Carol Dow-Richards : A Caregiver’s Journey

My journey into caregiver began like many others. I didn’t know what aphasia was. I was terrified. I cried myself to sleep. My life – and certainly the life of my son – had changed overnight. I happened on vacation. We’d gone to Las Vegas for three days – and we got home three months…

Caregiver

My story is short. I’m a recently titled “Caregiver” for my 87 yr. old father. He was just diagnosed this past week and realeased from the hospital. Although he lives on his own and a very active independent individual I’m his loving caregiver with many questions, need direction in going forward. I thank you for…

David Dow’s Aphasia Tips (Stroke at 10)

When I was a little boy, I dreamed of becoming a doctor like my father. That dream died – when I was ten years old. I had a massvie stroke. And diagnosed with global aphasia – no reading, writing, or talking. That was nearly twenty years ago. I went to speech therapy for nearly fifteen…

"The Swedish Chef"

The Swedish Chef

In October 2003, I was cleaning the gutters on my house, the ladder slipped, and down I went hitting my head on the driveways concrete slap. Spent the 1st month into a medically induced coma and craniotomy surgery from a traumatic brain injury. In the 2nd month after awaking for my coma, my family tells…

An SLP’s Joy

The best part of working with people with aphasia, is being able to help them reconnect with their loved ones. Many people with aphasia are abruptly cut off from their family and friends. Being able to help them find alternative ways to communicate things like, “I love you” to their family members is very rewarding.…

A Caregiver’s Story: In Sickness and in Health

My name is Ed. I am 77 years old and have been married to my wife, Lucy, for 54 years. I am also a full-time caregiver for Lucy, and have been since she had her stroke in May 1998 – only one year after I retired. The morning Lucy had her stroke I was laid…

Rita Wolkind

Rita Wolkind

Almost two years ago, I came back from trip to Israel. I was unpacking and getting ready for a family get-together when I had a stroke. I spent two weeks in the hospital recovering. I could only say four or five words but the therapist didn’t say I had aphasia. It was later that we…

Alice Schick

Alice Schick

I had a stroke in late 2006 and was diagnosed with aphasia. My husband and I visited Moses Cone Rehab Clinic. After a few weeks of speech therapy, we were told to go home with a few written speech therapy exercises to practice but that was not enough for me so I started using a…

Nancy Mamis-King

Nancy: An equal rights advocate with aphasia

I am a social worker and equal rights advocate. I taught at Fordham University in New York City and founded organizations including a shelter for abused women and children, and a national advocacy group for minorities. In 2001, I needed open heart surgery. While recovering, I had a stroke which led to aphasia. I started…

Joe Greenhouse

Joe Greenhouse

I went to the University of Illinois and then got my master’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania. I created my own computer company called NORCOM VARs Network, which I had for seven years. I have been married to my wife for 41 years. We have three children. I love to travel, scuba dive, ski…