To The Spousal Caregiver This Holiday "To love and care for a person is to see all of their magic, and to remind them of it when they have forgotten." -Anonymous The holidays always seem to beg of everyone a sense of joy and happiness. There are several aspects of the holidays that give off major comfort and cozy vibes, like Christmas trees, twinkle lights, hot chocolate, and warm fires. However, while most of these things seem to steal the festive emotional spotlight, there’s another aspect of the holiday that often goes unnoticed that I’d like to highlight this holiday season ..read more

Navigating The Holidays With Aphasia “There’s something about a Christmas sweater that will always make me laugh.” Kristin Wiig Many greet the holidays with cheerful anticipation. After all, it means time with family, those Hallmark movies that everyone loves, and the overall holly jolly spirit of Christmas. However, for those with aphasia, the holidays can bring anxiety and loneliness. But it doesn’t have to be this way. With the help of family and friends and a little planning, the holidays can be joyful again. Here are a few tips to help you along the way! Educate Family & ..read more

Maintaining a strong relationship with your partner while living with aphasia We welcome guest blogger Veronique Theberge from Weird And Wonderful Brain. Communication is an important part of a relationship with your significant other. Brain injury can challenge many aspects of your relationship with your loved one, and if aphasia is in the mix, it represents an additional challenge when engaging in conversations. For those less familiar with aphasia, aphasia is a speech disorder that can impact communication in various ways. Depending on the type of aphasia that a person has, th ..read more

10 Best Traumatic Brain Injury Podcasts March is Brain Injury Awareness month. Brain injury awareness is crucial as it helps to educate individuals on the potential causes, symptoms, and long-term effects of brain injuries. Increased awareness can lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment, which can improve outcomes for those affected. Additionally, understanding brain injuries can help prevent them from occurring in the first place through better education on safety measures and risk factors. To help create awareness and shed light on TBI, we’re sharing ten of the Best Traumatic Brain I ..read more

You Are Not Alone "The loneliest moment in someone’s life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly." F. Scott Fitzgerald You Are Not Alone Aphasia can be a very, very lonely condition. It can be lonely for the person who has aphasia and also for their caregiver. My husband and I experienced this firsthand after his stroke. At that time, we didn’t even know what aphasia was, much less the repercussions that would later come from it. Looking back, we were both totally unprepared. If you’re reading this, aphasia has probably touched ..read more

A Guide To Ambiguous Grief "No one ever told me that grief felt so much like fear. I am not afraid, but the sensation is like being afraid. The same fluttering in the stomach, the same restlessness..." C.S. Lewis, quote from A Grief Observed Grief is something that we’ve all experienced. If you’re reading this, you’ve likely dealt with a loss of some kind. Whether it’s a loved one passing away or the death of a relationship, grief can come in many forms. However, there is one form of grief that’s not talked about often – ambiguous grief. What is Ambiguous Grief? When we think of g ..read more

Brain Injury And Speech We welcome guest blogger Veronique Theberge from Weird And Wonderful Brain. One of the biggest impairments that remains for me 4 years following encephalitis and its token brain injury is my speech issues. For me, aphasia means that my speech delivery is often extremely slow, slurred, and connecting the dots between a thought and actually verbalizing it simply takes SOOO MUUUCH TIIIME. It’s as if my mind runs 100 km/hour, but my mouth only runs 40 km/hour. Speaking requires so much brain power and is without any doubt the most draining activity that I undert ..read more

Why Aphasia Awareness Is So Important The long-awaited month of June is finally upon us. We’re taking to social media and beyond to educate our communities and the world about the importance of aphasia awareness. This time of the year is very important to our family because we’ve lived the struggles associated with this unseen condition. It’s something that feels very personal when it touches your life, and it impacts you in the deepest parts of your innermost self. While our list would likely be a mile long of reasons why aphasia awareness is so important, this month, we are ..read more

Important Facts For Stroke Awareness Month If you’re part of the “stroke club” that nobody wants to be part of but is full of really cool peeps (like us); you probably already know that this month is stroke awareness month. If you’re a visitor interested in learning more about stroke and aphasia, then buckle up, buttercup; we’re about to hit you with some serious knowledge.  Sharing this critical information about stroke can be lifesaving and make a huge difference in long-term recovery if you recognize the signs and act quickly. Especially since ONE IN THREE PEOPLE who have a ..read more

The Ultimate Inspirational Playlist When you’re going through the valleys of life as a person with aphasia or perhaps a caregiver, an inspirational playlist can be very therapeutic. Music has inspired and given me hope throughout my journey as a wife and caregiver to my husband when I felt I was on the brink of wanting to give up. It’s even helped me release emotions I’ve kept pinned up inside for way too long. And more importantly, finding that perfect song that you can relate to in the most vulnerable moments can help you feel less alone. There’s so much comfort in that. Don’t you th ..read more