Mike would kiss my hand, and tell me I was beautiful and that he loved me. His smile was as enthusiastic as his grip. You read about politicians getting perks - these greetings from Mike were definitely perks!

(Note to Ethics Commissioner: Value: Priceless)

In 1993 I was the newly elected MLA for the riding of Calgary Currie. Six years earlier Mike had survived a severe traumatic brain injury as a result of a car accident. Consequently, Mike was enrolled in a variety of programs at ARBI, the Association for the Rehabilitation of the Brain Injured.

Mike is also the son of my friend Judy Stawnychko. Judy is retiring this month after serving 21 years as executive director of ARBI.

I learned about community, and the importance of advocacy, though my association with ARBI. Professional, compassionate, and dedicated, Judy turned a life-altering experience into purpose, taking inspiration from others, while dispensing wisdom in equal measures of reality and hope.

Even with all his enthusiasm, Mike couldn’t imagine his mother’s impact on his quality of life, and on the future care and treatment of the brain injured and stroke survivors. Judy knows, but would deflect the credit to others, like 2004 Order of Canada recipient, the late Audrey Morrice and ARBI co- founder Alice Laine.

Judy inspires me.

Okay, it’s not a real tiara and it certainly isn’t jewel encrusted. It’s a simple cordless head set, and whether I’m having a bad hair day, or just returning from the beauty salon, it is my go-to accessory. 

I use the telephone on a daily basis. Using my headset enables me to write, cook, or even exercise at the same time. It’s multi-tasking at its best.

It gets a bit more complex when you have to call businesses and/or government departments, as their telephones use voice-activated programs to enable access to services and information. The information seeker needs to follow a series of prompts  to complete the transaction or get the necessary details. While you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to navigate this kind of system - even when using an iphone - you do need to speak clearly, punch or type passwords, and enter sequential account numbers. 

When you have Parkinson’s, using the telephone can be like playing a bad game of “The Price is Right”:

Door Number One:
POOR VOICE QUALITY

Door Number Two: 
TREMORS

Door Number Three:
RIGIDITY

An operator may be standing by to take your call, but if you get disconnected, you need to go online to access the manual - which can present another set of challenges (see Doors Number Two and Number Three).





My headset doesn’t solve all my wireless connection problems, but it does free up my other hand and allow me a degree of accuracy when typing. It certainly helped a lot as I typed seemingly countless drafts of my new book of poetry and short prose, Naked Without My Coat (my book launch is coming up soon - Tuesday, June 10th!). I can also crank up the volume.

So go ahead, jazz up your ear, that headset is so YOU!