I have aphasia
It's so annoying because I used to be a professional public speaker.
But Joyce, you know how to express better than most of us! You write so well.
Hello,
I also have aphasia. It is frustrating, but I know I am not alone!
Joyce, Jing and Marina...
I've seen you all on zoom recently and thought you explained, expressed detail and communicated your message when I heard you speak on zoom. Just my visual response, I felt your communication was effective. Sometimes feedback helps even if it's general.
Thanks for sharing, helping and providing info.
Kate
Aphasia is a lot easier to deal with as a writer when you are not on a deadline. You have access to all kinds of resources online (dictionaries, thesaurus, slang, synonym/antonym lists, encyclopedia's, search engines, etc). When you are talking you may have notes, or just the floating puzzle pieces of words in your head that you can't quite seem to get out of your mouth. Stuttering can also be a challenge along with talking painfully slow. It is quite frustrating when my brain is moving faster than my lips are able to move.
It is also frustrating when I can see the word in my head yet not get it out of my mouth despite my best efforts. I have gotten really adept and skilled at automatically substituting words for other words when speaking as well. For example...instead of saying put it on the "couch" - I may say "put it on that thing we sit on with the big pillows".
Sometimes I know the word I want and no matter what I do or try it is lost to me and most times I just pivot to something else, yet some days it makes me feel absolutely incompetent and angry about not being able to communicate in the way I want.
Caren Robinson - HOPE TBI
