Singing In My Own Key: A Vocalist's Triumph Over Stroke

by Valerie L. Giglio

At forty-two years old, Valerie Giglio was heading for an even brighter future as both a successful lawyer and professional vocalist with two CDs to her name, when out of nowhere, she suffered a brain stem stroke that ravaged her life and caused her world to spin out of control. Completely paralyzed on one side, confined to a wheelchair, her singing voice stolen from her at the height of her career, Valerie was devastated. But with fierce determination and fortitude, and the support of her loving family and a wonderful healthcare team, Valerie faced down every setback and obstacle in her path. Overcoming paralysis and regaining her singing voice, she returned to the stage just one year later. The story of this woman's miraculous journey allows you to travel with Valerie on her path to an extraordinary recovery. Singing In My Own Key is a story of hope and faith that will leave you deeply inspired.

Genres: Memoir

170 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2016

About the author

Valerie L. Giglio is a Boston area author, vocalist and lawyer. She has released two CD’s since 2009. After suffering a devastating stroke in 2014 at the age of forty-two, she wrote and published the memoir “Singing In My Own Key: A Vocalist’s Triumph Over Stroke”, the story of her miraculous journey to overcoming paralysis, regaining her singing voice, and returning to the stage just one year later. It is a story of hope and faith that will leave you deeply inspired. Valerie holds a B.S. from Salem State University and a J.D. from New England School of Law. She is a member of The Recording Academy and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). To learn more about Valerie, visit www.valeriegiglio.com.

Reviews

[Viga Boland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I confess! I chose to read Singing In My Own Key: A Vocalist's Triumph Over Stroke by Valerie L. Giglio for purely selfish reasons: my daughter is a professional singer. The thought of my daughter's career, or anyone's career for that matter, being abruptly and horribly interrupted by stroke is frightening.

But that's exactly how it was for Valerie L. Giglio. Beautiful, super-talented, intelligent and only just stepping into her 40's, she turned to look at her clock one morning and her life, as she knew it, came to a dizzying, horrifically painful halt. She had torn the arteries in her neck and as a blood clot formed to stop the flow, the clot precipitate a stroke. Her left side was paralyzed from her face down. She couldn't walk. Her left hand couldn't hold a spoon, let alone a microphone, and worst of all, for her, her singing voice was gone! Suddenly, this successful lawyer and singer was confined to a bed for weeks, staring straight ahead, fighting off dizzying nausea and the even more debilitating heartache: her singing career was most likely over.

When crippling or terminal illness strikes, many people turn to God or prayer looking for hope and help. Valerie felt abandoned by higher powers. Others simply give up, feel sorry for themselves and end up making themselves and everyone around them feel worse. Sure, Valerie went through that period of grieving her loss, but she always had been a fighter. And she would fight again, and if she had her way, one day, maybe, just maybe, she'd be on the stage again. Fuelled by her belief in the power we have to heal ourselves, she worked diligently with the wonderful people who slowly but surely helped her stand on her own two feet again, got her walking, and ultimately, put the microphone back in her hands after learning to sing all over again.

I cannot recommend Singing In My Own Key: A Vocalist's Triumph Over Stroke by Valerie L. Giglio highly enough. This is not just a book for singers by a singer. This is a book for all who suffer huge setbacks and think they will never recover or that their lives are over. Valerie proves this is not so...ever! As she clearly illustrates by her remarkable journey back to former self, healing is a choice. Decide if you want to live forever as you are living now. Then choose. "Sometimes the only road worth travelling is the hardest one." Wise, wise words.

A visit to Valerie L. Giglio's website is a must! You can find her here: http://valeriegiglio.com/home. On her video page, you can watch and hear her sing before the stroke. You can also witness her first attempts at recovering that beautiful voice. That might have been even harder for her than learning to walk or run again as she used to do. But regaining her ability to sing and entertain meant more than anything and bit by bit, though not fully there yet, she is once again following her passion.

I don't normally like to be subjective in my reviews but it was impossible to do Valerie and her story justice by being completely objective. I want readers to discover the magic, beauty and courage that defines Valerie L. Giglio. She deserves this 5-star review in every way. Check out her book and website and be amazed by this woman who believes that singing in your own key is possible, even if "the only road worth travelling is the hardest one."

Listen to Podcast Book Reviews by Viga Boland at http://www.vianvi.com

Viga Boland

Don't Write Your MEmoir without ME!

[Toni Jannotta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author is very well spoken and humorous. Having suffered a stroke at a young age and then having recovered, you can sense the lawyer/fighter in her. Since she is also a professional singer, one senses the entertainer in her, which makes her a good storyteller. I think this book could help encourage stroke survivors on their road to recovery.