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.