“I sometimes walk into walls.
I will never recognize who someone is.
Occasionally I still fall down
which only serves to remind me…
… that I am blessed.”
– Tara Fall, author, educator… and seizure, brain surgery, and stroke survivor
I was fishing for dreams to share and hope to build…. I think I did well gathering both for myself and others during my time away.
I was fortunate to have been invited to speak to a wide variety of people the beginning of this month. This invitation took me halfway across the United States. The day after I returned home I was so exhausted I laid down in my bed early and slept for ten hours. It took me a few days to get rid of the jet lag and resume my usual schedule. It was a lot of work, but it was such an honor to have been invited.
6 Consecutive days
3,712 Miles flown round-trip
14 Presentations
2 Cities
2 Colleges (Thank you University of Iowa and Loras College for your warm hospitality)
1 Education Center (Thank you Regina Education Center. By the way, I loved being there on pajama day!)
1 Nurse’s group mixed with some amazing volunteers (Thank you University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinic nurses and volunteers for the wonderful gift of caring and compassion you provide to your patients daily.)
COUNTLESS conversations with incredible people who were willing to share their time and join me in a journey to help others learn from the lessons our lives have taught.
It was a whirlwind trip, but I always find myself gaining more than I could ever hope to offer when I hear of the impact we are capable of having on one another.
On November 10th, I began speaking with a producer from the television show The Doctors about a possible segment to educate people about epilepsy, experiencing a stroke at a young age, and how acquiring prosopagnosia alters a life. I welcomed the opportunity to help raise awareness.
Often times I’ve been asked why I do this. People want to know what I am hoping for when I put my life so publicly on display. My answer to this question has not altered since the very first presentation I did over four years ago. My goal every time I speak is to touch one life. I want to help educate someone. Maybe I’ll let a survivor know they are not alone. I want people to understand we should not live a life defined by a disability… We can explore and expand our abilities. A lot of people experience conditions which those of us on the outside will never fully understand. If even just one person understands that with hope, perseverance, and support we can overcome obstacles then my life on display is worth it.
On November 11th, a wonderful man came to my house to tape the back story interview. On November 14th, I went to Los Angeles to speak with Dr. Jennifer Berman, Dr. Jim Sears, and Dr. Travis Stork in front of their studio audience. Tomorrow, December 10th, my segment will air. I am anxious to see how the taped pieces will be edited together. What some people don’t realize is that I don’t get to watch the final segment before it airs. I will see it when you do. If you would like to watch it with me, this link will take you to the website of The Doctors where you can find the show’s time and channel in your area. And, hopefully, I will touch a life with this interview.
FindingStrengthToStandAgain's Blog 
Written
on 07/19/2015