Lisa R.
Company: Danielle Sternquist, Author
Motivational/Self Development
Education: St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud Technical College
Clear Lake, MN, USA
Biography
I am married and a mother of 4 adult children and two grandchildren. I just completed my first book, a memoir, called Why I Am Me Surviving Grief And Trauma that began as a journal. I live on a hobby farm and used to show Paint Horses and Miniature American Shepherd Dogs. I owned my own abstracting business for 15 years and closed it down due to the bubble burst in the economy. I worked with Math Corps through Americorps for a year and a half until I had to go on disability due to heart failure. I have had an interesting life which I wrote about in my book. It includes abuse, death of a spouse and death of my 25 year old son, loss of faith and moving forward with resilience.
Passion
My passion has been to help other people whether it is speaking on Epilepsy, SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy), grief, trauma or coauthoring a book of guidelines for Epilepsy Specialty Clinics. How I made it through and was able to raise my children and turn my life around.
I am willing to travel
More than 100 miles
When it comes to payments
Everything is negotiable
Topics
Best Story
My story is my book. I will talk about what it takes to make it through sexual abuse, my husband getting killed at age 26, my son's adventure in the Marines and his medical retirement and eventual death due to SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy). Since these episodes in my life I have spoken on SUDEP at our capital in St. Paul as well as a National Conference called PAME (partners against mortality in epilepsy).
Origin Story
I am a storyteller and writing seems to come naturally to me. I had an eventful life which made it easy to write a book and I know my story can help other people that are or have gone through trauma. I have been a business woman which I started on my own never having done that job before. I raised my kids who are all very successful in their own right and I believe I have a lot to share.
Example talks
My Christian Faith as told through my book Why I Am Me surviving grief and trauma
My book is my life story and also my testimony. I would like to do a synopsis of my book and talk about what it's like to lose faith in God and feeling angry with God for what I have gone through. My talk would include sexual abuse, substances, death of a spouse and finally death of my son. I have spoken about some of this during a conference on Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy as well as my Church. I have spoken at our Capitol in St. Paul about epilepsy and SUDEP. But I would really like to talk about my loss of faith and how God waited for me and accepted me back when I finally decided I needed him.
Brain Injury and Long Covid
I am very passionate about this topic as I have been dealing with it for 18 months. I have been in Occupational Therapy and light therapy because of my brain injury from Long Covid. I will speak on how it has affected me, memory, balance, dysautonomia, fatigue, brain fog etc. I belong to several groups on Facebook that deal with this topic and hear many stories that describe what people are going through as well as dealing with the medical profession and being gas lit when you finally are able to be seen. Not all medical professionals are like this. I happen to have a very good doctor that recommended Occupational Therapy then ended up with a good therapist that is working on me with a concussion protocol. I am one of the lucky ones because I already had disability through social security for another medical problem but it is very difficult for those that have Long Covid and cannot work. I will do a Q & A as well.
Seizure types, response and recognition-Prevention of SUDEP sudden unexpected death in epilepsy
1 in 10 people in the world will have or have had a seizure. 1 in 26 will die from SUDEP. I will discuss the types of seizures, what the symptoms are and the best course of action to take. I will also discuss what you can be done to help prevent SUDEP.
I am a mother of a son that died from SUDEP, he was a Marine and was discharged on a medical retirement from the Marine Corps. Jordan came home from the Marine Corps and started college. We were not familiar with epilepsy and had no idea you could die from it.
I like to be able to educate other people on the facts of epilepsy and SUDEP while making it interesting. I believe that this talk is not only educational but necessary. Would you know what to do if someone had a seizure in front of you? Look for my next book in the spring of 2025 The Perfect Storm by Danielle Sternquist. This book will be about my son and what we went through dealing with his seizures, the Veterans Administration and his death.