Official Interview: Jeanne Tiberio

[kandscreeley]

Today's Chat with Sarah features Jeanne Tiberio author of Helpers Anonymous.

Official Review

View Kindle edition (Free on Kindle Unlimited)

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1. Who has been the biggest inspiration in your life?

That person would be my Mom, who passed away last year. My Mom showed me by her behavior how to be a moral person. She showed me by her actions how to be a trusting person. And she showed me by her love how to celebrate the success of others.

2. What does your writing process look like?

My writing process is unique. Because I am a quadriplegic and cannot write or even lift my arms against gravity, I work exclusively on a desktop computer. Once my home health aide places my hand on the mouse, I use dictating software and an on-screen keyboard (with my mouse) to correct errors. I break my work shifts into 2 time slots; from 11 AM to 1 PM and from 7 PM to 9 PM. I have around- the-clock home health aides to take care of me, so a set time for computer work is best for everyone involved. After two hours at the computer, fatigue sets in and I have to take a break. But I imagine that may be true of almost anyone who writes for a living.

3. Let's discuss your book Helpers Anonymous. This is your story. Was it difficult to write about your life?

Not at first, because the initial words were dictated into a computer in the style of a personal journal. It was only after I took time to compile all these separate stories together that I realized my vulnerabilities would be “out there” for everyone to see. Organizing the traumatic stories in a form that would be understandable for the general population was a difficult task. I would often get sad or even feel depressed at times and needed to take a break. That is why the process of editing took almost a year.

4. What made you decide to write about your experiences?

I got into the habit of writing down various incidents regarding theft and abuse by my Personal Care Attendants. The police were called in on many occasions and needed a description of what had happened. Since I used my desktop computer to dictate everything, it made sense to record the incident onto my computer and print the information. Since I was accustomed to dictating in a journal, all my different experiences were dated and saved in computer files. Over these years, I was revealing the problems with the Massachusetts Personal Care Attendant program with family and friends and a few of them thought it would be helpful to publish these stories. “You should write a book” was a phrase I heard more than once. I thought that the state policy of making patients be the employer as well as the recipient was a recipe for disaster.

5. What was the most difficult part of the writing and publishing process?

The writing was technically hard because I was educated in the biological sciences, not English or literature. I write my copy for a small podcast that I’ve been doing, but that is in conversational tone and it’s only available in audio format. Therefore, my podcast text is grammatically incorrect, to say the least. I feel like I can never have enough commas.

As for the publishing, I followed Kindle video tutorials and took my time with the formatting and publishing process. Because I didn’t set myself a deadline, I was able to leave the work for a while when I became frustrated or overwhelmed. I imagine the process will be smoother with my next book, a selection of stories with recipes. I see healthy food and nutrition as a universal concept, not a personal one.

6. What did you learn through writing this book?

I learned so much about myself through this process. My work in the past involved investigating nutrition therapies, eating habits, and how our body utilizes food with its nutrients to function properly. Presumably, these are educational topics not necessarily tied to emotion. Over the years I have learned that our emotions and behaviors have a large role to play in our food choices. But the writing was always about food and nutrition, not about me. This memoir forced me to examine and write about my emotions, behavior, and decisions I’ve made throughout my life. There were many times that I thought about stopping my journey of self-awareness. After all, it would have been so much easier to scribble down my thoughts and file them away on my computer. At one point I remembered a conversation I had as a nutritionist with a woman who was struggling to lose weight. She said, “I just need this to be easier”. My response went something like, “If you think about the many accomplishments in your life, would you consider them accomplishments if they were so easy to achieve?” I had to admit that I needed to walk the walk and finish this memoir to check it off as an accomplishment. Luckily, I still saw it as a choice I wanted to make.

7. What do you wish people knew about disabilities?

That we are just like everyone else. Both in the ways we are unique and the ways we are similar.

8. What's next for you? Are there going to be any more books?

Yes. Since I now feel more like a storyteller, I am starting on a new e-book that will involve 30 stories with 30 related recipes. My first book was a vegetarian cookbook, so I can combine my work as a Nutritionist/Food Scientist with my storytelling chops.

I like to end with fun questions.

9. What's your favorite food?

I have a favorite lunch, which is a mixed-berry smoothie. It has blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or some combination of those fruits. I then add a banana, yogurt, and ice. Perhaps it is because, like Barack Obama and his same-colored suits, I’d like to think my time is so valuable that I don’t want to waste it figuring out what to eat. Or perhaps it’s an “on the spectrum” thing.

10. Would you rather be stranded on a desert island alone or be constantly surrounded by a crowd of people in a big city?

I will go for the desert island, provided I can take my mixed-berry smoothies and my cat, Betty. And, oh yeah, my sisters and one friend of my choosing.

11. Do you have any pets?

Yes. I have a little furry significant other named Betty. My cat and I have been together for 11 years. We have the same daily routine, basically. We have just about the same meal every day and then we have an afternoon nap.

12. What is your biggest fear?

I’m afraid that, for whatever reason, I will no longer be able to stay in my apartment and will have to go to a long-term care facility. I have lived in Salem Massachusetts for 40 years and I feel it’s a part of who I am as an individual.

[George Okello 2]

Very inspiring story.It shows disability is not inability.It was very unkind and inhumane of your personal care attendants to take advantage of you.This are people you place your full trust on.Thank God you are okay.May you live many more years and may we hear many more uplifting stories.

[Lakshyaaj J]

A truly inspiring tale that proves that having a disability does not mean being unable to succeed. It was extremely cruel and inhuman for your caregivers to exploit you, especially considering the trust you placed in them. Thankfully, you are safe. Wishing you a long life filled with more uplifting stories.