Inspirational quotes

20/06/2025

So true

Judging a person by their appearance is like judging a book by it's cover.



Healing Hearts

20/06/2025

You don't always have to tell your side of the story...time will.



Healing Hearts

20/06/2025

Brain gym Spot the 3 Differences Between the Car Mechanic Pictures in 31 Seconds
Get ready for our exciting spot-the-difference challenge! Sharpen your observation skills as you compare two seemingly identical images. Pay attention to details and look for differences between shapes, colours, and textures. Can you find 3 differences within 31 seconds? The challenge awaits!

19/06/2025

"I Notice You"
by Yvonne Kent Pateras

I notice you
when no one else does.

I notice you hiding in the silence,
while others speak freely,
effortlessly,
never once pausing to wonder what it costs you.

I notice how you shrink from gatherings,
how crowds make your brain feel loud and lonely all at once.

I notice you sitting at your computer,
alone for hours,
searching
desperate for answers that come in fragments,
just like your words.

I notice how you flinch
when people complain about things you’d give anything to have back —
clarity, memory, speech, ease.

I notice how you carry the weight,
day after day,
night after night,
with no applause,
no finish line,
no one clapping when you find the strength to simply begin again.

I notice you fighting battles inside your mind
ones no one else can see.
Tightrope walking through your day,
just to stay upright.

I notice how you reach into the deepest part of yourself
and pull out a kind of courage you never asked to develop.

I notice how you still thank the nurses,
the therapists,
the doctors —
how you look them in the eye
and somehow smile.

I notice how you open your eyes every morning
and choose to try again.

Even when you feel invisible.
Even when it feels like no one notices.

I do.
I notice.

I notice the days when your heart races and your breath is tight
and you wonder if you can keep surviving this.

You can.
You will.

I notice how you hold on.
I notice how you keep going
even when they tell you,
it’s not possible.

You are not alone.

I see you.
I feel you.
You are deeply loved.

I notice your breakthroughs —
that small smile when a word returns,
when your brain connects again.

I notice you, transformed —
not by perfection,
but by persistence.

I notice the tears you tuck into your prayers.
And I am so, so proud of you.

You are worthy.
You are beautiful.
And now
the whole world can notice you too.
Yvonne Kent PaterasTom & Salud’s Real Life Re-doStrive For Greatness-Let’s Talk StrokeStroke Support GROUP@poems in speech live

19/06/2025

Good morning to all the group

18/06/2025

Fighting words

18/06/2025

Brain gymnasium. advice

18/06/2025

brain gymnasium find the hidden words

18/06/2025

🧠 Aphasia is not the end. There is no “plateau.”
Many people are told that the first six months after a stroke are the only chance to improve. This is not true. While the fastest changes might happen early on, the brain continues to adapt for months and years after, thanks to neuroplasticity.

💸 Insurance often gives up long before you should.
Typically, you’re discharged from hospital/rehab, then maybe get a month of outpatient therapy. After that, many therapists say “you’ve plateaued,” and you’re on your own. But this is often the very moment when intensive aphasia therapy is most needed. Unfortunately, many therapists don’t provide follow-up resources or strategies — so families have to act before discharge to plan for what comes next.

🚫 Aphasia does not just "go away." But you can get better.
This is the grey area. There’s no cure, but that doesn’t mean there’s no hope. Everyone’s recovery is different. There’s no set timeline. Improvement is real, but it requires a focused teaching approach, consistent effort, and a structured, realistic program. Aphasia is a long-term journey — not a quick fix.

💔 Roles change. Your world changes. You are not alone.
For caregivers, the impact is massive. A spouse or partner may suddenly become the breadwinner, carer, driver, and interpreter. Friends may disappear. Families may feel isolated or judged — like nothing they do is quite right.

You may feel guilt, exhaustion, anger, sadness. This is normal. We are a judgmental society, and caregivers often carry too much. Many wish they had started intensive therapy earlier — but how can you, when no one tells you it’s needed?

🧾 Professionals may give unrealistic expectations — good and bad.
Some families are told:
“You’ll be back to normal in six months.”
Others hear:
“You’ll never improve.”
Neither is true. The reality lies somewhere in the middle. There can be progress — but it takes time, patience, effort, and a long-term mindset. Not weeks or months — years.

🏋️‍♀️ Recovery is not passive. It’s daily work.
Watching TV is not therapy.
Hope is not enough.

Recovery takes active participation — speech practice, movement, memory work, physical exercise, a healthy diet, and meaningful engagement. Every day. You’re not waiting at a bus stop for healing to arrive. You’re building the road with your own hands.

Final Thoughts
Aphasia is complicated. It’s painful. It’s life-changing. But it’s not hopeless.
With support, education, and fierce determination, you can build a new version of life. It may look different — but it can still be meaningful, connected, and even joyful.