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