Linked to below is my Intro piece for my three new Post-Stroke Aphasia articles.
These articles took me a long time to write; I was often overtaken by mixed feelings.
But I finally did it and hopefully a few people will read and relate.
The Intro will offer you a few snippets of what to expect from the others.
Those other pieces will also be added here.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7973477/intro_to_my_three_new_poststroke_aphasia.html?cat=5
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NEW - Post-Stroke Aphasia Piece One (Challenging Words & Images)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7973591/poststroke_aphasia_piece_one.html?cat=5
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NEW - Post-Stroke Aphasia Piece Two (Love Replaced With Doubt & Debt)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7976323/poststroke_aphasia_piece_two.html?cat=70
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Piece #3 coming soon...
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P.S.
I understand that my stroke was difficult for my ex-husband to deal with too. He had lost his first wife to cancer; she had suddenly died young. He was very uncomfortable with hospitals and health issues and I can certainly understand that. I just wish he would have told me that he was truly sorry but he really couldn’t deal with this kind of situation again in his life. Yes, I would have been disappointed by that, but it would have been better than him acting like the whole situation was my own fault and repeatedly lashing out at me due to a lifestyle change that had happened beyond my control. It’s not like I had my stroke on purpose. I wish it wouldn’t have happened. I wish it wouldn’t have made his life harder. I wish I wouldn’t have lost parts of my brain - and then my home and my husband and my credit and more...
If something bad, unfortunate, or mistaken happens, he wants to move on – not dwell on it. I can understand that to an extent, but not when it is related to a brain loss injury. He seriously wanted me to forget about it after mere weeks, but how am I supposed to forget about or ignore something that still affects my brain?
Would most people just ignore a brain injury – or expect their spouse to?
I don’t think so.
Maybe I’m wrong.
Showing posts with label articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label articles. Show all posts
1/1/11
A Round Thing that Starts With the Wrong Letter
(A year that started with the wrong kind of bang has ended; what comes next?)
I few days ago, I had a little after-dinner issue that made me feel like crying. These feelings are nothing new throughout a year that began with me suffering from an unexpected Stroke, but I have been continually recovering and improving, to the point that I think most people who briefly interact with me might not even receive an inkling that anything has affected my brain powers at all. A big part of me really likes that, but it also has its challenging aspects.
Although my reading and writing skills continue to get better and better thank goodness, they are still significantly slower than they used to me. Although every month, I seem to remember details better, I still do not think I could work a regular job, because after I initially came across as pretty intelligent and productive, how could I explain my inability to memorize new things with quickness or efficiency?
And how the heck would I explain my ongoing trouble associated with handling easy little words? Food stuff is one example of those easy little words and my ongoing issue with food stuff words is what made me feel like crying the other night. Even my poetry used to be brimming with strange and specific food-oriented words, to the extent that a few people thought I had made up my last name, COOK, to fit into my own poetry-fest.
A few nights ago after dinner, my mom handed me a yummy piece of homemade gingerbread (I had to concentrate while typing this to get the word gingerbread) and she put something on it; some white stuff that I cannot remember the word of. I asked her what that white stuff was called and she told me, but I have already forgotten that word again. When she told me the word, I started to tell her what it reminded me of, which was another white thing atop another dessert thing and...
See what I mean? I couldn't think of the word of a dessert product that I have partaken of many times in my life. And I couldn't think of the word of the white stuff on top of that dessert product. Oftentimes, I can think of the first letter of a word even if I can’t think of the whole word. So I said something like "that round thing that starts with a g" and then I began to feel like some sort of an idiot, because here I was seated at the kitchen table with a group of people and the best descriptive phrase I could muster was “that round thing that starts with a g".
As it turned out, I didn't even get the first letter right this time. As I tried to describe the dessert product a little better, my mom finally asked if I was talking about Cinnamon Rolls and YES that is what I was talking about. And the main reason I had even brought up Cinnamon Rolls was due to an attempt to talk about the white product that sometimes appears on top of them, but it took me so long to make it to the word Cinnamon Roll, that after that, I felt overly stressed out and dumb and pretty much just gave up.
Here I was among a group of people and could not even manage to describe certain things as well as their little kids would have been able to describe it. I felt like they most likely would rather play with the kids, rather than spend half an hour trying to concentrate on a disabled adult attempting to figure out easy little words in order to say what I was trying to say, when what I was trying to say was simply a very small description of a white dessert product atop my mom's gingerbread that tasted like a different white dessert product atop some Cinnamon Rolls. I could hardly think of any of the words for a small description that should have lasted about one minute long.
Unfortunately, that is nothing new when I am trying to talk about food (or names or other brief descriptions), so sometimes I just don’t even try to talk about those things, especially in the midst of group settings as opposed to one on one. Sometimes I find myself worrying about not being able to think of some easy little word in a public setting (which has happened before) and then how the heck should I explain that? I don’t really feel like telling semi-random people who I barely know that I suffered from a Stroke almost a year ago.
It's so frustrating and upsetting to me sometimes, being someone who used to be able to describe things interestingly, uniquely, and EASILY and now I often can't. In addition to the little words, there's the fact that I can't write significant book reviews anymore; I can no longer specifically describe my own viewpoints on stuff like poetry, art, feminism, and much more (and since I would have to concentrate long and hard in order to think of more specific words, I just typed 'and much more').
Overall, I have been feeling less depressed, less negative, and more willing to interestingly shift my own verbiage around. But every once in a while, an exchange that ought to consist of a simple, easy, quick little conversation goes awfully wrong and really upsets me. Sometimes I worry that I am NEVER going to be able to communicate as well as I used to. Sometimes that makes me feel like crying.
***
(This is a short version of a small article I am currently working on. I hope to complete and publish a slightly longer version on my Associated Content site soon. If you are interested, stay tuned.)
I few days ago, I had a little after-dinner issue that made me feel like crying. These feelings are nothing new throughout a year that began with me suffering from an unexpected Stroke, but I have been continually recovering and improving, to the point that I think most people who briefly interact with me might not even receive an inkling that anything has affected my brain powers at all. A big part of me really likes that, but it also has its challenging aspects.
Although my reading and writing skills continue to get better and better thank goodness, they are still significantly slower than they used to me. Although every month, I seem to remember details better, I still do not think I could work a regular job, because after I initially came across as pretty intelligent and productive, how could I explain my inability to memorize new things with quickness or efficiency?
And how the heck would I explain my ongoing trouble associated with handling easy little words? Food stuff is one example of those easy little words and my ongoing issue with food stuff words is what made me feel like crying the other night. Even my poetry used to be brimming with strange and specific food-oriented words, to the extent that a few people thought I had made up my last name, COOK, to fit into my own poetry-fest.
A few nights ago after dinner, my mom handed me a yummy piece of homemade gingerbread (I had to concentrate while typing this to get the word gingerbread) and she put something on it; some white stuff that I cannot remember the word of. I asked her what that white stuff was called and she told me, but I have already forgotten that word again. When she told me the word, I started to tell her what it reminded me of, which was another white thing atop another dessert thing and...
See what I mean? I couldn't think of the word of a dessert product that I have partaken of many times in my life. And I couldn't think of the word of the white stuff on top of that dessert product. Oftentimes, I can think of the first letter of a word even if I can’t think of the whole word. So I said something like "that round thing that starts with a g" and then I began to feel like some sort of an idiot, because here I was seated at the kitchen table with a group of people and the best descriptive phrase I could muster was “that round thing that starts with a g".
As it turned out, I didn't even get the first letter right this time. As I tried to describe the dessert product a little better, my mom finally asked if I was talking about Cinnamon Rolls and YES that is what I was talking about. And the main reason I had even brought up Cinnamon Rolls was due to an attempt to talk about the white product that sometimes appears on top of them, but it took me so long to make it to the word Cinnamon Roll, that after that, I felt overly stressed out and dumb and pretty much just gave up.
Here I was among a group of people and could not even manage to describe certain things as well as their little kids would have been able to describe it. I felt like they most likely would rather play with the kids, rather than spend half an hour trying to concentrate on a disabled adult attempting to figure out easy little words in order to say what I was trying to say, when what I was trying to say was simply a very small description of a white dessert product atop my mom's gingerbread that tasted like a different white dessert product atop some Cinnamon Rolls. I could hardly think of any of the words for a small description that should have lasted about one minute long.
Unfortunately, that is nothing new when I am trying to talk about food (or names or other brief descriptions), so sometimes I just don’t even try to talk about those things, especially in the midst of group settings as opposed to one on one. Sometimes I find myself worrying about not being able to think of some easy little word in a public setting (which has happened before) and then how the heck should I explain that? I don’t really feel like telling semi-random people who I barely know that I suffered from a Stroke almost a year ago.
It's so frustrating and upsetting to me sometimes, being someone who used to be able to describe things interestingly, uniquely, and EASILY and now I often can't. In addition to the little words, there's the fact that I can't write significant book reviews anymore; I can no longer specifically describe my own viewpoints on stuff like poetry, art, feminism, and much more (and since I would have to concentrate long and hard in order to think of more specific words, I just typed 'and much more').
Overall, I have been feeling less depressed, less negative, and more willing to interestingly shift my own verbiage around. But every once in a while, an exchange that ought to consist of a simple, easy, quick little conversation goes awfully wrong and really upsets me. Sometimes I worry that I am NEVER going to be able to communicate as well as I used to. Sometimes that makes me feel like crying.
***
(This is a short version of a small article I am currently working on. I hope to complete and publish a slightly longer version on my Associated Content site soon. If you are interested, stay tuned.)
12/30/10
New Post-Stroke/Thirteen Myna Birds coming soon...
My Stroke happened almost a year ago now and here is the little article I wrote about it a few months thereafter. I am currently working on a new little article, to be posted soon. So read the old version and prepare for the new.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2807396/poststroke_survival_and_sad_little.html?cat=70
Also partake of the old Thirteen Myna Birds, because an all new version of that delectable offering shall be posted tomorrow, as a special dark New Year's Eve feast.
http://13myna.blogspot.com/
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2807396/poststroke_survival_and_sad_little.html?cat=70
Also partake of the old Thirteen Myna Birds, because an all new version of that delectable offering shall be posted tomorrow, as a special dark New Year's Eve feast.
http://13myna.blogspot.com/
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P.S. Socks made yummy Xmas delights for me, especially socks from Sock Dreams.
Here's a little peak (click on the link for more of my scrumptious socks photos).
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=265244&id=842512457&l=d6d2fec9cb
11/19/10
Angel Face Yum-Fest (& More)
Scrumptious poet Margaret Bashaar wrote a new little review of 'Angel Face Trailer', a small Blood Pudding Press poetry chapbook by me & Letizia Merello (as well as little reviews of two other poetry chapbooks, too). Partake -http://pluckedfromogygia.blogspot.com/2010/11/micro-reviews.html
And then you just might want to scroll down to the post below this one to check out an article about my poetry written by Letizia Merello AND another little review of another one of Juliet Cook's poetry chapbooks written by Margaret Bashaar AND more!
P.S. To kind out more about Angel Face Trailer, look at its hand-designed paper format at the Blood Pudding Press etsy shop, here - http://www.etsy.com/listing/53420815/angel-face-trailer-by-juliet-cook-and%20/
And/or check out its free online version here - http://www.scribd.com/doc/33331342/Angel-Face-Trailer
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ALSO, here is the Writer's Almanac (an etsy Treasury, including my FONDANT PIG ANGST) - http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4ce7190657cd8eef306b4a5c/writers-almanac
And then you just might want to scroll down to the post below this one to check out an article about my poetry written by Letizia Merello AND another little review of another one of Juliet Cook's poetry chapbooks written by Margaret Bashaar AND more!
P.S. To kind out more about Angel Face Trailer, look at its hand-designed paper format at the Blood Pudding Press etsy shop, here - http://www.etsy.com/listing/53420815/angel-face-trailer-by-juliet-cook-and%20/
And/or check out its free online version here - http://www.scribd.com/doc/33331342/Angel-Face-Trailer
***
ALSO, here is the Writer's Almanac (an etsy Treasury, including my FONDANT PIG ANGST) - http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4ce7190657cd8eef306b4a5c/writers-almanac
4/22/09
pig troughs & cake frosting
I've recently written new Associated Content articles regarding Father's Day, P.J. Harvey, Rasputina, Twin Peaks and David Lynch as creative catalysts, and the Surly Girl Saloon in Columbus, Ohio--with more coming soon. Check them out if so inclined.
Juliet Cook's Source Page - Associated Content
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/363475/juliet_cook.html
I'm also working on some rather squalid new poetry, which I may or may not post here. The latest piece involves pig troughs and cake frosting--in one way or another...
Juliet Cook's Source Page - Associated Content
Juliet Cook's Source Page - Associated Contenthttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/363475/juliet_cook.html
I'm also working on some rather squalid new poetry, which I may or may not post here. The latest piece involves pig troughs and cake frosting--in one way or another...
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