Teresa Jade LeYung's BLOG

Posts Tagged ‘God’s Hotel: A Doctor’

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan loves reading, writing, and looking for themes in clients’ manuscripts.

What have I been reading?

“Traveling in Bardo” by Ann Tashi Slater (also the author of Travels Within and Without, a chapbook of  the author’s Tibet-related fiction and non-fiction, produced for “Dreams, Memories, Journeys: Stories of a Tibetan Family,” her multi-media presentation at The Rubin Museum in NYC on July 6, 2016). What is “bardo”? In Tibetan Buddhism – the journey between death and rebirth.

Slow Medicine: The Way to Healing by Dr. Victoria Sweet (also the author of God’s Hotel: A Doctor, a Hospital, and a Pilgrimage to the Heart of Medicine)

The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat: And Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks (also the author of Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain)

And, the book which I have multiple copies of (to lend to friends) is  The Brain’s Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity by Norman Doidge, M.D. (also the author of The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science)

Then there are delicious novels (including sociologist Margaret R. Davis’s The Miranda Affair ) – I shall blog about these novels in another post.

As Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan, I am helping author / sociologist Margaret R. Davis promote her new novel The Miranda Affair -  How does one find happiness as women and men struggle to climb the corporate ladder?

As Theme Consultant Teresa LeYung-Ryan, I am helping my client (who is a chaplain at a hospice) structure his memoir (theme: letting grief ease). Bravo!

My own work in progress is a memoir related to my “Talking to My Dead Mom” monologue series.

Cheering for all story-tellers, writers and readers!

Theme Consultant/Platform-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan who teaches my clients (writers and artists) how to reach out, not stress out, before and after publication –

* identify themes in your manuscripts so that you can rewrite with ease;

* identify themes in your intellectual properties and create scripts for your websites/blogs, pitches, query letters, press releases, talking-points, one-minute videos, photo slideshows, and the all-mighty blog posts.

Coach Teresa’s motto:  “Reach out, not stress out. Help your fans find you BEFORE & AFTER publication”

Dear Writers/Caregivers/Advocates for Loved Ones,

Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan here . . .  I see how helping a loved one/being an advocate is so much like writing a book.

My papa has been diagnosed with Parkinsonism by his neurologist. If Papa is telling his story, he would be the first-person narrator; if I’m telling the story about him, then I would be the third-person narrator.

A book (story) consists of one main character (also known as “hero” or “protagonist”) or multiple main characters and other characters (other archetypes), a subject matter that is discussed repeatedly (“theme”) and at least one plotline (“what happened?”). The merging of these elements helps the writer show the hero’s journey.

Helping a loved one/being an advocate consists of at least 2 protagonists (YOU and the loved one) and other archetypes (physicians, healthcare and social service providers, other family members and friends, neighbors, coworkers, vendors, . . . the stranger who gives up her/his seat on the train for you), themes (the cause for help and advocacy and the related issues), and plotlines (the interconnected events associated with all the characters).  Who will be the most transformed in the story?  The loved one?  You the caregiver/advocate? The person who is most transformed would be the main character/hero/protagonist.  Perhaps both people will go through great transformation.  Two protagonists!

I am writing – I keep a notebook for whenever I visit my papa or when I do something on his behalf- gosh, there are so many little “subplots” to keep track of! (Is this Papa’s third or last session with the physical therapist? Mary and I need to witness the exercises so that when the P.T. closes the case, we would be able to coach Papa. Did he say he wanted another heating pad? Oh my, there are at least 18 model to choose from.   Gotta review friends’ advice about what is a comfortable bed and also Consumer Reports. Then Papa has to “test drive” some beds. You just can’t shop for a mattress the way you shop for a pair of shoes.

MATTRESS SHOPPING TIPS (from Sealy’s website)

1. Plan to spend at least one hour in the store.
2. Wear loose clothing and easily removable shoes.
3. Test out mattresses in groups of three for easier comparison.
4. Lie on each mattress for 5 to 15 minutes to let it fully adapt to your body.
5. Don’t feel rushed. It’s ok to ask for privacy.

I would add:  Bring your own pillow so that your neck is supported while trying out mattresses; maybe bring an extra pillow case too.

And, I am reading the book The Brain’s Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity by Norman Doidge, M.D.  Chapter 2 is titled “A Man Walks Off His Parkinsonian Symptoms”  . . . how John Pepper has been able to reverse the major symptoms, the ones that Parkinson’s patients dread most, those that lead to immobility. He’s done so with an exercise program he devised and with a special kind of concentration . . .

All the “characters” in Dr. Doidge’s books (The Brain’s Way of Healing  and The Brain that Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science) and in Dr. Victoria Sweet‘s book (God’s Hotel: A Doctor, a Hospital, and a Pilgrimage to the Heart of Medicine) are guiding me on my journey as an advocate for my father.  And, I just know that my mom plays a huge role in helping me.

I thank everyone who has given me her/his time, energy, and prayers.

Here are links to websites I’ve relied on lately:

https://franceskakugawa.wordpress.com/category/caregiving/  Frances Kakugawa

http://www.writeradvice.com/ywmtdw.html  B. Lynn Goodwin

http://www.normandoidge.com/  Norman Doidge, M.D.

https://www.michaeljfox.org/  Michael J. Fox Foundation

Special thanks to Margie Yee Webb, Frances Kakugawa, Penny Manson, Debbie Ramos and her daughter Melanie who went out of their way to help me research specific items and to Mary, my sister Maria Leung, Linda Harris, Sue, Janet, and Elaine for being there in person.

Sincerely,

Writing Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan

Author & Fanbase-Building Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan says: “Reach out, not stress out. Enjoy your writer’s journey.”
http://WritingCoachTeresa.com

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http://lovemadeofheart.com/blog/

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