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From: Marni
Date: 05 Oct 2006
Time: 15:13:14 -0500
Remote Name: 69.112.169.206
Dear Mr. Hicks, My name is Marni and I am a graduate student at New York University for Speech-language pathology. I am taking a stuttering class now, and must admit that I really did not know anything about stuttering before it. Ever since the class however, I have begun to learn more and more and find it to be an extremely interesting topic. Your article just reminded me why I love the topic so much, and would like to pursue it further for my career. Your story was truly inspirational. As I read it I was continously amazed by your optimism, attitude, strength, and courage. I did however have a few questions for you as well. How did you feel when you went on your first job interview? Did you immediately tell them you stuttuerd or did you try and hide it? You mentioned the speech correction camp you attended. Are you glad you went? I know you said it was depressing afterwards when the stutter would come back, but I am talking about the actual camp experience of being surrounded by others who stuttered. Do you think that was a good experience for you? Also, with the camp experience, you mentioned fluency shaping. We are actually learning now about the two different techniques of fluency shaping versus stuttering modification. I was wondering if you thought that the stutter came back a month or so after camp because you slowly stopped using those techniques you had learned, or what you thought the reasoning may be.Do you think that stuttering modification is a better method then and should be used more in therapy? The fact that once you became more involved with Toastmaster your speech was becoming more relaxed and open reminds me of stuttering modification, and releasing tension, and think that maybe that technique should be used first with fluency shaping done later on. I understand there may not be answers to some of my questions, but I just can't help wanting to know the answers! To answer your rhetoric question of "Did I have a gift", I have to answer yes. You are truly an amazing person. The fact that you had the courage to stand up in front of tons of people continuously giving speeches before you were comfortable with it and continue to do so now is remarkable. I am a friendly, outgoing, VERY talkative, social person, yet when I have to get in front of a class or group of people to give a presentation I become a different person. My hands get sweaty, my body shakes, my heart won't stop pounding away, and I have trouble breathing... and I don't stutter. I survived cancer in high school and the death of my mom a few years ago while I was in college. I hope I used my experiences to help others, just as much as you used the tool you were given to reach out to others. When people would tell me about my own strength,courage, personality and postive attitutes being inspirational, I know it changed my life, as I hope you feel about your success as well. As you said, sometimes we don't know who we touch. We hope to help others even when there is "no hope left for ourselves". Not many people feel that way, and that is what seperates you and makes you so special. I don't have a business card, or a folded letter to hand you, but I want you to know that "You've touched another life." One day when I become a speech-language pathologist and work with a stuttering child I hope to use your story as inspiration to them as it was to so many others including myself. Thank you.