My Journey of Hope and Recovery: Rebuilding My Voice After a Stroke
Rajesh Arora- ACUTE ISCHAEMI CVA- LEFT MCA, INFARCT, RIGHT HEMIPARESIS, ACUTE CONDUCTION APHASIA, THROMBOLOYSED WITH IV ALTEPLASE.
इस पोस्ट को हिंदी में पढ़ने के लिए यहाँ क्लिक करें।
Hello, everyone! I am Rajesh Arora, and I want to share my story with you.
Aphasia is a condition that affects our ability to speak and communicate. In this article, I will take you through my journey of hope and recovery after experiencing a stroke. I hope that my experiences and the tips I share can inspire and guide other stroke survivors along their own paths to regain their voice.
A Stroke That Changed My Life
Back in 2016, I was an active person involved in business and car rally racing. Also, I love Adventure, Traveling, Driving, Speed & Action. My family & friends described me as a Rockstar & Tiger.
Then, one day, I had a brain stroke. The stroke affected the left side of my brain, leading to weakness on the right side of my body and a complete loss of speech, memory, and strength. It was a sudden and life-altering change for me and my family. I felt frustrated, and my dependence
on others grew as I struggled to express myself and perform everyday tasks. I got depressed because I could not talk or walk on my own. I wasn’t able to express myself, my feeling as I had no words for almost 2 years ! It felt like I was on Mute !
I started speech & Physio therapy after I came back from the hospital. I practiced everyday for almost 3-4 hours- just Vowels initially- both Hindi & English and games. That’s how my speech improved. Today, I can talk but with some difficulty. I am today independent and can do all my work & personal care myself.
Here is what I did. Hope it helps others affected too !
- Practicing Vowels: I made it a point to practice pronouncing vowel sounds correctly.
- Tongue, Lips, and Neck Exercises: I engaged in exercises to strengthen the muscles involved in speech production.
- Vowel Blends: Moving from individual vowel sounds to blending them together helped improve my speech clarity.
- Starting with Short Words: I gradually worked my way up to practicing two or three-letter words.
- Speaking Aloud: I focused on speaking louder to strengthen my voice.
- Reading Aloud: Reading out loud and enunciating words clearly helped improve my reading skills.
- Singing Loudly: Singing became a fun and beneficial way to enhance my speech control and clarity.
- Recording and Listening: I recorded myself speaking and listened back to track my progress.
- Stimulating My Mind: Engaging in mental exercises like solving math problems helped improve my cognitive function.
- Writing and Mumbling: I practiced writing and quietly saying familiar names or stories aloud.
- Chanting and Mantras: Repetitive vocalizations, such as chanting “Om,” became a useful speech practice.
- Embracing Happiness: I focused on maintaining a positive mindset and enjoying the recovery process.
- Regaining Independence: Taking small steps to do things on my own helped rebuild my confidence.
- Exploring the Outside World: Venturing outside, visiting places like malls, parks, and workplaces, facilitated social interaction.
- Engaging in Art and Music: Pursuing creative activities like drawing, coloring, and playing music stimulated my mind.
- Seeking Professional Support: Speech therapists and professionals provided invaluable guidance and therapy.
- Cultivating Patience: I learned to understand that others may initially struggle to comprehend my speech, and I remained patient.
- Engaging with Brain Games and Apps: Smartphone apps and games designed for language and cognitive training became valuable tools in my recovery. Play game & Applications like Wordwarp, Flow Free, Free Cell, Words Search, Wordzone, Constant Therapy, Elevate-Brain Training, Brain Game- left & right,Wordwall, net, Google Translate.
In parting….
Living with Aphasia can be difficult, but with patience, understanding and the right support, people with Aphasia can improve our communication skill & regain our confidence. My journey serves as a testament to the power of perseverance. Through hard work and determination, I regained my ability to communicate and live independently. I shared my experiences and tips with you in the hope that they will inspire and guide you on your own path to rebuilding your voice after a stroke.
Here is a link to a chat I had with Stroke Support India to show, roughly, how I am today. Of course each day is a day of improvement !:
If you have limited/No information about Stroke, its symptoms and consequences, we STRONGLY suggest you read at least one of the following before you leave this Website, as well as share the links with your friends and family. You may save someone from sudden death or being crippled for life !
* Be fast – Stroke Symptoms in English with Videos of Actual Strokes
* स्ट्रोक (आघात) – हिंदी में कुछ जानकारी
* स्ट्रोक-के-साधारण-लक्षण
* In Bengali – Be Fast – দ্রুত !
* In Gujarati – જ્યારે સ્ટ્રોક આવે ત્યારે BE FAST
* In Marathi – BE FAST स्ट्रोक होतो तेव्हा !
* In Odiya – ଷ୍ଟ୍ରୋକ: ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ଅଥବା ଶାରୀରିକ/ମାନସିକ ଅସମର୍ଥ