Last week, I shared how the prompts given in the Hay House Writers community helped me to begin my memoir journey. Another thing that helped me with content is the 100 moments exercise. In this exercise we were to come up with 100 moments we would like to share with our readers. As you can see, I didn't get to 100.
If I can read my handwriting properly, here's what I wrote:
going home with no instruction
Matt and Amy driving to RI from TN
playing charades to determine my needs -with Amy - who was great with it of course
using big papers to write thoughts
HIPPA. Marc telling my boss, Melissa, about my stroke
Marc being in another room when he had the conversation about ME
Melissa's response - very supportive; her mother's issues
Aunt Dottie never speaking after stroke
hearing the words aphasia and apraxia for the first time
saying my first word with Nancy
having Mac and cheese and cheese sandwiches
everything tasting like metal for about 6 months and after
meeting my first SLP at Miriam outpatient
my experiences at adult ed - their feet do the walking
on the last day of speech therapy with Dee telling my story to the SLP teacher
drinking more 1 year after the stroke to do what .....
Jeannine came in to help the second week - was supposed to be a fun week after the surgery
prepared. for surgery - to live left handed for awhile - how fortunate
going home without instructions for eating; choking a bit
going to see neurologist (vascular) Dr Saad - June 6 weeks after stroke
making the appt with Dr. Saad - needing answers
Kathy R making appointment for second neurologist Dr. Burton
Dr Burton telling the hard truths
When I finally saw the MRI and cried
"You have do have brain damage"
Mom telling Aunt Gail - how I expressed my disappointment on paper
mom was in hospice; came to see me after stroke; died 6 weeks later
saying good bye to Matt after first week
advocating to go to outpatient SLP as soon as possible
"My name is Mary"
saying goodbye to Nancy (1st SLP) ; giving book with note saying thank you for giving my voice back
using my voice to help others
meeting Dee (2nd SLP) - knowing immediately that she would help me
feeling self conscious (many times) but still talking
my inability to speak Spanish or even understand it
cooking and following recipes - strategies/revisions
getting into a routine
having to leave my job at the PHA - February 14, 2020
story telling with Dee
how difficult writing was at the beginning with Dee
running the first staff meeting with aphasia and apraxia
Veronica offering me job to do workshops
volunteering as a mentor RIBBA
helping staff to use the database
working and messing up
doing reports - feeling like a "poser"; fooling people or myself (when working PT)
the HUD requirements - making a mistake and not asking for help
when Peter sent a message about "if Cheryl is not here in August"
with Nancy - carrier phrases "I want" "I need"
getting the loop recorder inserted in chest to detect aFIB
with Dee using real life experiences
talking to Dee about feelings (work, relaxing, ruining retirement plans....)
getting mental health counseling at Dr. office
first time experiencing ACT - Acceptance and Commitment therapy
first two mental health counselors before - I worked with deaf people so I can help you and I had a TBI... talked mostly about HER experiences
Dr. office counseling ended; the need to find another person on my own
writing recipes over; read 3 x
Lucia's graduate school. Felt like I was moving up
finally telling my family before my mother's funeral; wanted company that didn't come
friends there - doing COVID on zoom
once leaving speech therapy crying just because asked a question about having friends to walk with
my project with Lucia (the story of hospital stay); connecting with Sarah
singing didn't work for me - too self conscious - now feel tone deaf
envying other people in BU aphasia groups
Dr. Provencal ACT and CBT; good timing for therapy; good match forme
meeting Dr. Saad - no answers. so frustrating; more interested in my helping his research
meeting Dr. Burton - hard realities; leaving work
Dr. Sizer (physiatrist) didn't know speciality existed in RI
All coming together at the end of 2020/ early 2021; things clicked emotionally and spiritually
crying everytime at church - can't receive eucharist, can't pray; can't sing
crying at happy things and sad things - I'm a mess
Christmas 2019 and Christmas 2020; what a year makes; miss Mom more
pressure at Mom's funeral
not being about to see Mom often; guilt; not being able to say I love you; worse part of aphasia
Janet the OT and driving test
Making an aphasia card that I still use
with aphasia - going to hospital world... help them with resources
Mother's Day 2019 not what I expected
meeting the first outpatient SLP - very young; advocating with limited speech to be transferred to more experienced slp
going to Church - should have been more comforting; instead it heightened deficits
how my handwriting has changed - not on lines and illegible at times
I would feel badly about everything
childhood memory about being called out for mispronouncing "light bulb"
learning what I used in my teaching to help me learn to recover better - using strengths to overcome challenges
taking the train by myself to VA after stroke
taking the plane by myself to TN after stroke
taking an uber a few weeks after stroke to hospital to see Mom
Is there anything that piques your interest? Please share in the comments or email me at usingmyvoice21@gmail.com
I will try to blog about the moments you find most interesting.
This is an interesting way to come up with content for your book. Thanks for sharing.
You have gone through so many challenges and this one sounds like the beginning of a great memoir journey.
Cheryl, #84 resonates with me because I remember using what I learned in physical therapy and from my neuropsychologist after I suffered a mild traumatic brain injury from a fall at work. Also using the strategies I had been teaching my students in speech therapy to recall words when I spoke. Life teaches us so many lessons!