WHAT EVER HAPPENED...? Jury Duty Waver, Letter to Editor

APPENDIX 6. JURY DUTY WAIVER LETTERS EXCERPTS

My Neurologist, Dr. Janet Tamai, D.O.

November 17, 2011

To Whom It May Concern:

RE: Janet Schliff

The above-named patient has a diagnosis of: S/P Craniotomy.

Ms. Janet Schliff is not capable to serve jury duty.

This condition is: permanent.

My Psychiatrist

November 16, 2011

Ms. Janet Schliff, a retired Special Education teacher, has been a patient under my care for several years now. She has been unable to work since [2007], when a massive brain tumor produced so much neurological and psychological dysfunction that she found it impossible to go on. Surgical resection was necessary; it required removal of part of her temporal lobe, leaving her memory altered. She was too emotionally labile to return to work. Her decision-making processes are currently severely disturbed and can appear arbitrary. The problem often derives from choices transiently informed more by irritation at a word or a behavior rather than by the issues at hand. This could actually represent a danger to the judicial process were she to be on a jury….

In summary, Ms. Schliff is currently not fit for jury duty; moreover, jury duty is contra-indicted for her. This disability may be permanent.

APPENDIX 7. LETTER TO DAILY FREEMAN EDITOR: A MIRACLE

10/13/09

Dear Editor:

Amy Kirschner wrote an excellent letter (September 29) about writing positive stories. I totally agree with her and here’s mine.

In July I was diagnosed with a massive brain tumor (the size of an orange). When it was removed, I needed 42 staples. The wonderful surgeon and staff from NYU Medical Center in Manhattan took great care of me!

I had been disconnected from my family since 2005, but all of them came up from Florida to help me!

For over three years before the surgery, I had mysophobia (germphobia). I retired early on disability due to it. (I had been a special education teacher for 25 years). I’ve missed being with my students every day.

Well, the tumor caused the phobia and the surgery cured it! The tumor was benign and I’m invited to Florida for this Christmas! I thank God every day for this miracle!

So that’s my positive story! Thank you Amy for a great idea! I hope you read more of them here!

Janet Schliff

Lake Katrine

          [What’s so ironic about this is that I’m not as positive now.]

I (Douglas Winslow Cooper) have been excerpting, weekly, material from this almost-final version of the fine book by Janet Johnson Schliff, M.S. Ed., which she wrote over a three-year period with some coaching and editing help from me, through my business, Write Your Book with Me.

Her memoir is now available in paperback and ebook formats from Outskirts Press  and amazon.com: 

What Ever Happened to My White Picket Fence? My Brain Injury from My Massive Brain Tumor

                                            ###

BOOK TALKS AND SIGNINGS

More talks are being planned for the spring of 2019… she can be contacted at 845.336.7506 (home) or 845.399.1500 (cell).

Janet Johnson Schliff spoke at the Oblong Books Bookstore in Rhinebeck, NY, on Tuesday, February 6 at 6 p.m.

Janet was on WKNY Radio 1490 in Kingston, NY, on Thursday, March 1 at 9:10 a.m. 

Janet spoke at Barnes & Noble in Kingston, NY, on Saturday, March 3 at 1 p.m. 

Janet spoke at the Starr Library in Rhinebeck, NY, on March 6 at 7 p.m. 

Janet spoke at the Golden Notebook Bookstore in Woodstock, NY, on March 17 at 2 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Morton Library in Rhinecliff, NY, on March 28 at 6:30 p.m. 

Janet spoke at RCAL in Kingston, NY, on April 3 at 4 p.m. [They gave her an impromptu book-launch party.]

Janet spoke at the Parkinson's Support Group at the Starr Library in Rhinebeck, NY, on April 4 at 2:30 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Stone Ridge Library in Stone Ridge, NY, on April 27 at 5:30 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Hurley Library in Hurley, NY, on May 4 at 6 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Kingston Library in Kingston, NY, on May 9 at 6 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Staatsburg Library in Staatsburg, NY, on May 14 at 7 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Clinton Community Library in Rhinebeck, NY, on May 31 at 6:30 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Mountain Top Library in Tannersville, NY, on June 9 at noon.

Janet spoke at the Gardiner Library in Gardiner, NY, on June 11 at 7 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Marbletown Community Center in Stone Ridge, NY, on June 20 at 6 p.m.

Janet was interviewed on radio station WTBQ-FM (93.5) on June 29 at 12 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Esopus Library in Port Ewen, NY, on July 13 at 7 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Pine Plains Library in Pine Plains, NY, on July 20 at 6 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Ulster Library in Kingston, NY, on July 23 at 5:30 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Northern Dutchess Bible Church in Red Hook, NY, on August 11 at 1 p.m.

Janet spoke at a writers' group in Rosendale, NY, on August 30 at 2 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Inquiring Minds Bookstore in New Paltz, NY, on September 6 at 7 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Adriance Library in Poughkeepsie, NY, on September 15 at 2:30 p.m.

Janet was interviewed on radio station WRIP-FM (97.9) on September 21 at 8 a.m.

Janet again spoke at the Mountain Top Library in Tannersville, NY, on September 22 at noon.

Janet spoke at the Enchanted Cafe in Red Hook, NY, on September 28 at 7 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Hyde Park Library in Hyde Park, NY, on October 4 at 7 p.m.

Janet participated in an Author Weekend at the Barnes & Noble in Poughkeepsie, NY, on October 14 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Tivoli Library in Tivoli, NY, on October 22 at 5:30 p.m.

Janet’s interview for the TV program Wake Up with Marci on the You Too America Channel aired on Monday, November 5, and Friday, November 9. It can now be found on the Internet.

Janet spoke at the Germantown Library in Germantown, NY, on November 7 at 6:00 p.m.

Janet participated in the Red Hook Middle School's College and Career Cafe in Red Hook, NY,  on December 19 at 10:30 a.m.

Janet spoke at the Poughkeepsie Brain Injury Support Group at the Poughkeepsie Galleria Mall in Poughkeepsie, NY, on Saturday, February 23 at noon. 

Janet spoke at the Stanford Free Library in Stanfordville, NY, on Saturday, March 9 at 10:00 a.m.

Janet spoke at the Howland Library in Beacon, NY, on Wednesday, March 20 at 1:00 p.m.

Janet spoke at the West Hurley Library in West Hurley, NY, on Saturday, March 23 at 1:00 p.m.

Janet spoke at the East Fishkill Library in Hopewell Junction, NY, on Monday, March 25 at 6:30 p.m.

Janet spoke at the Grinnell Library in Wappingers Falls, NY, on Saturday, March 30 at 10:30 a.m.

Janet spoke at the Dover Plains Library in Wingdale, NY, on Friday, April 5 at 6:00 p.m.

Janet participated in an Author Talk at the Saugerties Library in Saugerties, NY, on Saturday, April 13 at 1:00 p.m.

Janet will speak at the Red Hook Community Center in Red Hook, NY, on Wednesday, April 24 at 5:00 p.m.

Janet will speak at St. Timothy's Church in Hyde Park, NY, on Sunday, May 5 at 11:00 a.m.

Janet will speak at the Moffat Library in Washingtonville, NY, on Saturday, May 11 at 1:00 p.m.

Janet will speak at the Beekman Library in Hopewell Junction, NY, on Saturday, May 18 at 10:30 a.m.

Janet will speak at the Pleasant Valley Library in Pleasant Valley, NY, Tuesday, May 28 at 6 p.m.

More talks are being planned for 2019… contact her at 845.336.7506 (h) or 845.399.1500 (c).

More signings will be coming up. A fine feature about Janet by John DeSantos [845 LIFE] appeared in the Middletown Times Herald-Record on Monday, March 12, as part of Brain Injury Awareness Month. An article about her book was just published in the May 2018 Living Rhinebeck Magazine. An article about her book appeared in the May 14 Daily Freeman of Kingston, NY. and another in the Family Life section of the Poughkeepsie Journal on June 8th. The Millerton News published an article on Thursday, August 2, about her talk at the Pine Plains Library.