“I NEED ALL THE HELP I CAN GET!”

When you think of a crazy person running around with their hair on fire….

Welcome to a day in the life of Haley.

For this reason alone I need multiple supports in place to accomplish all of my responsibilities and make each day a success.

Over the years I have had to do a lot of reflection and ownership of bad habits and or weaknesses.  I have to challenge myself each day and put supports in order to function at the level I expect of myself.

I need support focusing.  I try and create lists that allow me to focus on each task in order of importance

I need support in getting to places on time.  I have all clocks set 20 minutes in advance.

I need support when speaking in front of staff.  I always create an agenda

I need support remembering the large number of conversations with staff.  I write down highlights of all conversation each day in my personal planner.

I need support remembering where I am suppose to be and at what time.  I have an iphone calendar, a daily planner, and a daily to do list that keeps track of all my adventures.

These supports help function and meet the expectations of not only my family and co workers but also of myself.  This support function as a working tools that helps me combat my personally character challenges.  If these were not in place I would struggle and most likely become very discouraged.  It’s unlikely that I would give up if I did not have these supports in place but it is the supports that help define me as an individual.  It is with this supports I find the inner courage and strength to believe that anything is possible with hard work and dedication.

If I were to choose a challenge to walk a day and a life in it would be the challenges that a stroke survivor is faced with daily.  Being a survivor of a massive and potentially deadly stroke has left me unable to provide for my family, unable to drive, unable to speak my thoughts accurately, unable to physically engage in physical activity that I was once capable of, completely dependent upon medication to live day to day, and unable to fulfill my role a wife and mother in the capacity I was able prior to the stroke.  I need an alarm and a person who lays out my medications and sets a timer to alert me when it is time to take my medication.  I have a cane that helps assists me in walking and a disabled parking sign for the family vehicle so that I do not have to walk long distances. I have family members who attend speak therapy with me on a monthly basis to help me rebuild my communication as well as tools to help them better understand me.  I need the state to help me pay for my medical bills and ensure that my physician will continue my care since I can no longer work or get a job that will provide insurance for me.  I have a golf cart that was donated to me from the national stroke association for me to still have some short distance safe driving capabilities. I have a husband that is loving and supportive and has gladly stepped up to the plate of both mom and dad.  If I did not have these supports in place then my soul and will to live might as well have died with the part of my brain that was severely damaged from the stroke. It is these key support systems that allow me to sustain a life with dignity, respect, and self-worth.  I did not choose to get sick; I did nothing to cause a stroke.  I do chose to keep on living and this supports make it possible.