COULD BREATH LESS THROUGH IT,SO AIR WASN’T ESCAPING THROUGH MY NOSE, I WAS “TALKING” MORE. I OFTEN SPONTANIOUSLY SAY THINGS…I CAN’T DO AS WELL IF I TRY, BUT IT HAPPENS A LOT LATELY–MORE W/MY KIDS. (4 EX., I WENT IN MY DAUGHTER’S ROOM, & SHE TRIED 2 HIDE. MY CONSANANTS AREN’T GREAT, BUT I SAID “I SEE U,” & SHE FIGURED OUT WHAT I SAID, RIGHT AWAY! & LIKE A PARENT W/A TODDLER, MK OFTEN SEEMS 2 KNOW WHAT I SAY.) I ACTUALLY HAVE SAID 3-5 WORD SENTENCES, BUT THEY R SPONTANIOUS, SLURRED, & THE WORDS SHARE THE SAME BREATH, BUT ARE DISTINGUISHABLE….

ON 1/27, I ASKED FIA 2 CLEAN A ROOM…SHE WASN’T INTERESTED, BUT I SAID, “DO IT NOW!” ( NO LETTER “T”). THAT GOT HER ATTENTION! SHE ASKED IF I SAID “DO IT NOW,” & WHEN I CONFIRMED IT, SHE HAPPILY AGREED 2 CLEAN, BUT ONLY BECUZ I SPOKE! (I DON’T TRY TO SPEAK AS MUCH AS I SHOULD AT HOME, BECAUSEIT OFTEN INCLUDES AN UNFAVORABLE SOUND & FACE, AMIDST THE EFFORT, IF I PUT FORTH STRAIN, & EFFORT.) TTHIS INFLUENCED THE NEXT THINGl

1/28 WAS MY 1ST “SPEECH THERAPY CLASS.” SHE WAS GREAT& VERY ENCOURAGING, THOUGH I NEED 2 TELL MY FAV. THING: OUR FAMILY HAS A DISAGREEMENT HOW 2 SAY A WORD, & I BELIEVE THAT SINCE I GREW UP IN CHICAGO, IT WAS DUE 2 MY CHICAGOAN ACCENT.

ZACH LEARNED 2 TALK FROM ME, SO HE SAYS IT “MY WAY” (THE RT. WAY—J/K) FIA LEARNED FROM MK, SO SHE SAYS IT “HIS WAY.”

IN CLASS, SHE SAID A WORD/LETTER, & I REPEATED. THAT WORD WAS ON HER LIST, & AFTER SAYING IT, ADDED THAT THIS WAS MY CHANCE 2 LEARN IT RT.! LOL I SAID IT “MY WAY!” (P.S. THE WORD IS “CRAYON.”)

WHEN CLASS ENDED, I WAS ENCOURAGED 2 TALK, BECUZ SHE HAD HEARD HOW I SAY STUFF, & WILL RECOGNIZE MY WORDS. IT REALLY DOES APPEAR 2 HELP!

BTW, MY NEW FAVORITE WORD IS “WHATEVER!” I LOVE THAT WORD—SO LITTLE IS SAID, BUT IT CAN MEAN SO MUCH, IN A VARIETY OF SITUATIONS!

IN OTHER NEWS, MY CORE IS GETTING STRONGER. I WAS BASICALLY TOUCHING MY TOES, & LIFTED MY UPER BODY UP & STRAIGHT BACK! NO SIDE 2 SIDE OR ANYTHING! I WAS SOOOOO PROUD! & I DID IT AGAIN, L8R, 2 MAKE SURE IT WAS REAL, & NOT A FLUKE!

I’M SO GLAD I’M WHERE IT’S WARMER! NOT ONLY IS MY INTERNAL BODYTEMP. NEUROLOGICALY MESSED UP, BUT NOT MOVING DOESN’T HELP! SO, GLAD I’M WHERE IT’S WARMER—MY BODY CAN’T TOLERATE THE COLD (IN FACT, HOT TEXAS SUMMERS DON’T BOTHER ME—I LIKE THEM!)

IN OCT, WE WENT 2 SEA WORLD IN S.A. IT WAS 55 DEGREES, BUT I SURVIVED BECAUSE I HAD A LONG SLEEVE T-SHIRT W/A JACKET, THE “LONG JOHNS”, GLOVES (TALK ABOUT MUFFLING MY MOUTH!), EARMUFFS, & A SNUGGIE, FOLDED AS A LAP BLANKET.

GRANTED, IT IS HARD 2 GET IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT WHEN IT’S 50/60 DEGREES, BUT WHEN IT GOT IN THE 30’S, IT WAS 2 COLD 2 LEAVE MY HOUSE! IN FACT, 1 MORNING, IT WAS IN THE 30’S…I FELT THE COLD AIR, THOUGHT “R U KIDDING ME?”, & IMMEDIATELY DID A 180 TURN, BACK INTO MY WARM BEDROOM.

RECENTLY, IT WAS IN THE 70S…MK GOT A SUNBURN, & A KID WAS IN SHORTS, SO I THOUGHT I COULD GO OUT W/LONG SLEEVES& NO COAT…A MINUTE L8R, I WAS REEZING DESPITE HAVING A SHAWL, A VERY THICK BLANKET, & WAS TRYING 2 HIDE FROM THE WIND, ON OUR COVERED FRONT PORCH!

HOW DID I EVER SURVIVE INDIANA, & WHAT HAPPENED 2 THE 1ST BIT AFTER MY STROKE, WHERE I WAS SO HOT, I REFUSED BED SHEETS, HAD AN INDUSTRIAL FAN POINTED AT MY BED, & SWEAT SO BAD THAT I WAS CHANGED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?

it’s been 2 long…been sick & busy, but there’s no excuse the last few days!

SO, I FIGURE I’M A BLONDE, POLISH, A WOMAN, & BRAIN DAMAGED, SO I COVER MOST BASES OF THE “DUMB” JOKES.

I’M ACTUALLY NERDY SMART. GRADUATED HIGHEST HONORS, ETC., YET EVER SINCE MY STROKE, I LITERALLY MENTALLY “FREEZE” IF ANXIOUS, SO I TAKE PRECAUTIONS 4 THAT SO IT AVOIDS FEELING DUMB. THXS 2 A SUGGESTION FROM MY SISTER, I’VE EXPANDED ON AN IDEA, & NOW I HAVE A GREAT NEW SYSTEM THAT I WANT 2 SHARE, BECUZ IT HAS REALLY HELPED ME, & MIGHT HELP SOME1 ELSE 2:

I HAVE 2 KEYRINGS OF “STOCK PHRASES” 2 SAY THINGS 2 OTHERS WHO CAN’T SIGN, & A SECOND KEYRING 2 DISCIPLINE MY KIDS, SO THEY CAN’T PULL THE “I DON’T UNDERSTAND U” THING, OR IF THEY ARE JUST 2 IMPATIENT 4 ME 2 SIGN THE WHOLE THING (THEY R GETTING 2 THE POINT WHERE THEY JUST C THE CARDS, & KNOW WHAT I WANT 2 SAY)!

2 IMAGINE THEM, I PRINT PHRASES & CUT THEM OUT (C THE PHRASES BELOW), ATTACHED THEM 2 HALF AN INDEX CARD, PUNCHED, & PUT THEM ON A KEYRING. I KEEP THEM IN MY WHEELCHAIR POCKET SO WHEN A KID CLAIMS THE “CAN’T UNDERSTAND U” GAME, OR SOME1 WHO CAN’T SIGN COMES BY & I WANT 2 TALK 2 THEM, I CAN JUST WHIP OUT THE APPROPRIATE CARD AND POINT TO A PHRASE. IT IS THE GREATEST THING, ESP. THE CARD INTRODUCING MYSELF—PEOPLE R LESS “SCARED” OF ME.

IN ORDER 2 QUICKLY FIND THE CORRECT PHRASE NEEDED 2 DISCIPLINE THE KIDS W/O SIGNING, I USED COLORED INDEX CARDS 4 THEIR KEYRING:
1. FLOURESCENT YELLOW: WARNING
2. FLOURESCENT PINK: PUNISHMENT
3. FLOURESCENT GREEN: COMMAND
4. PASTEL BLUE: INSTRUCTION

SOME OF THE PHRASES ARE :*STOP HURTING YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER, * IF U CHOOSE TO IGNORE OR YELL AT ME, U’LL BE GROUNDED, * U ARE GROUNDED, * IF U CHOOSE TO IGNORE OR YELL AT ME, U WILL WEED, * U NEED TO WEED, * TIME OUT, * DO IT NOW! , * DO IT, OR I’LL TELL DAD!, *STOP WHINING & JUST DO IT!, *GET OFF YOUR BUTT!, * HURRY UP!, *GET READY FOR BED, *PICK UP YOUR ROOM, *PICK UP YOUR TOYS, *SHARE, * QUIET PLEASE!

THE 2ND KEYRING IS WHITE, & IS 2 TALK QUICKLY, OR 2 THOSE WHO CAN’T SIGN:
* I NEED TO LEAVE, * I’LL BE BACK, * OPEN & HOLD OPEN DOOR, * PUT LEFT FOOT ON FOOTREST, *I NEED A WARM BLANKET , *SUNGLASSES ON, *PULL MY KNEES A LITTLE BIT, *BACK OF SHIRT DOWN, * GET MARK, * I EMAILED YOU, I’M FROM AUSTIN, TX, IF I CRY/LAUGH, JUST IGNORE ME–IT IS PART OF MY STROKE, HI! MY NAME IS JENNY LYNN. I CAN’T TALK, BUT I CAN HEAR & NOD “YES” OR “NO”

IN ADDITION, I GOT A MAGNA DOODLE 4 X-MAS–IT WAS MY FAV. GIFT. I’VE BEEN WANTING A CHALKBOARD, BUT IMAGINE THE MESS, & IF I DROPPED THE CHALK! I HAVE BEEN “WRITING” ON MY LEG 4 MONTHS NOW.

A MAGNA DOODLE IS WAY BETTER, PURE GENIOUS! I HAVE USED IT 2 TALK 2 THOSE WHO CAN’T SIGN, 2 HELP THOSE LEARNING 2 SIGN (IF THEY ARE STUCK & KEEP GUESSING A LETTER WRONG, I CAN WRITE IT), & 2 QUICKLY & QUIETLY SAY THINGS (I’M QUIET, BUT THE OTHER PERSON SPEAKS MY WORDS, PLUS I CAN WRITE DURING MY OWN TIME, & L8R JUST SHOW SOME1 WHAT I WROTE, WHICH IS FASTER THAN READING MY ASL.

I AM NOT A GREAT WRITER, & I USED 2 HATE WRITING, DUE 2 MY DOUBLE VISION, BUT ODDLY, I SUDDENLY ALSO LIKE FEEDING MYSELF (& USED 2 HATE THAT 2, BECAUSE IT WAS HARDER 2 RAISE MY ARM, & I HAD POOR AIM, SO I MADE A BIGGER MESS, & COULDN’T WIPE MY FACE CLEAN)

I ALWAYS TRY NEW STUFF, WONDERING IF I CAN DO IT, & IF NOT, I FIND OUT WHAT I NEED 2 DO 2 GET THERE (LIKE “POPCORN THERAPY”–I USED 2 NEED MY ARM SUPPORT IN ORDER 2 EAT POPCORN AT THE MOVIES…I HAVE WORKED IN VARIOUS WAYS 2 REACH MY MOUTH W/O MY ARM SUPPORT. NOW I CAN REACH, BUT IT’S TRICKY, SO I DO “POPCORN THERAPY”: I NEVER MISS AN OPPORTUNITY 2 EAT POPCORN W/O MY ARM SUPPORT DURING A MOVIE. IT’S SLOW GOING, & BY MID-SHOW, I’M TIRED…I AM SLOW ENOUGH 4 A BOWL 2 TAKE 2 HRS., BUT I FIGURE THAT THE MOVIE DISTRACTS ME ENOUGH THAT CONTINUAL REPS HURT LESS. I TIRE OUT, BUT LAST LONGER IT SEEMS–THE MOVIE DISTRACTION WORKS WONDERS!)

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT, RIGHT?

A WHILE AGO, JESS WAS PRACTICING A SPEECH ABOUT WHALES 4 SCHOOL. SHE RAN ACROSS THE WORD “BALEEN”,, & WASN’T SURE IF SHE PRONOUNCED IT CORRECTLY. USUALLY, THE KIDS JUST SAY A WORD, & ASK IF THEY SAID IT RIGHT…IF I NOD “NO,” THEY TRY SAYING IT ANOTHER WAY, BUT THIS TIME, I SAID IT WELL ENOUGH 4 JESSIE 2 HEAR THE CORRECT VOWEL PRONUNCIATION! I WAS SO EXCITED!

OF COURSE, SHE HAD 2 CHECK W/MK L8R, EITHER BECUZ SHE 4GOT, OR WANTED 2 BE SURE SHE HEARD ME CORRECTLY!

THEN, 2DAY, ZACH ASKED A YES/NO QUESTION THROUGH R BEDROOM DOOR. I ANSWERED “NO.” ALTHOUGH IT WASN’T A GREAT “NO” (I DIDN’T SUSPECT HE’D UNDERSTAND), HE UNDERSTOOD! THAT FEELING OF BEING UNDERSTOOD NEVER GETS OLD!

SUN., THE KIDS WERE MAKING WISHLISTS…JESS ASKED 4 A GAMING CHAIR. ZACH REASONED 2 NOT GET HER 1, BECUZ SHE HAD A HAMOCK CHAIR IN HER ROOM. HE WENT ON, SAYING THAT EVERY1 IN THE FAMILY HAD A (“SPECIAL”) CHAIR, EXCEPT HIM–HE ADDED THAT “MOM HAS THE BEST CHAIR”! YA’ KNOW, IT’S HARD SOMETIMES 2 C SOMETHING THAT’S NESSECARY, IN THAT LIGHT, SO I’M GRATEFUL 4 MY CHILDREN’S REMINDERS! (MORE 2 ADD 2 MY “GRATITUDE LIST!”)

ALSO SUN., AS THE KIDS WERE MAKING WISHLISTS, FIA CAME UP 2 ME, & FLAT OUT SAID SHE WANTED A WHEELCHAIR. SHE’D BE THE HAPPIEST KID IF SHE COULD PLAY COMPUTER ALL DAY, BE FED, ORDER OTHERS 2 DO HER TASKS, CHOOSE WHEN 2 WALK, & SHE EVEN THINKS IT’D BE GREAT 2 JUST NOD YES/NO & SAY THINGS ONLY WHEN SHE WANTS 2! I’M GLAD MY LIFE IS SO APPEALING