by: Beverly Gruenberg
I think my thoughts; I know they are real,
When I open my mouth, I make just a squeal.
People look at me as if I am dumb,
They don’t even know what I’ve had to overcome.
I fell and hit the right side of my head,
An inch closer and I would have been dead!
Thank God for watching over me,
I still have my sight and I’m able to see!
My speech is sometimes with a stutter,
Other times I can’t find the word so I utter.
If only they could crawl in my head,
Then they could see just what I dread.
Life isn’t as easy as it use to be,
Starting the day takes one hour times three.
Therapy has taught me to make a list,
So with everyday living, I can exist.
After a year, along with a smile, I can glow,
For each day I shower, it something I NOW know!
It’s part of my list, I no longer read,
To do it all, is my wish to exceed.
In our home, each cupboard has a label,
Take them off? Yes! But I must wait until I am able!
The labels are there, they help to remind,
The things for me that’s so hard to find.
I love my job, it is so carefree,
Not to be able to work is so hard on me.
It’s my dream to be able to return,
I have to wait and focus on what I must learn!
When people talk to me, I feel like it’s a “bombard”,
Who would have thought processing would be so hard?
In speech therapy, my words I do mix,
She tries really hard to help me fix.
We have found out visual is the way to go,
It helps me recall, although it is real slow!
We work on a word that gets stuck in my head,
We try and try until it finally does embed!
In occupational therapy, I must be able to say,
I can do this, in more than just one way!
She says I must think “out of the box”,
Be ready to go and ready to “outfox”.
I ask, “Just really what does that mean?”
She says, “A clear picture has to be seen.
There always is another way out,
Trusting your instincts is one, without a doubt!”
My eyes get teary as I try not to bawl,
I ask, “What if I have trouble when I try to recall?”
She says to stay calm and reach deep inside,
The information is there, it’s just found a good place to hide!
In physical therapy, the work is so hard,
She pushes with an attitude of “no-holds-barred”.
I know she knows what is best,
But sometimes I would--like to protest.
Lifting weights helps to regain,
All of my strength, even if it’s with pain.
Then on the “Stairmaster” I must climb,
Sometimes I feel like a criminal who’s doing time.
Then down the halls, a walk I must take,
The look I give her is “Please give me a BREAK”!
But in six months, she has made me so much stronger,
I’m not back to where I was; but she’s made it so I need her no longer!
At times I feel like my head is in a noose,
Thank God my therapists-- keep it loose!
So here is how my story sometimes goes,
I can spend all day talking about my woes.
I have aches and pains and trouble with my sight,
But with my PRISM glasses the future looks bright!
I’ve settled to let some words go unsaid,
I had to because they are still stuck in my head.
My thinking and reactions are awfully slow,
But that too, I must let go!
Learn to be happy with who I am, and what I’m not!
I need --not to dwell on what I lost or what I forgot!
To my therapists I must say a BIG “Thank you”!
Without you, I wouldn’t have known what to do!
Your encouraging words to help me want to fight,
Has made it so much easier for me not to lose sight.
Each time I write upside down,
You don’t laugh or even frown.
You just show me the right way,
You’re doing your best is all you say!
Sometimes I got teary-eyed or even cried,
I was so embarrassed, I wanted to hide.
Each of you just smiled at me,
And said you CAN do it, you will see!
For me when things did look really grim,
I have to say a special thank you to Kim.
That smile of hers, so big and bright,
Made me feel as if everything would be all-right!
Nancy laughed and joked a lot,
When I was with her, my troubles I forgot.
She worked me hard but with a gentle touch,
Her kindness to me meant so much!
Hiroko shows so much concern,
It made it easy for me to want to learn!
She has such special ways,
I can’t give her enough praise!
When it comes to Angela, I don’t know what to say,
She really does make my day!
She digs and digs until she does find,
All those words that are locked in my mind!
At the front desk, there is Sue,
Without her what would they do?
Her happiness is so infectious,
We can only hope that it will catch us!
There is one thing I forgot to mention,
I hate having all this attention.
One thing’s for sure, I really do know,
YOU SURE DO HELP EACH PERSON GROW!
06/17/03