Linda Franchini has taught a lot of lessons and learned a lot of lessons.
"Your life can change in the blink of an eye," Franchini said, is one of the first that comes to mind.
The 66-year-old, who taught electronics at Linn State Technical College for 27 years, suffered an ischemic stroke June 1, 2013.
Ischemic strokes occur when an artery in the brain becomes blocked, depriving part of the brain of oxygen and nutrients.
The stroke affected her right side somewhat. Mostly, it affected her memory and speech.
"I couldn't remember anything," Franchini said. "It took me two years to recover from it."
She was determined to recover and wanted to return to teaching, her husband, Terry Franchini, said.
She joined Toastmasters, a nonprofit organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through local clubs, to help her learn to speak again. The organization's focus on public speaking was just what she needed to work on, she said.
And she knew a dog would help her, Terry said.
She did her research.
After about a year's planning, Linda got Harley, a border collie puppy.
"I've had Harley 2 1/2 years," she said. "I take him everywhere."
Linda also was determined to return to teaching.
During the first decade of the century, she spent her private time away from Linn State teaching ballet. Her students had gone on to receive multiple recognitions. Linda was a nationally recognized electronics instructor. She was an Outstanding Technical Teacher for the Midwest Region of the American Technical Educator's Association. She also received the Governor's Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Much of her success, she said at the time, was due to the non-teaching duties she took on - as president of the faculty senate and as a member of the group that for more than three years worked to design a pay-for-performance policy. As a master teacher, she helped new teachers find their voices and footing.
But going back to teaching was going to be difficult. Although her speech had improved, Linda sometimes had difficulty finding specific words. That's where Terry stepped in. He also was a teacher at Linn State and was available at the institution to support her. So before classes began, he would write key words on her board so she could easily find them.
Meanwhile, she began a stroke support group at St. Mary's Hospital in Jefferson City, where she had been treated. The group is for survivors, caregivers, friends and families. The focus is on informal education for stroke prevention and topics of interest to participants, said Patrick Wood, a communication and marketing consultant for the hospital.
The group, which frequently has guest speakers, meets from 6-7:15 p.m. the last Thursday of each month on the Garden Level of the Health Plaza at the hospital, located at 2505 Mission Drive.
The Joint Commission recently named St. Mary's Hospital as a Primary Stroke Center, meaning its efforts achieve long-term success in improving outcomes. The commission is an independent nonprofit organization that certifies about 21,000 U.S. health care organizations.
Linda eventually retired, yet still wanted challenges.
"I wanted to do stuff where I stepped out of my comfort zone," she said.
The veteran of two services - the Air Force and the Navy - stepped way out of her comfort zone.
She entered "a pageant for old people," Terry said.
The Ms. Missouri Senior Pageant, held last Sunday in St. Louis, is intended to highlight the elegance of women over age 60. Women in the pageant compete in four categories: a personal interview with judges, poise in an evening gown, recitation of a 35-second philosophy of life, and a 2 1/2-minute talent presentation.
"Linda prepared and prepared and prepared, which was really good for her stroke recovery," Terry said.
The process began with auditions in January.
"I had to do an evening gown, so I lost weight," Linda said. "I had to do a talent, so I got my flute ready. I had to do a philosophy, so I memorized it."
The flute had been collecting dust for about 30 years. So she began practicing. Now, she plays the flute as part of a two-woman ensemble known as The Travelers. She and her friend go to nursing homes every two or three weeks to perform.
As the pageant neared, organizers held a rehearsal. And the three-day pageant finally took place last weekend. Linda was selected as the runner-up.
She attributes her success in great part to her new life philosophy.
"Your life can change in the blink of an eye," shr said. "On June 1, 2013, I had a stroke that changed me. One thing it does not do is define me. Veteran, Marine Corps wife, proud Navy mom and musician. These are a few of the words that define me."