I’m aware some post stroke survivors have a lot of speech impact, whether losing the physical ability to speak, the mental ability to communicate or otherwise; I have always been able to talk, however to regain power, volume and tone took input from a speech and language therapist (L – the loveliest person who at one point said we could visit a pub to test my voice in loud environments, but it just wasn’t meant to be.)

I do get the odd flash of anomic aphasia where the incorrect word appears, usually if I’m rushing to speak, busy or a little under pressure and tired or sometimes the word just isn’t there anymore.

Mostly it comes out as something silly and I laugh so here’s some great examples of when it’s popped up.

Telling my mum about an interior design show where they decorated ‘a nuns coven’ not a Covent but a witches coven; it was close, but not there, a couple of letters out, mine was funnier; depending on your religious views.

“I got up, went for a wee, it’s dark out so I’ve closed the window” I’d closed the curtains, close in location physically and in the same world of words but not what I meant.

My absolute favourite needs a little backstory:

Our (mine and Rich’s) bedroom, is actually a big room, imagine I’m in the bed, if you stood at the bottom I’d be on the right. At the foot of our bed are 2 huge built in wardrobes with rolling mirrored doors that reveal 2 big drawer units, a full height set of shelves, 3 hanging rails, these are “mine” to the opposite side of the bed are 2 doors: one to our en-suite, the other is Richard’s walk in wardrobe with 2 chest of drawers , a couple of hanging rails and shelves too, with such little upper limb movement I can’t get involved in laundry stuff.

One Saturday morning I was dosing in bed. Rich was putting clothes away for us both “Ben were both out of space, again” he told me, half asleep I opened my eyes. “Ok let’s have a clothes ceasefire and put some in a charity bag” I had meant amnesty and I’m adamant it was in the same world I just got the wrong one; weeks later neither of us has got rid of a single item.

While in a shop with my mum I saw some drinking glasses I liked the look of, see below

I’d spotted these and my brain pulled the wrong word “I like those effervescent wine glasses” the word I wanted was iridescent, I wasn’t far off and my mum knew what I meant.

My favourite example of aphasia is a work related one we use a small metal stick that hammers kidney stones on a pneumatic hand piece, the diameter of the stick is 1mm, while trying to get a replacement I was offered a 4mm alternative “wow that’s massive, we could dig up the road like a John hammer” no, Ben, you mean jack hammer. The team I was telling found it funny and understood the point I was making.

Shortly afterwards I decided I was done and needed to go home and switch my brain off for a while.

Watching Grand designs with some mega McMansion all white, lots of cars when the camera went over the top of the property “oh and look the ubiquitous hot tub” was what I wanted to say but got “oh look the uniquity hot tub” was what came out. Rich just looked at me not knowing what word I was trying to use, after some googling I found it.

Published June 2024 – I may add further anecdotes in the future.

August 24 while meeting with someone at work and talking about how I ensure the team I manage got the information I said I’ll decimate my staff when I meant I’ll disseminate to my staff. It’s close but drastically changed the tone