Stories

Rebecca Salimpour has had a successful floral design business in Orange County, Calif. for over two decades. Her work was even shown on Bravo TV and the popular show "Real Housewives of Orange County." But in February 2020, her career came to an abrupt halt after Rebecca suffered a major stroke. Below is an excerpt of her story that she shares in her own words.

"After my stroke was a very scary time for me. Doctors were unavailable to help and give me answers because this was the very start of the COVID-19 pandemic. I had a lot of anxiety because of so much unknown, especially with not being able to walk and wondering about my mouth. When I would ask my doctors about this, they would vaguely answer that nothing is wrong with my mouth or sometimes ignore my concerns altogether. I was sent home from the rehab hospital in March and was getting physical therapy at home, still having issues with my mouth. I started going to outpatient physical therapy, which finally lead me to speech therapy. It wasn't easy finding a speech therapy clinic that was open in Merced County due to the pandemic. My insurance case manager worked hard to help me find a speech therapy clinic that was open, which was CCLLC, about a 90-minute drive for me. I immediately made an appointment. The very first session, I remember feeling apprehensive and nervous before arriving, because up until this point in time, I did a lot of crying and my anxiety level was high, which raised my blood pressure, causing many trips to the ER.

The moment I met Jennifer, my speech pathologist, she showed much concern, care, and attentiveness. For the first time since my stroke, someone finally identified my mouth problem with an actual diagnosis: dysarthria, a mild case. I felt so thankful and blessed to be there in her office. Most of all, I felt safe and hopeful that I was going to get the professional help I needed.

I've been going to Central Coast Language and Learning Center since June 2020, and it's been an amazing, uplifting experience having Jennifer D'Attilo as my speech pathologist. She guides me through mouth exercises, reading poetry, tongue twisters, and cognitive exercises, while explaining the benefits of each. She also talks to me about coping socially and dealing with my mild anxiety and PTSD episodes.

It's been a long, rocky climb for me with many downfalls along the way but knowing I have so much professional support and guidance from Jennifer gives me the confidence, endurance and hope to never give up. I am now finally feeling the confidence and faith to live my life as best I can, embracing the new me with so much hope of getting back to what I love to do while progressing in my recovery journey. My motto is, never give up!"