Rare Connection Episode 11: Acoustic Neuroma with Shari from California

Send us Fan MailShari was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma (a rare benign tumor)  In the removal of this tumor she  had a stroke.  In her book "When  Life Gives You Lemons, Make Cranberry Juice"  She talks about the removal of this tumor and how it will forever impact her life.  Shari sees the Good things in life as the sweet "Cranberries" and the Bad things in life as the sour "Lemons"  She states that you sometimes need to take a break from the lemons to focus on the cranberries.    Shari is a Marine Biology teacher, and the speech therapist she works with was able to work this into her therapy giving her hope that she would return to work one day.  That dream has come true for Shari.    Shari's book is on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle versions.  https://www.amazon.com/When-Throws-Lemons-Cranberry-Juice/dp/B0BKRQ4TF4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=JQFNO5RPR7TM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.bYqBdOYs34XdqDvmuDDDMdokFkucAyi_ngr2vug0nt_sFU7f-i2aOFIxqZl-wMlIHsLeFW9qZ1npRPcIxvrvrFyPm_bSlAA8ODbhtW9jeeuMOnIEZutx30vbzT4mDe6fx4_R98iNjb6wpDjv3rhnf73USl7KuEItAPPf6Cz28TU_W1kMdvQo93i1X0hV_whEXQPDpMwHQBEtEMLmnGsyNv3P0NFqVOx4Wf71fEJ49jE.CsjGBKSmTSj26byaWomawnTmfUKts07KqeoSk6QGeMY&dib_tag=se&keywords=shari+bookstaff&qid=1718853101&sprefix=shari+bookstaff%2Caps%2C138&sr=8-1Shari also started a non-profit called Impact of Empathy https://impactofempathy.net/ This non-profit organization provides both in person workshops and zoom workshops using both lecture and hands on tools to explain how empathy can help in any situation.  Chapter Markers00:00 Intro03:03 Diagnosis Story04:13 Immediate Challenges05:57 Speech Therapy Story08:15 Speech Therapy09:30 Stroke During Surgery & Shari's Recovery Process12:37 Finding Strength & Motivation to Push Through a 9-Month Hospital Stay13:57 Role of Support System During Recovery15:02 Returning to Teaching Marine Biology After a Life-Altering Experience17:26 Adjustments in Professional Life Post-Recovery19:13 Inspiration for Lifetime of Impact21:02 Lifetime of Impact Services & Why They Are Important23:48 How Institutionalizing Empathy Can Change the Dynamics of Healthcare Settings25:16 Lifetime of Impact Success Stories26:32 Shari's Book: *When Life Gives You Lemons Make Cranberry Juice*29:13 Message Shari Hopes Readers Take Away From Her Book33:13 How Writing a Book Helped Shari in Her Personal Journey34:51 Advice for New Patients36:40 How Healthcare Professionals Can Better Support Rare Disease Patients39:53 What You Can Do to Become More Empathetic & Sympathetic41:05 Lessons Learned Along the Way43:59 ConclusionSupport the show