What is Aphasia
Aphasia is a loss or impairment of the ability to produce and/or comprehend language, due to brain damage. It is usually a result of damage to the language centres of the brain (li...
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On June 23, 2009, my wife of 18 years had a stroke. She is 41 and I come to find out that while shocked not uncommon. As a result of the stroke she now has Aphasia. We are just over 2 months out and I feel as though Im running in circles. After a month of acute rehab we have not started outpatient rehab. It has been a fight to get her to go. She has made improvements but is still basically unable to communicate.
She has her phrases that she says like, "I know", "I see", still gets yes and no switched and so forth. I cannot get her to understand that she needs to go to therapy. We are still working on getting her back on her feet and recovering use of her right arm. This weekend she did a lot of things around the house and now she thinks that she should stay home. A. because she can do things from her chair and B. she doesnt thank that she will get any better. How do I get her to understand that she needs to go? I no that this is hard on her but I am lost. I have all these feelings inside and sometimes feel as though Im going to collapse. Someone give me some ideas, please. I know that we have a long road to go. Has anyone had a loved one that would refuse therapy? How did you handle it? I know that everyone is different and while she will probably never be the way she was, how long before she might possibly understand better and be able to communicate? Im crying for help and understanding of the horrible situation. Posted on 08/27/09, 02:08 pm |
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Sorry to hear about your wife. My husband, 43 suffered a cardiac arrest and stroke, and anoxic brain damage. He was in a coma for 10 days and also has aphasia. This happened a year and a half ago. Some days or moments are better than others.
She will get better. Maybe not exactly how she was before, but better. My husband feels nothing is wrong with him. I've explained what has happened many, many times. I got him to go to therapy sometimes by saying the doctors ordered him to go. I've also been at the end of my rope and said if he doesnt go I would leave (which I never would, but have thought about). His therapy since has ended, insurance ran out. Its frustrating, and lonely to say the least. Every person and every injury is different. One of Joes doctors told me that he has a new brain and over time we will see what this new brain can do. Time unfortunately being years. You have to try to let her know YOU need her to go to therapy. When she does go, you and her will meet people that have come so far. It will give you both a connection to others who are or have been in the same situation. It will give you both hope! I know the feelings you have, and I honestly dont know what to say. Sometimes you have to dig deep inside to find the strength. I've found mine through prayer and tears. I dont know how to help you understand this situation when I myself dont understand it. I try to take a day and a moment at a time and just keep putting one foot infront of the other. Good luck and I will keep you in my prayers! 
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It is very traumatizing when we see our loved one's go through this Aphasia struggles and we as their caregivers suffer even more. My 18 year old Son was diagnosed with Aphasia in June last year when he was injured whilst praying foot in sch. In May of this year, Samuel, that's my son's name refused to take his daily medication and refused to attend the speech therapy session. That was one of the hardest times in my life, as I felt totally helpless. I did pray alot, am not sure whether that helped but through alot of patient, I come to realise that Sam still loved football despite his condition, and now I have gone out of my way to ensure that, he is involved in the community football team and athough he still has declined to take his medication upto now, am seeing a slight inprovement in his speech and he seems to remember some of the things that had occurred in his life prior to the accident, albiet with a lot of difficult. The most amazing thing is, Sam prays football so well and follows all the rules quite well that one cannot tell that he is unable to read and write.
So maybe your dear wife would improve if she is involved in an activity that she loves and loved before the stroke. trust this helps.
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