ARTICLE & YOU TUBE

ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY BLOG, IS A LINK TO MY YOU-TUBE PAGE, WHICH HAS MANY OF THE VIDEO’S U’VE SEEN (LIKE “JENNY’S STORY, OR THE INTRO 2 ME, OR ME SAYING THE ALPHABET, OR MY OLD BYU ACAPELLA GROUP, THAT SHOWS ME SINGING…) HOWEVER, MY DAD WAS INTERVIEWED FOR AN INVESTING MAGAZINE, & THEY WROTE ABOUT ME TOO (THE STORY IS FROM THE DECEMBER 24, 2012 ISSUE OF FORTUNE. IN THE INVESTOR’S GUIDE–WHICH HAS A COVER WITH GOLD STACKS PICTURED), & AS IT WAS ASSEMBLED, IT REMINDED & MOTIVATED ME 2 ADD THESE VIDEOS:

JENNY LYNN (MOM) GIVES WHEELCHAIR WAGON RIDES TO ZACH (7), JESSIE (5), & SOPHIE (3):

ZACH LYNN,6 YEARS OLD, TRIES OUT MOM’S TILT TABLE–UPSIDE DOWN!:

SOPHIE LYNN WEARS A PACIFIER “TRACHE” TO THE PARTY CELEBRATING MOM’S TRACHE REMOVAL:

WHEN JENNY LYNN HAD ALL 3 TUBES (A TRACHE, CATHTER, & FEEDING TUBE) REMOVED, HER HUSBAND, MARK, THREW HER A TUBE PARTY, WHERE EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED HAD TO WEAR TUBES–SO JENNY WAS THE ONLY PERSON NOT WEARING TUBES.

THE ATTENDEES HAD ALL HAD A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN JENNY’S PROGRESS, SO MARK HAD MADE THE VIDEO (NAMED “JENNY’S STORY” ON YOUTUBE) TO SHOW AT THE PARTY.

MUSIC:
“Fatboy Slim” from Moulin Rouge:

RITALIN

I STARTED TAKING RITALIN. I LOVE IT! IT HELPS ME FOCUS, PROCESS & RESPOND FASTER, & I’M MORE SENSATIVE 2 THE SUBTLE SPIRITUAL PROMPTINGS! ONCE AGAIN, I HAVE SEEN HOW GOD HAS TURNED A BAD SITUATION GOOD, BECUZ THE DOCTOR WHO PERSCRIBED RITALIN, IS A REFERRAL FROM THE NEUROLOGIST THAT I MET, BECUZ OF MY FALL!

MY LAST POST, I STARTED WRITING THE NIGHT B4, BUT I WAS CONFUSED HOW 2 SAY THINGS…THE NEXT MORNING I TRIED RITALIN 4 THE 1ST TIME, & THEN WENT 2 WORK ON MY POST, WHICH WAS SO EASY 2 WRITE, & SEEMED 2 “FALL” INTO PLACE!

L8R THAT DAY, I SAW THE MOVIE, “LIFE OF PI” & LOVED IT, BUT I’M NOT SURE IF I LOVED IT, BECUZ IT REALLY WAS GOOD, OR BECUZ I WAS ABLE 2 PROCESS A MOVIE WELL 4 THE 1ST TIME IN 8 YEARS! LOL MY FAVORITE QUOTE FROM THE MOVIE WAS:
“Even when God seemed to have abandoned me, he was watching. Even when he seemed indifferent to my suffering, he was watching. And when I was beyond all hope of saving, he gave me rest. Then he gave me a sign to continue my journey.”
Life of Pi movie

I FOUND THE QUOTE ON A WEBSITE, WHERE IT EXPLAINED WHY I LIKED THE QUOTE: One of the greatest gifts my life journey has helped me with was the deeper relationship I have now with God. And hearing the above quote in the movie Life of Pi touched my soul because I have experienced it time and time again. And I feel so grateful that yet another cinematic experience can communicate something so personal to me AND that I can now recommend to others going through difficult times.
(http://motivatorman.blogspot.com/2012/11/tip608-god-in-cinema-life-of-pi.html )

LAST WEEK

CHRISTMAS HAS FINALLY BEGUN! I HAVE HEARD TONS OF CHRISTMAS STUFF ALREADY, BUT CHRISTMAS NEVER “STARTS”’ UNTIL I LISTEN 2 MICHAEL McCLEAN’S FORGOTTEN CAROLS, & I TURNED THEM ON AS I WRITE THIS POST:

I HAVE BEEN REMINDED HOW GOD CARES ABOUT & PROTECTS ME…I JUST HAVE 2 LISTEN! IN THE BOOK CALLED Hearing The Voice of the Lord, Elder Boyd K. Packer (of the LDS church) said: “The Spirit does not get our attention by shouting or shaking us with a heavy hand. Rather it whispers. It caresses so gently that if we are preoccupied we may not feel it at all. . . . Occasionally it will press just firmly enough for us to pay heed..”

LONG STORY SHORT, I HAVE HAD COMPUTER TROUBLES THIS LAST WEEK, & HAVE HAD 2 RESTORE A LOT. AS I HAVE DONE THINGS, I KEEP GETTING THESE THOUGHTS (WHICH ARE MORE LIKE REMINDERS) OF THINGS I WAS PROMPTED 2 DO DURING THE PREVIOUS WEEKS. THESE THINGS HAVE ASSISTED ME IN MY RESTORATION PROCESS.

4 EX., I HAVE BEEN DABBLING FOR YEARS IN WRITING A BOOK. THEN, I JUST STOPPED, NOT SURE OF THE DIRECTION 2 TAKE IT…UNTIL RECENTLY, WHEN I’VE HAD SOME IDEAS THROWN MY WAY, THAT RESULTED IN SOME PRETTY BIG CHANGES, GIVING ME THE DIRECTION I NEEDED, SO I COULD RETURN TO WORKING ON IT! I WOULD’VE BEEN SICK IF I HAD LOST THAT WHEN I HAD MY COMPUTER TROUBLES THIS WEEK! BUT A WHILE AGO, FOR NO REASON AT ALL, I PUT A COPY OF IT ON MY LAPTOP. SO, WHEN MY COMPUTER HAD TROUBLE, I WAS REMINDED OF THAT COPY, & THAT I WAS FINE!

THIS IS JUST 1 EX. OF MANY. BUT SOME THINGS WERE NOT RESTORED, & I CAN SEE HOW EVEN THOSE ARE A BLESSING!

HERE’S AN EX. OF 1 OF THOSE: I KEEP A SORT OF “TO DO” LIST FOR MY CAREGIVER/“HELPER”/PERSONAL ASSISSTANT. ACTUALLY, I HAVE 2 LISTS. THEY SEE 1 LIST—THE LIST OF CURRENT JOBS & THERAPY I WANT 2 DO THAT WEEK.
THE JOBS ON THE 2ND LIST, THEY NEVER SEE UNTIL THE JOBS GET DONE ON THE 1ST LIST. I ADD JOB TO THE 2ND LIST ALL THE TIME, BUT OFTEN IT IS THINGS I’D LIKE 2 DO AT THE MOMENT, BUT OTHER JOBS “TRUMP” IT—IN FACT, I HAVE HAD SOME JOBS STAY ON THE 2ND LIST FOR YEARS. (I USED 2 BE BOTHERED BY IT, BUT NOW I AM OK W/IT—IT’S JUST HOW IT IS). ANYWAY, RIGHT B4 MY OLD CAREGIVER/“HELPER”/PERSONAL ASSISSTANT, CARA, LEFT, I WAS GETTING SO BAD AT DOING THE NEEDED THERAPY, BECUZ I PUT MORE STOCK INTO FINISHING MY LISTS THAN DOING MY THERAPY.

WHEN I GOT MY NEW CAREGIVER/“HELPER”/PERSONAL ASSISSTANT, ANGIE, I SEEMED 2 GET A NEW DESIRE 2 DO MORE THERAPY, BUT AS THE 2ND LIST HAS GROWN, I HAVE STARTED DOING LESS THERAPY. HOWEVER, THIS WEEK, I HAVE BEEN TRYING 2 FIGURE OUT HOW 2 PUT MORE THERAPY BACK INTO MY SCHEDULE. WHEN I LOST A MORE RECENT COPY OF THE 2ND LIST, AT 1ST, I WAS FRUSTRATED, BECUZ THERE WAS NO REASON THE RECENT LIST COULDN’T BE RESTORED…IT SHOULD’VE BEEN BACKED-UP! BUT, NOT HAVING IT HAS TURNED MY FOCUS BACK 2 THERAPY…& SUDDENLY I SAW A DOOR OPEN! THIS IS WHERE I THINK THE LORD WANTS ME 2 FOCUS RT. NOW, BECUZ I’VE HAD SO MANY SMALL MIRACLES IN MY LIFE SINCE MY FALL (THIS SUMMER), LEADING ME 2 SITUATIONS & DOCTORS THAT HAVE INVITED MORE PHYSICAL THERAPY INTO MY LIFE! SO LOSING IT APPEARS UNFORTUNATE, BUT IS ACTUALLY A SMALL BLESSING! HOW DOES GOD DO THAT: HE KEEPS MANAGING 2 TURN THE BAD INTO GOOD! I HAVE WITNESSED THIS SO MUCH RECENTLY, I CAN’T RECORD IT EVERYTIME! BUT 2 DO IT W/SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS MY LIST, REMINDS ME HOW GOD KNOWS & CARES ABOUT ME PERSONALLY.

Do you find you sleep longer than before your stroke?

NO. IF ANYTHING, I SLEEP LESS.

B4 THE STROKE, I SLEPT 6-7 HOURS, & NOW I AM LIKE AN ALARM CLOCK, & WIDE AWAKE AFTER 6 HRS. OR UNTIL THE SUN STARTS RISING…& I DON’T NAP. MY HUSBAND COMPLAINS, BECUZ THE DOCTORS PROMISED THAT I’D SLEEP MORE NOW, SO I GUESS MOST STROKE SURVIVORS DO! IF I MOVED MORE, I THINK I WOULD, BECUZ GOING OUT & ABOUT WIPES ME OUT! I’VE NEVER RUN A MARATHON, BUT THERE ARE SIMPLE TASKS THAT MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I RAN AT LEAST A FEW MILES! JUST SITTING UPRIGHT IN MY CHAIR WAS TAXING, UNTIL I GOT STRONGER, & STAYING UPRIGHT IN A MOVING VEHICLE STILL CAN BE HARD! IN FACT, I STARTED DOING MUSIC THERAPY AT HOME (LUCKILY, I HAVE A MUSIC ROOM AT HOME), BECUZ IT WIPED ME OUT JUST DRIVING THERE!

& NOW IT’S GETTING WORSE, BECUZ MY LEGS HAVE STARTED SHAKING (MAYBE IT’S LIKE RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME? WHATEVER IT IS, IT’S ANNOYING) I’M TRYING THE DRUG BACLOPHEN 2 HELP W/SLEEP ISSUES (TO RELAX MY LEG, & IT HAS A SIDE EFFECT OF BEING TIRED), BUT A FULL PILL IS MAKING ME A ZOMBIE IN THE DAY, & 1/2 A PILL ISN’T HELPING EITHER–I’M LIKE “1/2 A ZOMBIE,” WHO CAN AT LEAST TYPE, BUT I DON’T HAVE THE ENERGY TO EVEN TALK, AND MY LEGS STILL SHAKE AFTER ABOUT 6 HOURS!

THE MOST DRASTIC CHANGE HAS BEEN THAT I WAS A NIGHT OWL, & NOW AM IN BED EARLY, BUT NOT BECUZ I’VE CHANGED–THAT’S JUST WHEN MY HELP GOES 2 BED! LOL JUST AS I GO TO BED EARLY & WAKE & LAY THERE SO MY HUSBAND CAN REST (I CAN LISTEN 2 AUDIO BOOKS ON MY IPOD, LAYING THERE, BUT USUALLY I JUST PRAY, THINK/PONDER, & STARE AT THE CEILING 4 HRS.), MY HUSBAND STAYS UP AS LATE AS HE CAN 4 ME. IF U FACTOR IN MY SHAKING LEG & THAT I BARELY SLEEP, MY HUSBAND IS A SAINT 4 MAKING IT POSSIBLE 4 US 2 SHARE A BED!

What changes have resulted from the stroke?

THERE’S THE MORE OBVIOUS PHYSICAL THINGS:
1. UNABLE 2 WALK
2. UNABLE 2 SPEAK
3. PBA (NO CONTROL OF MY EMOTIONS)
4. MY LEFT SIDE IS “PARALYZED” (IT DOESN’T MOVE, BUT IT STILL FEELS—LOTS OF “FUN!”)
5. DOUBLE VISION
6. I MOVE & SIGN SLOW, & IF I FEEL FAST, I’M STILL SLOW! IF I GO FAST, MY EYES CAN’T FOCUS, & IF I TRY 2 FOCUS, I CAN GET MOTION SICKNESS.
7. I HAVE A MUCH SLOWER REACTION TIME. IN ORDER 2 GET ME READY 4 DRIVING MY POWER CHAIR, I PLAYED ARCADE GAMES, ESP. PAC-MAN. I REACTED SO SLOW WHEN THE GHOSTS CAME AFTER ME! IT WAS SO HARD!

HOWEVER, NOW I CAN BASICALLY
1. MOVE MY HEAD & RIGHT ARM
2. TYPE/HANDWRITE
3. STAND/WALK IF I’M HELD RIGHT, W/MY HUSBAND’S SUPPORT
4. KNEE BENDS ON MY TILT TABLE
5. PLAY PIANO & DO OTHER FINE MOTOR STUFF
6. I’M LEARNING 2 TALK
THIS LIST COULD GO ON…LOL

THEN, THERE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE LESS OBVIOUS, THOUGH:
1. I HAVE HAD A ROLLER COASTER OF EMOTIONS
2. I HAVE A SHORTER ATTENTION SPAN. SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE HAVE ADD (ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER). IF I LISTEN 2 AN AUDIO BOOK ALONE OR WATCH A MOVIE ALONE, IT TAKES HOURS, BECUZ I REWIND SO MUCH 2 SEE WHAT I MISSED! SO MANY TIMES, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT A SHOW IS ABOUT, BECUZ I TRY 2 WATCH IT STRAIGHT THROUGH, LIKE A “NORMAL PERSON.”
3. MY HEARING IS WORSE IN SOME WAYS. KNOW HOW IN A CROWDED RESTURANT, U CAN SOMEHOW HEAR YOUR FRIEND’S VOICE THE BEST? I CAN’T. ALL THAT BACKGROUND NOISE (EVEN THE MUSIC PLAYING & THE AIR CONDITIONER), ARE AS LOUD AS MY FRIEND! SO, USUALLY, I CAN’T HEAR MUCH.
4. LOSING CONTROL OF MY ENVIROMENT HAS GREATLY INCREASED MY ANXIETY. I AM SO BLESSED THAT MY HUSBAND IS A THERAPIST! (SOMETIMES IT IS A CHALLENGE BEING MARRIED 2 A THERAPIST, BUT OVERALL, THAT HAS COME IN HANDY SEVERAL TIMES FOR ME, AS WELL AS 4 MY CHILDREN, & I CONSIDER IT A HUGE BLESSING!)
5. I CAN’T ALWAYS THINK FAST & PROCESS COMMENTS SLOW SOMETIMES.
6. MATH IS HARDER. LUCKILY, I WAS REALLY GOOD AT MATH, SO I’M STILL GOOD, JUST SLOW, ONCE I “BRUSH UP” ON CONCEPTS. STRATEGY GAMES ARE IMPORTANT TO KEEP MY MIND SHARP
7. I HAVE A BIG TEMPER NOW, THAT CAN FLARE UP AT THE DROP OF A HAT
8. I’VE NEVER HAD A GREAT MEMORY, SO I DON’T KNOW IF THIS IS STROKE-RELATED, OR IF I’M JUST GETTING OLD, BUT MANY OF MY MEMORIES SEEMED “LOCKED IN A VAULT,” BECUZ THEY ARE THERE, & COME OUT OF THE VAULT, IF THEY ARE MENTIONED.

BUT PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT MY FAITH & TESTIMONY HAVE BEEN TRIED, & INCREASED. THAT HAS BEEN A BLESSING, & I’M FORTUNATE 2 HAVE A FAMILY WHO CAN HELP ME WEATHER THE STORM.