Mimi's Journey
One of the main reasons I am so excited to move forward with OT as a career choice is because of the sweet lady pictured. Her name is Diane Stallings but I just call her Mimi. She is my grandmother and when I was in elementary school she had a severe stroke that affected mobility on her right side as well as sensory function and speech. Although she deals with several long term effects from her stroke, since 2009 she has come so far in her progression. She lives alone and does every day activities such as cooking, cleaning, and even driving with complete independence. Some days she sees her journey as a weakness, however, I always see it as her biggest strength and tell her every chance I get. Nothing excites me more than knowing I get to be an encouragement to other people facing similar situations every day when I go to work as an occupational therapist.