Some of the reviews I’m getting:

“I think the most important message I take away from this biographical account is courage is key in facing any adversity. Rachel’s harrowing ordeal has–if anything else–been a lesson in humility, determination, perseverence and the importance of the love of family and friends.

The writing is clear and penetrative. The fact she slowly typed this out letter by letter on an iPad only shows how determined and courageous she has been in telling her remarkable story. The best part is the reader doesn’t have to have gone through anything like what Rachel has endured to appreciate the book. Rachel’s struggle is the struggle so many have gone through as part of life. There is a universal resonance to make this book relevant to readers everywhere.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who might be convalescing, wherever they may be, to serve as inspiration and encouragement.”

or

“Friends and family – I urge you to download this book or buy a paperback version from Amazon and read it asap! I just finished reading it over a 36hr period (a PB for me)…it is written by my friend Rachel who 4 years ago, suffered a brain-stem stroke (age 41, mother of three kids, wife and running her own law practice) which left her with locked-in syndrome. That means that her only communication was by eye movement (look ‘up’ for yes, down for ‘no’) Slowly and surely, and with hours of rehab each week, she is gaining more movement and has amazingly written this memoir of her journey – all by using one finger to type!! I’ve learnt, by reading the book, that she doesn’t think she is amazing or inspirational, however she truely is! Rachel Capps ”

or

“Rach, I just finished reading your book… wow!! It was incredible!! What an amazing insight into what you have been through and still go through. I am speechless and very humbled, your strength and courage despite the odds is inspirational. Working in a school, we often have to try and show kids how to flip negatives into positives and you have done this and continue to do this over and over under what most of us would see as the hardest, most terrifying of circumstances. You are bloody amazing and I need to come see you soon to give you the biggest hug and personally thank you for sharing your story. How lucky am I to say that I’m related to someone as awesome as you!! I love you lots ”

or

“Just finished reading this book written by a client of mine who had a brainstem stroke who I had the pleasure of meeting and working with at Nepean Hospital in my days working as an OT in ICU & the Acute Stroke Unit. What an inspiration you are Rachel and what an incredible journey you are on. Your courage, motivation, strength and determination is absolutely incredible.

This book is excellent and I would highly recommend reading it. It provides such a valuable insight of experiences from a patients perspective and really demonstrates how those of us who work in the health and disability fields can sometimes become a little immune or de-sensitized in a way to the often terrible situations that we encounter each day in our working lives.

This book provides a vital reminder of just how frightening a time the patient is actually going through in their life and really emphasizes the importance of empathy.

I think that due to my own personal experiences and challenges, that I have and use empathy well in my practice as an occupational therapist when I am working with clients, but this book definitely served as a welcome reminder. I thank Rachel for writing this book and sharing her incredible journey and appreciate the mammoth effort it would’ve been for her to write this book.”

or

“If you are looking for holiday reading Rachel Capps has published a book on Amazon (download for just over $5! and if you download the Amazon app read it on your device).
Rachel suffered a catastrophic stroke several years ago and against all odd she has managed to write her story – she is wheel chair bound and has locked in syndrome which means she has lost her speech and much of her motor skills. But her cognitive function is still in tact so she is able to communicate by iPad. She has written a book about her journey since her stroke – it isn’t an easy read to learn about someone’s suffering and pain but Rachel writes the story with humour and demonstrates her strength of character. It is a fantastic read and highly recommend it!”

or

“I just finished. Omg its amazing.”

or

” Bought it, read it. I couldn’t put it down.”

And a photo of my family at my brother’s wedding the day after I left hospital.

thanks for visiting

I love this colour combination – Crumb Cake, Island Indigo, Primrose Petals and Very Vanilla.  I’ve used Fan Fair DSP and Large Paper Doily Sizzlit for the background and the sentiment is from the Delightful Dozen stamp set.

Thanks for looking

Rachel

I used the colours Perfect Plum and Crumb Cake, which go so well together.  The flower is made with Perfect Plum cardstock and First Edition Specialty DSP and the Floral Frames Framelits.  There is a Vintage Faceted Designer button in the middle of the flower, around a sentiment stamped from the stamp set, A Fitting Occasion.  In the background and on the envelope, I stamped Perfect Plum with the Daydream Medallions stamp set together with some Perfect Plum Colour Collection Designer Series Paper stack and Cotton Ribbon.

This is a close up:

Thanks for looking,

Rachel

I then coloured in the butterfly using blender pens and ink pads.  Lastly, a Pretty Petites stamp punched out with the new Petite Curly Label punch from Sale-a-bration gave me a sentiment for the card. This is the card I made for the class:

And then while I was packing up after the class, I had had so much fun making the Swallowtail card during the class, and watching what all my lovely ladies made with it, that I had another play with it and made all these cards too:

The card above was made simply sponging Island Indigo ink over the embossed image of the butterfly – love this effect!

The cards above were made using a combination of blender pen colouring and using my marker pens to colour.

Lastly, I made a card with white embossing powder and used my marker pen to colour it in.  Honestly, I shouldn’t have coloured this card in.  It’s not good enough by my standards and would have looked better had I just left it embossed, not coloured, clean and simple.  The white heat-embossed sentiment was from the Sale-a-bration stamp set, Feeling Sentimental.

Thanks for looking!

Rachel