Speech Therapy

Speech Therapy was far less exciting, mainly it was because it was a one on one activity, with few distractions. However I was the distraction since I cried A LOT. Why in speech therapy? It was because I no longer was able to do something so simple. It also had something to do with the fact I was in a wheelchair. This wheelchair had all the accessories that would be needed to support someone that was very disabled. It had a head rest to support my noggin and a tray in the front so I wouldn’t fall out. Remembering that low point makes me so grateful for the walker and can I use as a step forward. I shouldn’t view them as a disgrace to my appearance but something I should be proud of.

I would be wheeled in to an office with just enough room to close the door. It would be me, the speech therapist his desk and for a month or so a student learning to be a speech pathologist. The lessons would be breathing techniques and a repetition of words and then later entire sentences. Trouble with the sentences is that I may forget what was said. Luckily I could still read and would be able to jog my memory by looking at the book.

My speech has improved greatly. In the beginning it was very flat and monotone. It was not smooth or fluid more jerky The ups and downs (inflection) were missing. The doctor would refer to my speech being affected due to the damage in the part of the brain called the Pons. Someone referred to my speech as once having an accent. At times it was broken; I may have needed to take a breath in the middle of a sentence. I would also find myself a little self conscious of that, so I wouldn’t speak as much. Or in the very least say I would say shorter sentences.

I never really gave much thought to how much my speech has improved but thinking back....I’m a little impressed about how far it has come. Not being able to speak at all to smooth speech with no breaks and my singing has improved as well. I won’t be singing a solo anytime soon but I will sing to the radio or a favourite song and not feel like I am speaking like a robot.

When I wasn’t speaking at all, I would have one sided conversations with the people that came to visit. These conversations were always in a voice that was crystal clear. Was that a sign of things to come?