For Better or For Worse: Aphasia #18

The last time we checked on Jim and his family, Jim just arrived home from the hospital, and both physical and speech-language deficits were both depicted.

Jim is sleeping in this episode, and there is a nice focus on caregiving, family, support networks.

http://www.gocomics.com/forbetterorforworse/2006/10/23#.U2e1gc1M4mN

http://www.gocomics.com/forbetterorforworse/2006/10/24#.U2e3781M4mN

The comment about every minute being precious after the stroke is commonly heard in interviews/discussions with survivors and their families. Invariably it leads to my own self-examination of what I think of as precious moments or precious time in my own journey, and a reminder not to wait until something bad or life-changing happens to wake me up the fact that every moment is precious and to be savored and fully lived. That moment, once it is gone, will never pass my way again.

For Better or For Worse: Aphasia #17

Before you read this comic strip (installment #17 of the aphasia story line), here is a little back story, since it has been quite a while since we've posted these.

Jim and Iris are husband and wife. Jim had a stroke (http://www.speakingwithaphasia.blogspot.com/2009/04/aphasia-comic-strip-1.html). The story about the stroke and the problems that arose after the stroke are told from different perspectives – Jim’s, Iris’, their children, their grandchildren (for example, http://www.speakingwithaphasia.blogspot.com/2009/04/aphasia-comic-strip-3.html).

One particularly poignant quote from the series is “The worst thing about a stroke is the waiting. It takes time for the brain to heal, and for one’s abilities to return…. If they return.” (http://www.speakingwithaphasia.blogspot.com/2009/06/aphasia-comic-strip-12.html).

The author/illustrator does a great job of showing the struggle to communicate and both the funny and sad aspects of miscommunication (for example, http://www.speakingwithaphasia.blogspot.com/2009/07/aphasia-comic-strip-14.html, http://www.speakingwithaphasia.blogspot.com/2009/07/aphasia-comic-strip-16.html). 

And now for #17:
http://www.gocomics.com/forbetterorforworse/2006/10/22#.U1aBWM1M4mN