August, 2010
Aphasia Friendly: Words are More Like Cats than Dogs
by Audrey Holland on August 24, 2010
Bayard Baylis (By , to his friends) wrote a wonderful essay on word-finding problems for people with aphasia. By’s aphasia is mild, and it is clear from his writing that he has maintained his ability to read and write. It is also very clear that he understands what aphasia is like when it comes to struggling with words. I HIGHLY recommend this article (republished on the Aphasia Corner Blog) for people whose aphasias are similar to By’s, for he has marvelous insights for them. But these insights can also be useful to people who have more severe aphasia, and who probably have difficulty reading and writing. With By’s permission, I have tried in what follows to give his main points in an “Aphasia Friendly” way, for those can’t read very well.
Cara and the Cabman
by Karen Roy on August 11, 2010
Taxi on a busy street
Intro: My job researching aphasia allows me to meet various people with this language disorder. They come for the treatment study that I’m working on, and though it’s often frustrating or repetitive for them, they amaze me with their patience and efforts.
I wrote this story to celebrate one particular patient who touched me, and to show her personal struggles and grace. Though aphasia makes speaking more difficult, people always find ways of sharing their personalities and stories. My patients have shared a lot of themselves with me, despite aphasia, and I honor them for it. Continue reading the full article
The Myth of the Aphasia Recovery “Plateau”
by Nancy Helm-Estabrooks on August 4, 2010
Perhaps one the most frustrating things that happens to people who are dealing with aphasia is hearing from clinicians that they’ve reached a “plateau” in their recovery; a mythical place where no further improvement is to be expected. Often they hear about the “plateau” from their physicians who, in the earliest period after onset of aphasia, tell them that they can expect recovery for X number of weeks or months before they reach a plateau.
Let’s explore the “geographic” landscape of aphasia recovery and see if we can identify some truths.