Living a mystery

By CHRISTOPHER TUFFLEY christopher.tuffley@ne ssun.co! "e#nes#$y% &u'ust ()% *((+ ,

.ne ssun.co!-(+(),ct,$ccents

There $re !ysteries in this life . f$scin$tin'% so!eti!es he$rt/re$0in' !ysteries. They c$n $!$1e $n# enthr$l us.

P$ul$ "est/erry is $ nurse $n# is the $#!inistr$tor of Tot$l Ho!e He$lth. She is the su/2ect of such $ !ystery. Re!e!/er it is one thin' to he$r $ story ,, $nother thin' $lto'ether to li3e it. It st$rte# in the f$ll of *((4. For $/out three stutter. ee0s% P$ul$

/e'$n to fin# it #ifficult to s$y Ps $n# Cs. Then she /e'$n to

She

ent to see her #octor. The #octors 0ne h$t5 orse.

so!ethin'

$s

ron' /ut Thin's 'ot She

$s 'i3in' $ t$l0 $t

or0 . she su##enly 'ot stuc0 on her $s re$lly shoc0e#. $s in her office $t or0.

or#s. She coul# not spe$0. She & little l$ter% on Oct. 6% *((4% she p$in $n# en#in' up in the hospit$l. In the hospit$l she out lou#.

She su##enly h$# $ stro0e. &ll she re!e!/ers is $ 3ery /$#

$s only $/le to stutter. She h$# $ph$si$ .

she coul# reco'ni1e o/2ects /ut she coul# not s$y their n$!es

Then% slo ly% th$t 'ot e$sier. She /e'$n to t$l0 slo ly% 3er/s. &n# this is P$ul$ here the !ystery co!es in.

ithout

$s /orn $n# r$ise# in Boston 7US&8. Her f$!ily c$!e centuries e$rlier. She o0e one !ornin' e3en one

fro! En'l$n# $ fe

ith $ Russi$n $ccent. E3en Russi$n spe$0ers coul#n9t /elie3e she #i#n9t spe$0 the l$n'u$'e. She #i# not 0no or# of Russi$n. She #i#n9t 2ust h$3e $n $ccent . she $lso h$# the 3oc$/ul$ry $n# 'r$!!$r. There ere person$lity ch$n'es. She h$# $l $ys /een :uite

shy outsi#ers. She su##enly /ec$!e out'oin' $n# 3i3$cious , so !uch so th$t her frien#s c$lle# her ;$t$sh$.
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Those closest to her no lon'er reco'ni1e# her 3oice% or her /eh$3ior. &n# neither #i# she. <octors $s0e# $/out her speech /efore the stro0e. She too0 the! her e##in' 3i#eo. They $ll listene# to it. P$ul$ crie# $s she he$r# her o n 3oice $s it h$# soun#e# /efore. <e$lin' ith the physic$l ch$n'es $n# the ne $ccent $s h$t she

#ifficult. It tol# the!.

$s e3en !ore #ifficult /ec$use #octors thou'ht it

$s $ psycholo'ic$l pro/le!. They #i# not listen to

Luc0ily% =$c0 Ry$lls 7$ professor of co!!unic$tion $t the Uni3ersity of Centr$l Flori#$8 !et her. He tol# her she h$# Forei'n &ccent Syn#ro!e. It is $ r$re $n# pu11lin' pro/le!. Only >6 people $re 0no n to suffer it. People ho suffer fro! this syn#ro!e su##enly spe$0 their ith $n $ccent. It usu$lly h$ppens $fter $ stro0e

o n l$n'u$'e or he$# in2ury.

For e?$!ple% $ =$p$nese

o!$n st$rte# spe$0in' =$p$nese o!$n spe$0in' Sp$nish o!$n spe$0in' En'lish ith ith

ith $ @ore$n $ccentA $ Sp$nish $ Hun'$ri$n $ccentA $n# $ British $ French $ccent. It

$s first reporte# in #urin' "orl# "$r II. & ;or e'i$n $s hit /y shr$pnel , she /e'$n to spe$0 $s Cer!$n . she ith $ stron' o!$n% th$t

o!$n $ccent

Bforei'nB $ccent. Unfortun$tely for the poor

$s shunne# /y her nei'h/ours.

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P$ul$ felt isol$te# $n# unsure. Our 3oices e?press $n# here c$n /e p$inful. &n# there is physic$l p$in $s ell. She li3es

ho

e $re

e co!e fro!. Su##enly h$3in' $ #ifferent 3oice

ith $ po erful

2$c0,h$!!er poun#in' $ $y in the left si#e of her /r$in. Her outloo0 is uncert$in. She $s $s0e# to t$0e p$rt in $ #ocu!ent$ry for TD. She

st$rte# feelin' o## the ni'ht /efore the fil!in'. Th$t !ornin'% the Russi$n $ccent ch$n'e# to $ southern #r$ l 7southern US&8. By the ti!e the fil! cre $rri3e#% she h$# $ stron' Coc0ney $ccent . this inclu#e# 3oc$/ul$ry she h$# ne3er he$r# /efore. For e?$!ple% she he$r# herself t$l0in' $/out $ squibley mess. &n En'lish!$n st$n#in' ne$r/y he$r# her . he s$i# BOh% !y 'oo#ness. I h$3en9t he$r# th$t The or# for ye$rs.B

or# co!es fro! Scotl$n# , it !e$ns $ll foule# up. ith this for ne$rly E( !onths no . /$c0 to her ol# self% or ith yet or#s e3ery !ornin' $re $n

P$ul$ h$s /een #e$lin' She !i'ht $nother $ccent. Her first $ccent5

$0e up to!orro

$#3enture , is her ol# self /$c0 or #oes she h$3e $nother

The uncert$in future /others her . she $lso

orries $/out

$nother stro0e. She 0eeps herself c$l! /y $tten#in' church.

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She $lso le$ns on her hus/$n#% Chuc0% for support. His sense of hu!our h$s helpe# her. &fter $ll% he tells her% th$n0s to her stro0e% he h$s h$# three i3esF