Speech Therapy after TBI: At the Wrong Pace

Speech Therapy after TBI: Kelly Part Twelve

In addition to physical therapy, Kelly also had speech therapy after TBI and occupational therapy as part of her rehabilitation from severe brain injury. Yet, the pace of that therapy was a bit off kilter with Kelly’s perception of what she needed.

Tell me about your speech therapy after TBI. 

Well let me qualify this by saying that I have a degree, I had at the time of my injury, a bachelor’s degree in communications. I read a lot of books.  I read a lot.  So I would say that I’m a voracious reader, and my speech therapist, well of course ever since the injury somebody prejudges you, you and your abilities.  So this speech therapist judged my abilities as being non-communicative.  I’m very communicative.

What did she mean by non-communicative? 

That I didn’t speak properly or I didn’t anoun, I didn’t, I didn’t pronounce my words appropriately.

And so she was forever trying to get me to say a word and I would usually jump ahead of her.  It’s like I could bump, read her mind where she was going with it.

But what did she mean to say that you were non-communicative? 

That I was be, lower than her level of teaching abilities.

You could think ahead with her but you couldn’t speak at the same speed that you were thinking? 

Exactly.  That’s, that’s a good way of putting that.   Well my mind tends to run pretty quickly and if you can’t catch up you’re left behind.  If you can’t stay with me, you’re behind.  But she was trying to be ahead of me and she couldn’t stay ahead of me.

She found that to be a criticism of your performance?

Yes.

What were you actually doing in speech therapy after TBI? 

I wrote that down somewhere, but I cannot find my journal.

Were they going through simple word problems, reading things, reading stories to you, working with naming of objects? 

They did that one time but I think was more to test my memory.

Did you have any problem with the names of things, proper pronunciation of words? 

No sir, I did, I did not have any problems with aphasia at that time, lack of word recognition.

In addition to speech therapy after TBI they also worked with you on improving your memory? 

Not really.

At what point after you got to Nashville, were you able to engage in conversation, similar to what we’re doing now? 

Yes.

From the beginning? 

From the beginning, yes sir.

Did they give you occupational therapy in addition to the speech therapy after TBI? 

Yes they did.

What did that consist of? 

That consisted of getting my left hand to work and picking up things, it was like pennies, like coins, picking up things.

How long did you get that kind of therapy? 

Almost a month.

Next in Part Thirteen – Return Home Complicated by Hormonal Problems

By Attorney Gordon Johnson

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