Independence by Christie

Independence celebrates freedom. Freedom comes in vary sizes, from small or big but it truly feels like you accomplish something important.  After I had my stroke, I realize the little things make a huge impact. 

 

In the beginning, I learned how to walk and talk again.  But you have milestones of progress where you feel elated of even the simplest things, like cooking.  I learned how to read instructions, learned how to chop again with only my left hand.  I definitely had some mistakes a long the way, but I learned and moved a long.   

 

I organize a charity, called the Kalikie Classic Golf Tournament and all of the proceeds goes to the Stroke Comeback Center.  In the beginning, the founding fathers put it on because I had issues  with remembering how it worked.  As time when on, I helped in different stages of my recovery.  Now, I manage it all and have some volunteers that help. 

 

Making progress is a huge part of recovery and you need to remember to look around and see the impacts in your life.

Kauai 2016 by Christie

We went to Kauai for 3 weeks at the north part of the island, Hanalei Bay.  We had a blast.  We laid on the beach and snorkeled.  The weather was overcast but it didn't matter because I get burnt very easy so for me it was perfect.  The place that we stayed was a one bedroom cottage on the beach where you could hear the waves crashing.  We loved it every second!

 

I tried a new wine that a co-worker told us about. It's called Maui Blanc which has a hint of pineapple.  It's very sweet which is what I like. I also purchased Maui Splash (hint of passion fruit) and Hula Champagne (hint of pineapple). The Maui Splash was awesome and the Hula Champagne was not my cup of tea. I had a mission to ship it home. I went through the motion of searching it on-line and finding how much the shipping would cost. Needless to say, it is now in my possession. Sometime in the future, I may have a problem drinking but I will deal with it later.  😍

 

We went snorkeling a few times and saw fish and coral.  The rough waves made it hard to see many fish but we did see some.  Here is a video of fish and me and my husband, Chris: 

 

Chris videoed with his Go Pro camera.  We saw the state fish of Hawaii called the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a.   It's one of the smaller fish but it has a mind all of its own.  Chris was taping the state fish when he got attacked and the fish bit him on his big toe.  The fish marked the its territory.   Chris wasn't happy about it but he put it on Facebook telling everyone to be aware of this deadly fish.  😜

We have visited often and we will come again soon because we truly enjoy this place called KAUAI!!!

Wrapping up Aphasia Awarenss Month

Three final thoughts to conclude Aphasia Awareness Month...

30 Years by Paul

30 years ago my brain was in pain at the gym. I lost my speech, my right body, my right hand and arm at 36 years of age because of a stroke (aphasia, apraxia and paralysis). I lost my work and I driving my car for 1 year.

30 years ago, I hope 1) l would talk in sentences , would read and would write in sentences and 2) I would work again. I found words, continued with sentences, continued to paragraphs and continue the question for 30 years. Overcoming aphasia is like climbing a mountain. I worked with the physical therapist, the speech therapist, the occupational therapist while I worked. I grew to speak and to write.

Now, I have self-publishing company for stroke and aphasia for publishing books, How to Conquer the World With One Hand... And an Attitude, I do presentations, newsletters, and http://strokesurvivor.com/index.html web.

I am a Survivor by Randy 

June is Aphasia Awareness Month. I have aphasia and I am a stroke survivor. I am 5 years post and my life is getting better. As always aphasia sucks but we deal with it.

Of course everyone who has aphasia has it differently. I can run, walk, write and speak pretty well but many of my friends struggle. Again even though we struggle we never give up. 

There are times when my words come out jumbled. They come out better now but again even after 5 years they come out jumbled. Many times I have to make sure that I have sleep well and use my meds and of course eat good dietary food. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

I go to the Stroke Comeback Center due to what it does for our community. Going there and meeting other people at the center has changed my life. 

God bless me everyday!! 

Finding the Center by Keith

If this a little fuzzy I take responsibility for this. I survived a stroke on November 22, 2005. The stroke left me without my speech, writing ability, and without ability to understand. I slept for about 12 hours a day, or even more.

Marta and I found out about the Stroke Comeback Center during my speech language therapy at Mount Vernon Hospital. We went back to the hospital for a period of time to see my speech therapist, physical therapist, and occupational therapist. My speech therapist mentioned the center because he had heard about the center from a friend (speech therapist) in January or February 2006. A few weeks after I finished out-patient speech therapy, I started coming to the Center. 

Marta called the center and left a message. Darlene called back. Marta and Darlene talked and I was told the I was going to meet Darlene the day after tomorrow. Marta and I went to the center. The center was on the second floor of a building in Oakton, Virginia.

We went in and sat down. Darlene come out to meet us and asked us the come with her. Darlene asked my wife about the details concerning my stroke. She then spoke with me a bit. I did not remember a thing after this conversation. She then quizzed me with a Boston Diagnosis Aphasia Evaluation, a long quiz but not exhausting. She said to my wife that I was good candidate to continue speech therapy sessions with her on Wednesdays.

Our Aphasia Stories

Aphasia is Inside by Pat

Well friends, aphasia is inside. I can talk around and around and around. But it is not correct. All the words are inside the carousel and aphasia makes me there. Friends have no idea what I'm really talking about. It wants to come out!!! But aphasia has two reasons to keep going.

You can do number one or two. Number one will help speaking, reading and writing. Practice all of them every day. Number two is not good. The opposite can't be good. Eventually your brain quits. There will be "no" speak, read or write.

In July 2007, in Iraq, I got shot in the left-head of my skull. I have big time Wernicke's and a little Broca's. Since then I get better and better. It took me years to understand aphasia. So that is why I decide to do with Number 1.

Life Will Still Go On by Christie

Aphasia is something that no one knows until it happens to you. I would like to get the word out so people can understand and be aware about it. It happens to one out of 250 people living with aphasia. It makes you wonder who you know. I would like people to recognize that living with aphasia is difficult but you deal with it as best as you can. I want people to understand that it takes time so be patient and give them plenty of time to get their words out. You must understand that every day is a blessing in  even the smallest ways. Life will go on so make it what you want.

 

 

Intelligence is Still the Same by Perry

 

The person is reading, writing, and speech --- aphasia. The aphasia is from stroke, war fighting, aneurysm, gun to the head, etc. I had a stroke; John was war fighting; and woman was brain tumor, etc. The Stroke Comeback Center allowed us to be well and good. The aphasia is changing over days, months, and years – changing life. There are no medicine pills. 

 

A person talked person aphasia – patience, patience, and patience. (Author is 2 twin daughters, and patience, right correct). Intelligence is the same.

My Aphasia Story by Sara

It was a great Sunday in May. In fact, the vey last Sunday in May (5/31). My husband Mario and I did the weekly shoping at Giant and Fresh Fields. We decided to cook fish for dinner.

 

The day was so beautiful that we decided to go to Reston Town Center to have a walk and stopped at one of Mario’s favorite shops to buy clothes. Once back at home, I started cooking. All of a sudden, I felt a terrible pain in my head. It was as if my head was going to explode from inside out. I run to the office where Mario was working at the computer and told him: “Mario I believe I have an aneurism”. Mario called 911 immediately while I sat at the sofa in front of the TV. Mario took the fish out of the oven and very quickly the ambulance arrived. The nurse asked me from 1 to 10 how much pain I had and I said 11. I do not remember anything else after this…but I survived!! And we never again cooked fish!

Aphasia Awareness Month by Keith

I had a stroke on November 22, 2005. I started working in my office writing letters. I had to finish ten letters; I just wrote three letters by ten o’clock. My head hurt and I thought I was developing a cold. I took two aspirins. I went to my office and I shut my door. I fell to the floor. 

The office manager, Nat, told me to sit up on the floor but I could not. She called an ambulance for me. I remember a dream that I had the beginnings of my stroke. I dreamt that I was tied down on the right side of my body. The left side was free. I looked down to my right side and saw many branches and roots all over my right side. I wanted to be free. But, the more I tried be set myself free, the more the branches and the roots grew. I wanted to tell my wife, Marta. But, I can not begin to tell her. I had a stroke; right side, speech, reading were all gone. 

I was taken to the hospital closest to my office. After few hours, I was put on a helicopter to INOVA Fairfax Hospital. I spent eight days at INOVA and then I was admitted to Mount Vernon Hospital. I stayed in that hospital for a little less then a month. I came home on December 24, 2005.    

The doctors told my wife they I had a massive stroke. At first, I had only limited speech, and little reading and no writing capabilities. My walking improved quickly, but I used a cane for a while. My wife and I were determined to show the doctors wrong. 

My speech is getting more like the speech from my past. The writing is improving. The reading is almost like in my past. I walk a lot now.

THANK YOU for a great Do More 24!

Our bloggers were pretty excited about the great results from Do More 24! Thanks to you generosity we raised over $33,600 in 24 hours and were rewarded with a $10,000 prize from United Way!

Thank you for being involved with Do More 24 and the Stroke Comeback Center. All of the members at the center thank everyone. All of our survivors are so thankful and proud to be involved. Thanks again and we look forward to doing it again!

- Randy

For family and friends I would like to say, "Thank You!!!" June 2 was a big day for the Stroke Comeback Center. It was a chance to get money for it. This is called the DoMore24. This year the SCC made $33,600. It was great!! I have been coming here for 4 years. The make me use my brain and I love it!

- Pat

Thank you for your generosity with Do More 24. It's because of you that we raised $33,659, more than 10% from last year. Plus we also got 2 other rewards for the Night Owls ($1,000) and the top small organization prize ($10,000). It was truly amazing that we all got together for this cause! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

- Christie

I want to thank everyone for donations! We fundraising $33K and then all of a sudden Do More 24 donated $10K because we are small organizations brought the most! Thank you for donating! My family and friends are the best!!

- Chris