Talking Out of Both Sides of My Mouth A Stroke Memoir

Talking Out of Both Sides of My Mouth is the memoir of Deborah C. Parsons. Ms. Parsons worked as a Cognitive Rehabilitation Therapist at Genesis Rehabilitation hospital in Jacksonville Florida. At the age of 41 she was a well-respected, strong professional with excellent skills as a therapist, then she experienced a major right hemisphere stroke. The stroke rendered her incapable of walking or being independent. She required rehabilitation therapy to regain her lost skills. To get rehabilitation therapy, she was admitted to Genesis and received therapy from her former colleagues. After six months of rehabilitation she was again able to walk and regained some independence. She was allowed to return to her former position, but the stroke had left her unable to perform her duties as she had in the past and she was no longer employable. After some time at home and learning to cope with unemployment she was able to adjust to her disabilities and was doing well until the event of a grand mal seizure took her by surprise. This became a new challenge for her and her significant other, Jerry Martin.
She and her significant other, Jerry Martin decided to marry and she tells the story of this event which was briefly marred by a grand mal seizure. After returning home, eventually settling into life as a stay at home housewife she finds that her disabilities are a continuous source of difficulty in day- to- day living.
Eventually, she and her husband find their way into retirement in Ocala, Florida. After many years of learning to cope with her disabilities she is finally able to return to her memoir and bring it up to date.
Talking Out of Both Sides of My Mouth is an honest and informative look at the stroke and rehabilitation experience.

Deborah C. Parsons was born in North Carolina, but raised in Florida. After High school she attended Pensacola Junior College for an AA degree. Later, she earned a BA in elementary education at The University of South Florida. She also earned an MA in special education at the University of West Florida. She worked at the Santa Rosa Association for Retarded Citizens as an adult basic education teacher for ten years. She worked as a volunteer for Special Olympics as well as the Human Rights Advocacy Committee in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties. She went to work for a brain injury rehabilitation company in New Hampshire for one year. After returning to Florida, she worked in Jacksonville, Florida as a special education teacher and then at memorial Regional Rehabilitation Hospital where she specialized in cognitive rehabilitation therapy for brain injury and stroke survivors. At the age of only 41, she experienced a major right hemisphere stroke and became unemployable. In 1996, she married her significant other of 10 years, Jerry A. Martin. She and Jerry Moved to Ocala, FL in 2009.Jerry A. Martin earned his BA degree at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. and his Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has been an editor, a writer and a researcher. He worked for the state of Florida as a manager for developmental disabilities programs until his retirement. He is co-author of Behavior Change with John R. Lutzker.