tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-96715246704327087.post8379902002568664607..comments2024-03-23T02:53:12.859-07:00Comments on Expressive Aphasia: international friendsBanu Turhanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05520087951701569240noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-96715246704327087.post-89660534660248198822009-02-10T14:01:00.000-08:002009-02-10T14:01:00.000-08:00Hi Damien,So many things I can say:1) Your mom WIL...Hi Damien,<BR/>So many things I can say:<BR/>1) Your mom WILL get better. No matter what. She has to work at it. She has to view herself like a newborn baby who is in the process of forming new neural connections. She has to learn to think, learn to transfer concepts into sounds, she has to make her tongue, lip, cheek muscles move in line with the sounds she is thinking. <BR/>Therefore she has to give herself credit with every little improvement. After all, even the newborns take up to three years to properly learn how to walk and talk. And that's with a brand new neural cells.<BR/>2) Everybody around her should give her support in terms of her daily exersizes: someone should sit infront of her (any able bodied person would do), tell a word, she should watch how it is done, then do it together with the person.Meanwhile keep looking at the other party to see how he keeps moving the mouth. After she has mastered that word, she has to repeat it on her own, give herself 3 seconds, then repeat, again, then repeat... until she can say it correctly. I don't know how old you are, but I found it very useful to read books to my 3 year old son.<BR/>Does she go to speech therapy? If not, she should.<BR/><BR/><BR/>3) NEVER EVER EVER GIVE UP!<BR/>Yes, things are not as they used to be, they are frustrating. But what is the alternative? Be a veggie? You have to go on for the sake of people who love you.<BR/>If she is depressed, there is an assesment your PCP can give to her to see whether she is clinically depressed, she may consider anti depression, or anti anxiety medication and or counseling or both, depending on doctor's advice. That is no simple matter, she needs to cope with the curve ball thrown at her, and to your dad and you for that matter, and you have to use all the arsenal in your power to get better. The first 6 months are critical, whatever you can do, you have to do...<BR/>When I got my stroke, a friend said: "Having a stroke was not on your schedule this year, was it?"<BR/><BR/>Yes it interrupts you as a family, you have to accept that fact. And then re-adjust. <BR/><BR/>4) Reach out:<BR/>You cannot cannot believe how much personal growth can come because of this, for all the family and friends. Organize family and friends to help mom. Your dad, you and most of all your mom will enjoy the company and appreciate the help.<BR/><BR/>banuBanu Turhanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05520087951701569240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-96715246704327087.post-48527072418028439532009-02-09T20:57:00.000-08:002009-02-09T20:57:00.000-08:00Hi Banu My mum had a stroke Oct 8th 2008. She ha...Hi Banu My mum had a stroke Oct 8th 2008. She has Aphasia just like you describe. she is now 4 months post stroke and her speech is developing well (in my opinion) however she is suffering anxiety and coping skills and motivation very low. She used to be extremely active around the house, cooking etc. By the way how is your Husband coping, my Dad is very on edge. Do you have any words of advice or encouragement I could pass on?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03876185277545607699noreply@blogger.com