JULY 2009

I PROMISED 2 WRITE MORE ABOUT JULY:

AFTER R TRIP, I HAD AROUND 300 EMAILS (I’M DOWN TO 175-180), & DIDN’T WANT 2 RETURN 2 THE STRESS I FELT B4 THE TRIP, BUT IT’S INEVITABLE! I FEEL IT CREEPING IN! I JUST KEEP REMINDING MYSELF THAT 5 YRS. AGO, I DIDN’T DO ANY OF THIS STUFF…I JUST LAID IN A HOSPITAL BED…& THE WORLD KEPT TURNING!

WHILE I HAD INTERNET CONNECTION AT THE YACKTMAN FAMILY REUNION, MY DOUBLE VISION WAS AWFUL, SINCE I HADN’T DONE COMPUTER STUFF DAILY (IT STRENGTHENS MY EYE MUSCLES). SO I DIDN’T POST, BUT I THINK I HAD THE COOLEST ROOM THERE: THERE WAS A BATHTUB THAT “RAINED” WATER, A TV IN MY BATHROOM MIRROR, & I HAD LIKE 9 SHOWER HEADS (WELL 1 HAD 4 SHOWER HEADS, SO GUESS THERE WAS 12 SHOWER HEADS—IT WAS DUBBED THE “WATER PARK SHOWER,” & I THINK 4 THE 1ST TIME SINCE MY STROKE 5 YRS. AGO, MY SIDES GOT DRENCHED! LOL)! THERE WAS EVEN A “GET LUCKY” BUTTON THAT DIMMED LIGHTS, & LIT THE FIREPLACE! LOL

THERE WAS SOME ROUGH DAYS (SOMEWHAT DUE 2 LACK OF SLEEP, WHICH MAKES MY PBA REALLY BAD), BUT THE BEST PART WAS THAT ALL MY STRESSES WERE GONE (B4 I LEFT, SOME WERE PRETTY BAD), & IN A WAY, I WAS ABLE 2 4GET THE STROKE SIDE & JUST ENJOY OTHERS. WELL, 2 A DEGREE…I STILL HAD THE TRIALS OF MY STROKE (I STILL SAT IN A W/C, COULD BARELY MOVE, COULLDN’T TALK, & HAD REGRESSED 2 COMPLETE HELPLESSNESS–I WAS PRETTY RELIANT ON OTHERS, IN ORDER 2 DO ANYTHING–& AFTER A WHILE, I GOT SICK OF THE SLOW PROCESS 2 ASK 4 SOMETHING, & WAS GRATEFUL 4 ANY OFFERS THAT WERE SUGGESTED!), BUT WAS ABLE 2 FEEL RELEASE OF THE BURDEN FROM THE LAST 5 YRS.

I WAS ALSO FORTUNATE THIS YEAR 2 HAVE 2 PREGNANT SISTER-IN-LAWS & A SISTER W/A NEWBORN, SO RATHER THAN GO SOMEWHERE & SIT ALONE, I COULD INTERACT MORE. &, OF COURSE, IT HELPED THAT MOST COULD, OR TRIED, 2 SIGN.

AT OUR FAMILY REUNION, WE HAD A DAY 2 “CELEBRATE” EACH YACKTMAN KID. I MADE THIS GAME 2 PLAY–I DOUBLED THE CARDS, SO I COULD DOUBLE THE PLAYERS.
(IT WAS SO EASILY DONE, W/PRE-MADE TEMPLATES):
http://www.heritagemakers.com/projectBrowserStandAlone.cfm?projectId=955959&productId=63&projectSponsor=457785

ALSO AT THE REUNION, MY SISTER GOT ENGAGED, WE ATTENDED AN LDS TEMPLE OPEN HOUSE, & THERE WAS A LARGE VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES.

I’M GLAD 2 BE HOME, THOUGH–NOT ONLY AM I A “HOMEBODY,” BUT I ENJOY MY SOLITUDE & WHAT INDEPENDENCE I HAVE. I’M NOT A GREAT TRAVELLER, ESP. SINCE TRAVELLING MAKES ME SO DARN DEPENDENT (HERE, I CAN OPEN DOORS W/A REMOTE, ACCESS MY COMP. OR A TV W/O HELP, ACCESS & OPEN WRAPPERS 4 SOME TREATS, ETC.)

JULY 12, ZACH GOT THE PRIESTHOOD. (U CAN READ UP ON WWW.MORMON.ORG) THE LDS PRIESTHOOD HOLDS SUCH A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART, SO IT WAS NEAT! I CAN’T BELIEVE HE IS 12! I SURELY DON’T FEEL AS OLD AS I RECALL THINKING MY PARENTS WERE, WHEN I TURNED 12 YEARS! LOL

I WILL TRY 2 KEEP MORE UP-2-DATE W/MY BLOG, SINCE IT TENDS 2 ANSWER A BULK OF MY EMAILS! SOMEDAY I’LL GET 2 U, IF I HAVEN’T YET!

august already?

SORRY I’VE BEEN M.I.A. I LAST POSTED, BECAUSE I MISTAKENLY THOUGHT I WAS ALMOST DONE TRANSFERRING COMP, BUT THEN THERE WAS COMPLICATIONS , ETC. I HAD THAT KEEPING ME BUSY, THEN WAS GONE 2 WEEKS! SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED, & I’LL SHARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS L8R, A GREAT THING THOUGH: WOULD U BELIEVE THAT AFTER 5 YEARS, I JUST BLEW OUT CANDLES ON MY BIRTHDAY CAKE?!? (THERE WAS 2.) IT WASN’T EASY & TOOK A WHILE & THE CANDLES WERE CLOSE (& IT WAS A GOOD THING JUST MY KIDS & MK WERE THERE), BUT IT HAPPENED! SO HAPPY! HAD THE GOAL 2 DO THAT SINCE LIKE LAST FALL!

happy summer!

SORRY I TOOK SO LONG…BEEN RATHER BUSY HERE, TRANSFERING COMP. (AS U KNOW, I LOST DATA BUT I’VE BEEN RESTORING WHAT I HAVE ON MY NEW COMP.—I’M FINALLY ABOUT DONE!–, & FIGURING OUT MY NEW COMP. IS TOUGH–IT’S WEIRD & IS CAUSING SO MUCH TROUBLE…), & MAKING STUFF 4 THE YACKTMAN FAMILY REUNION IN PARK CITY, UT IN JULY. (I QUITE ENJOY IT, BUT IT’S BEEN QUITE DEMANDING & TIME-CONSUMING…BTW, I’LL DRIVE TO UTAH, & CAN’T GAURANTEE AN INTERNET CONNECTION, SO I MAY BE GONE MOST OF JULY ALSO.)

PLUS, JESS & FIA JUST FINISHED A MUSICAL THEATER CAMP, WHERE FIA WAS TO-TO, & JESS WAS THE LION IN “WIZARD OF OZ”. THEY HAD 7 DAYS 2 PUT IT TOGETHER. JESS & FIA WERE DARLING. JESS SANG A SOLO & WAS FUNNY (SHE WAS GIVEN THE BIGGEST PART SHE AUDITIONED 4, & ALL THE SLAPSTICK). IT WAS ALSO A PBA MIRACLE 2 NOT HYSTICALLY CRY, & MY DOUBLE VISION HAS SLIGHTLY IMPROVED, SO I COULD C IT OK, SITTING IN THE FRONT ROW (JESS RESERVED SEATS 4 US.)

IN ADDITION, JESS JUST FINISHED ALL-STAR BASEBALL, WHICH HAD TONS OF TOURNAMENTS & PRACTICES (THOUGH I DIDN’T ATTEND A LARGE PORTION OF IT, SINCE IT WAS PHYSICALLY DRAINING, BUT SHE’S SURELY A TALENTEED GIRL!) I’VE BEEN SO, SO BUSY.

UNFORTUNATELY, WHILE I CAN DO IT, USING MY COMP. WHILE CARBONITE WAS RESTORING FILES, WAS CAUSING MY COMP. 2 RESTORE SLOWLY–I NEEDED 2 BE OFF, 4 IT 2 BE FASTER. SO, I HAVE BEEN SPENDING MORE TIME W/MY FAM. & LISTENING 2 AUDIO BOOKS—I’VE FINISHED 3 BOOKS! I RATHER LIKE IT!

SOMEDAYS, LATELY, I’M QUITE A TALKER (4 ME). I THINK SHORT SENTENCES OR PHRASES, & THEY JUST “POP” OUT. OTHERTIMES, IT’S JUST NOT A “TALKING DAY,” BUT IF IT IS, SOMETIMES U CAN EVEN UNDERSTAND ME 2 (KNOWING THE CONTEXT HELPS…) FIA GETS A HUGE KICK FROM HEARING ME SAY THINGS LIKE, “FIA, SHARE!” & “HURRY UP!” & “GET OFF YOUR BUTT!” ZACH JUST SEES THE HUMOR THAT I SAY THINGS 2 DISCIPLINE, BUT NEED 2 SIGN THINGS LIKE “GOOD JOB!”

UPDATE

REMEMBER MY EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE RECENTLY CRASHED? NOTHING COULD BE RECOVERED…MUCH OF WHAT I LOST WAS HOURS DEVOTED 2 ORGANIZING, FREEBIES 4 SCRAPBOOKING, & THINGS I SCANNED (PICTURES & SCRAPBOOK SUPPLIES). BUT THANKFULLY, I HAVE THE MAJORITY OF WHAT I FEEL IS IMPORTANT: PICTURES & SCRAPBOOK PGS. THAT I’VE MADE, THANKS 2 MY “HEAVENLY BACK-UP”! I SHOULD HAVE HAD MOST EVERYTHING…IF MY COMP. HAD COOPERATED & COPIED COMPLETELY WHEN I’D TRIED 2 COPY, DUE 2 A NAGGING FEELING 2 COPY, JUST 2 DAYS B4 IT CRASHED!

BUT 1ST, I WANT 2 SWITCH COMPUTERS B4 I ADD MUCH MORE, OR RE-DO STUFF, BECAUSE THIS COMP. IS WAY 2 FULL & SLOW & IS DYING! SO, I MAY BE “OUT OF COMMISSION” 4 A BIT, & CRAZY BUSY…UNFORTUNATELY, NO1 CAN DO MUCH 2 HELP…I NEED 2 JUST HAVE LOTS OF TIME, ONCE I SWITCH.

BUT LET ME SHARE AN EXCITING UPDATE B4 LEAVING A BIT!:

BACK AROUND JULY, I STARTED PLAYING THE RECORDER IN MUSIC THERAPY. I HAD A GOAL 2 BLOW OUT A CANDLE BY MY B-DAY. I’D TOLD ONLY MY THERAPIST AT 1ST, SO IF I FAILED, IT WAS OK. I HAD 4GOTTEN THAT I LATER SHARED MY GOAL W/MK, SO I FELT ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT WAS STILL “SAFE” IF I FAILED.

I’VE BEEN SAYING MORE (I ACTUUALLY SAID “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” 2 JESS IN FEB.—IT JUST “POPPED OUT” & SURPRISED EVEN ME, SO IT WAS CLEARER THAN WHEN I TRIED 2 SAY IT 2 FIA IN MARCH) & SINGING BETTER IN THERAPY, BOTH OF WHICH HAD 2 BE COORELATED 2 BREATHING BETTER. IN ADDITION, A FEW DAYS AGO, I WAS PRACTICING RECORDER, & SOUNDED STRONGER THAN NORMAL (THOUGH IT GETS WORSE IF OTHERS R THERE), SO I CHECKED, & I COULD FEEL MY BREATH! I DECIDED IT WAS TIME 2 TRY A CANDLE!

SUN., WE HAD CAKE W/FAM. I WAITED 4 MOST THE FAM. 2 CLEAR OUT (AS I KNEW MY ABILITY 2 PUCKER WORSENS W/MORE PEOPLE AROUND), & SINCE CANDLES WERE THERE, I TRIED. AFTER 15-30 MIN., & MUCH FLICKERING OF THE FLAME, W/IT HELD CLOSE, I DID IT! THE HARDEST PART IS CONTROLLING MY PBA—I WANT 2 LAUGH & SMILE—WHICH MAKES IT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE 2 PUCKER & CHANNEL MY BREATH!

VOCALIZATION

SAT., I PLAYED BINGO, W/MY 7-YR. OLD, & SAID “YES” OR “NO” IF I HAD IT.

NOT LONG AGO, JESS WENT INTO R PANTRY, LOOKING 4 SUPPLIES 2 FEED ME. JESS SAID, “OH, SYRUP!” & W/O HESITATION, I SLURRED OUT, “WHERE R U?”

IF I DON’T TRY, I THINK IT, & IT JUST POPS OUT, W/A SLURRED VERSION, & MISSING MANY CONSONANTS (LIKE “W”), YET CLEAR. MY WORDS ARE UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT NOT GREAT. CONTEXT CLUES DEFINITELY HELP!

WHENEVER I DO THAT, I’M TOLD 2 REPEAT IT-THE KIDS COMMENT HOW THEY MISS MY VOICE, & LIKE 2 HEAR IT -THEY ABSOLUTELY LOVE 2 HEAR WORDS, THOUGH ABSOLUTELY HATE MY ATTEMPT 2 MAKE ANY NOISE (MY “GRUNTING NOISE” 2 GET ATTENTION: “AAAAAH!”). DOING THAT (“AAAAAH!”), I ANNOY. UNFORTUNATELY, NEW ATTEMPTS AT WORDS CAN SOUND ANNOYING…SO I’M “SHY” & HAVE “STAGE FRIGHT”. PLUS, I HATE IT ALL-IT SOUNDS NOTHING LIKE ME, BUT THERE’S ALSO A SENSE OF SATISFACTION BY SAYING THINGS, EVEN IF IT’S JUST ALERTING OTHERS THAT I WANT 2 SIGN SOMETHING! I ALL 2 CLEARLY RECALL NOT BEING ABLE 2 DO THAT, & FEELING TERRIBLY JEALOUS OF THOSE WHO WERE HEARING IMPAIRED, & COULD DO IT!

ANYWAY, I TRY 2 REPEAT IT, & IT’S 10x HARDER, & LESS CLEAR. LESS COSONANTS COME OUT, I THINK. BUT, IF IT CAN “POP OUT,” IT’S THERE SOMEWHERE!