1. Speech
2. Writing
3. Reading
4. Numbers

These are all different.

I can mostly talk okay now which is good! However, there is much to do.

Each day I choose to write three sentences with two words, using ‘Multiple Sentences Formulation’ and I do three different things.

I start to write carefully. It’s not easy.

I write on the laptop and then I listen to it.

Then I write it again, and I ask lovely husband, Cliff, to make sure that it’s right.

This takes a lot of time. You see, I can’t get the right word every time yet. Sometimes it could take more than five minutes! Even though I get frustrating. But it’s worth it.

I pop a little line here and there in WordPress. Also, once a week, I have been doing ‘Three Things Challenge’ on Wednesday with the wonderful Di at pensitivity101.

Spring has sprung in the West Coast (in the south hemisphere) and floral buds are springing up. The festive season is fast approaching and the villages and little towns are so abundant in beautiful wild flowers. 🌺🌼🌸

I like to read as much as I can. This is quite difficult still, although it’s much better. And how exciting when my lovely friend, Robbie, posted a few days ago, her ‘Roberta Writes’ for my book, Spirit of Shell Man – even though I can’t read properly yet!

Finally, a little bit of numbers. Did you know that I have aways been a demon Scrabble person? This really helps and it’s such fun, with my great friend, Laurette, each Saturday morning. We have scored each time almost 500, and last week we got to 501! She also put a nice photo with me and my cat, Luna.

This is how it starting. Back from the void… ‘Coming Back’

And now, what can I see?

At the very start, it sees that the brain doesn’t recognise in my head properly at all.

Only listening.

Another few weeks. A little talking.

I look at my right hand. I need to write.

I move the pencil and the hand, and I look at my eyes..

This is how it works. (Sort of).

“Your eyes work, but the letters on the page have turned into squiggles. They make no sense. Now meet Howard Engel, a writer of detective stories, who has this condition, but amazingly, has found a way to trick his brain to almost read again.”

Something else

Much later, I find another writer. He had a ‘problem’ similarly to mine.

And I know he’s back, Dylan!

Take a look.

A Writer’s Journey to Aphasia and Back Again. Sort of.

So where am I now?

I am not quite right yet. My legs and arms and everything are good, although walking around is still a little odd. There is a little bit in my sight and I can’t see well on the right, but it is getting smaller.

My writing is getting so much better. Reading is still a bit difficult and talking is the same. Sometimes it is perfect but other times it disappears. Oh well.

Yes, I am ever so slow.

But I’m coming.

So much has changed in my haemorrhage stroke, but at least I’m getting better. Slowly (very slowly) does it.

Now I get the gist of things in reading and writing. Before I would copy and paste on Word on my laptop were I can Read Aloud on Review. It’s not great but it’s all right. Of course, your clever people who read aloud on WordPress are fun. I can read pretty well now too and I can pop a little reply here and there.

Meanwhile, I will enjoy the Tour de France for three weeks. Just as I watched last year, although I could hardly speak at all then, and now I’m so much better, though there are quite a few of bumps in the way as I talk. It will get there, I’m sure.

And we love to walk on over the beach, right by the ocean, near Cape Town – the best therapy, I know. Apart from all your excellent posts from WordPress.

That’s it – see you later!

This is our beach!