Caregiver-Loved One

If I could describe Aphasia in one word, it would be (challenging.
February 16, 2012 is a day I would like to forget but I can’t because we live with the challenges every single day!
My husband underwent what was to be a routine procedure to clear plaque from his left arteries.
He presented fine after the procedure and was even talking to me. He was groggy but recognized people and his surroundings
I could see he was getting tired and I knew I could use a nap so I told him to rest and I left and went to my uncle’s home that was just a few blocks from the hospital.
About an hour into my rest, my phone rang and it was the nurses station calling me to tell me the housekeeper had found my husband totally unresponsive and that I needed to return to the hospital immediately.
By the time I got there, he had already been taken to surgery.
The doctor came out about 2 hours later and said my husband, who was the picture of health except for the clogged arteries, had had a stroke.
When I asked him; how bad of a stroke, he said it was massive.
He told me that a blood clot had broke and gone to his brain and that his condition would probably not improve.
At this time, he was being fed by a tube in his throat, he no longer recognized us, and he was not aware that he was in the hospital.
He was incontinent, he couldn’t communicate in any form.
He was discharged to a rehab hospital where he learned to walk within the first two weeks. He learned to feed himself and by the time he was discharged 31 days after, he was no longer incontinent.
A friend had told us about the benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen treatments so we started him on those and noticed after about 40 treatments, he began to recognize us and had interest in doing things.
He can only speak about 4 words but he loves to sing.
Communicating with him has been very challenging as until now, the only way he’s been able to communicate is with gestures.
He recently qualified for the Touch Talk and enjoys using it.
I am so thankful for Lingraphica and all their support.
It used to take 15 minutes for me to understand what my husband needed or was trying to tell me.
It’s also really comforting to know their is a support group for people living with Aphasia.