Interview with Kim Ballantine author of "Hot Tea and Apricots: A Memoir of Loss and Hope"

Going through any kind of disorder or disease can be taxing and traumatic to anybody who has gone through such. It is not easy going through medical conditions especially when it comes unexpectedly. The way in which people react to you and the support that you receive is important and it’s important to talk about the psychological impact of such. What mental strain does that have on someone? How does it affect one’s career and the way that they are perceived? These themes are explored in Kim Ballantine’s memoir regarding Spasmodic Dysphonia. Spasmodic Dysphonia is a disorder in which the muscles that generate a person’s voice go into periods of spasms. Hence, there are breaks or interruptions in the voice every few sentences. This disorder is explained in Kim Ballantine’s memoir.


“Hot Tea and Apricots: A Memoir of Loss and Hope” by Kim Ballantine tells the story of a woman at the age of 40 who loses the ability to speak rather suddenly. It causes traumatic experiences as she struggles to breathe while dealing with what is identified as Spasmodic Dysphonia. The memoir goes through her relationship with her children and her husband, learning sign language, the symbolism of hot tea and apricots, the psychological impact of it all, and how she eventually (spoiler alert) found her way back to her voice. 

                                                                 

In her interview, we asked her about the mental toll of this journey, her coping mechanisms, the inspiration behind her book and it’s title, as well as what support should look like. Kim explained to us the aspects of her cough and how it felt like she lost her career overnight. At times it felt like her and her family were being pushed further apart and how she surpassed that. Kim taught us how she had to take control, make intentions for her attitude, and the importance of articulation.  

This is a powerful story. You can get the book from Amazon or Takealot and Kim Ballantine will be at “Exclusive Books” on Tuesday, 23 July at 6pm where her books will be sold. You can reach out and learn more at www.kimballantine.com. 

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