I truly admire your tenacity, Gray, I'm not sure I have it in me to do
what you did, but if the time ever comes when I have the need (my right
hand is affected, too) I will remember your example and try to live up
to it.

Claudia Goldberg

L. Gray Miller wrote:

> At about 4 years into this adventure I realized
> that writing was becoming a major problem for
> me.  I could no longer take meeting notes at
> work. I thought about using a pocket recorder but
> that had little appeal since I would have to
> listen to the entire meeting again.
>
> So, I decided to teach myself to write with the
> opposite hand. I'm naturally right handed and pd
> has limited the fine motor skills with my right
> side. But, fortunately, my left side is affected
> very little at this stage. So I started the
> journey to becoming left handed. I have a few
> observations that I'd like to pass on to others
> that may be in a similar situation.
>
> I've been at it for almost 6 months and now write
> exclusively with my left hand. I can take meeting
> notes which has been a great accomplishment. I'm
> slower with my left hand than I was before pd
> with my right hand but speed is coming.
>
> I got a theme book for writing practice so I
> could see my progress. I began using a pencil.
> This is a MUST. Pens are too difficult to start
> with since the angle of contact with the paper is
> critical with a pen but not with a pencil.
>
> I made a pact with myself to practice my
> handwriting daily regardless of how discouraged I
> got. And, initially, I was very discouraged. It
> seemed an impossible task.
>
> I drilled myself on printing upper case letters
> then lower case letters (printing, no script
> yet) followed my numbers. I did four line of the
> upper case alphabet; four lines of lower case
> alphabet; four lines of numbers 0 through 9. At
> the end of this drill I wrote a half page essay
> on any topic.
>
> Letters were very difficult when I started but
> got easier with time. Initially, I had to
> experiment to figure out how to write a letter.
> I would write the letter right handed, try and
> remember the order of the strokes then repeat it
> with my left hand. Its not exactly "Rocket
> Science" but it took some concentration.
>
> Script seemed to come naturally as I wrote the
> essays. I began printing but slowly a cursive
> style just naturally occurred.
>
> At about four months I realized I was no longer
> thinking about letters but, rather, I was
> writing words. That was the major breakthrough!
> Since then I have shifted to using a pen (which
> was very difficult at first) and now write a
> full page essay after the same alphabet and
> number drills. I continue to practice daily.
>
> Writing with the opposite hand has helped
> immensely. I can now write checks again! Speed is
> improving and, most of the time, I can read what
> I write.  :-)
>
> Gray
> 51/4