Lydi, watch for some emotional reactions from yourself too. It is a bit like giving a eulogy, you can get caught up in the emotions. So make your homily very matter-of-fact OR all about your reactions as emotions would be natural here.

When Ray had the stroke I found I identified a lot more with those whos lives had taken them down hard roads ( I still do) and so some of my thoughts about what was happening to us crept in. This would make me very emotional so I found I really had to script much more than I had previously to keep this under control. Some changes are good and this turned out to be an asset in the end. I hpope that you find the same.

Sue.

Lydia:

I am so happy you have such a supportive church family rooting for you. I am glad you are taking this head on. take your time while doing reading & I am sure you will do great. I am sure you being there will be so inspiring to everybody. My motto is unless you try it how will you know whether you can accomplish your new goal. I m sure first few times it might be hard, but as you do more easier it will get.

Asha

well, your post was completely succinct . I get no sense of the'new rambling oyou" as yo put it. Your entry was completely clear andif you write your homily likeyou did that post,I'm sure you'll do just great. I was aed to be akenote speakrer at my workplace because it's not so commonthat a young healthy stroke doctor winds up having an unexplained massive stoke.I was asked to discuss my experiences nd I knew that when I said yes that tere would be lots of tears and there were but when you speak from your heart the people will uderstand no mstter how much you cry or tutter. they'll be right there with you. The room was filled with nurses; a few that I used to work wth. they viited me when I was in the hospital, sent flowes ad cards and pryed for me in person, over the phone with me and in their churches.There was such an outpouring of love I would get emotional thinking about how grateful I was to them for just supporting me so much, enter mor tears. Well I rsined myself to not look at the nurses I know thinking if I did I would definitelyspew tears and sob like a baby. In the end, I stood for the hour and gave my talk which was full of chuckles and quite few tears. there were ome slides I couldn't even read because the content made me too emotional But you know what, it didn't even matter thaI was crying like a baby I wasn't embarsassed one bit,mostly because everybody was crying with me I got tons of hugs and handshakes from people I hadn't yet met and it was cathartic and healing for me. I didn't feel ready but Im so glad I did it, One of my messages for the nurses that take care of brain injured patients is that i's ok for them to give teir patients hope I told them how two of the nurses did that for me when I was in the hospital and I related how I thought we didn't always do the best job of giving our patients hope because we're so scared of giving false hope we stay extremely vague when it comes to their recovery. Its somethingIm goingto change about my practice when m seeing patients again and it meant a lot to me that they get that point. I was afraid it would be lost in all of my sobbing. But it wasnt I had teary eyed nurses whom I'd never before met come up to me and say,"I'm going to do better. I'm going to tell my patients there is hope after stroke and that they can recover.if they're willing to put in the work.The two nurses tat gave me my first glimmer of real hope were named Mercy and Faith )whenI met them after they introduced themselves I repeated their names and said "oh Mercy and Faith good cuz I need both" I'm sure if you find a message you want to relate to the congregation and you speak from your heart you will be fine. If the emotions come, let them come as long as you're being yourself and relating something of grat importance to you let the tears out.I've since been invited to speak at three other hospitals and 2 support groups in the area. Soma previously severlyaffected patient who is recovering and they left with a bit of a different sense of their patients potential outcome and that oes my heart good because Mercy and Faith helped me tons by not being afraid to be positive and I was grateful that more nirses will now be out there doing it for their patients agood came from all my tears and Im sure a lot of them will approach their patients with a sense of hope. They don't often get to see people after or during recovery. they see them at their worst ad their outlook becomes shifted to a negative view of stroke outcomes because that's all they see. I was there to represent the possibility of recovery for their patients. Find a message in your homily that means a lot to you and tears or no tears youll be great )

SO I SAY JUMP AWAY )

Lydia, I think that's wonderful. You will do great.

Their is a "try new adventure for stroke survivors"

going rounds the StrokeNet Site.

After your stroke you say you are a different person. Pick a new adventure for the new you and complish it. "Look out world here I come."remembertolaugh, Jeanniebean :cocktail:

Thank you, ladies, for all of your good wishes and support. I started writing my first draft last night. I will read it again today and work on it some more. Giving myself a week to writ it, hopefully, means I will find the right message and be able to deliver it in a way that I will ca comfortable. I'll let you all know how it goes after I've given it.

Thanks again for all of your support and encouragement!!