Tired + Long Day = Aphasia

I have noticed my aphasia comes on strong in the evening when I am tried from working.  With aphasia, it is not so much as a stutter, but a stoppage of my speech or a pause... which is annoying because my thought process goes on normally and my words are having a problem keeping up. I also read at a very slow pace when I am tired, to read and understand what I have read... I need to reread a page most of the time. I read to me daughter at night before bed and I struggle some nights, this is when I have her read to me.

I am 40 and read at a middle school youth's level... woot, woot! Sounds silly... but I can read and have went from not being able to read my name to reading the first two Hunger Games books!

I have had two evening trainings over the past 2 months and I notice my speech the most during these teaching sessions... then I get frustrated because others are listening to me. I tend to sound like Porky Pig.

I am learning to talk slower, which helps, but those of know me... I talk fast... this is so new and it is taking practice to learn.

Stroke rehab is unlike breaking a limb or having the flu... I am still in daily rehab in my way for almost two years. I am so thankful, yet I can get frustrated with myself.  Others can hear my speech, but they don't always know what a slow reader I am. I have learned to not read at higher levels that I can, which can be challenging at times, especially during this presidential race.

One day at a time, that is all I can do and will take each of these days as a gift.